Who do you Save?

[Florion]

1) A male Librarian
2) The Librarian's wife, who is 6 months pregnant
4) An elderly male, famous historian
5) A renowned female starlet (dancer, actress, singer, songwriter, etc)
7) A second year medical student
10)A biochemist

The Librarian and his wife, because we have to preserve literature/I don't know how else to preserve spirituality since I ditched the Rabbi, and I like babies. Got rid of the athlete because the biochemist can tell you how the body works and how to stay healthy and such; if all the athletic traditions are lost, I've saved enough creative types who could come up with new ones. Historian, in order to preserve at least some of the culture of the old world, so that stories of a not-nuclear wasteland exist and people can dream in colour. The starlet because we are nothing without the arts. Got rid of the coed because who needs a coed? Kept the medical student for the obvious reason of taking care of everyone else. Got rid of the police officer - I dithered about this one, because what does all this mean if everything goes to chaos? But I got rid of him finally because I thought the biochemist was more important. Got rid of the Rabbi because the Librarian and the starlet can handle spiritual matters just fine. Kept the biochemist because... I don't know. Wish I did; I was trying to pick between her and the police officer, and eventually decided that someone who understands the order of the world was more important than someone who understands how to keep order among the people.

 

[TheGreatCoolEnergy]

S'a very good point, but mine still stands about religion when it comes to the end of your post.

"Chances are, the nukes are flying because of religion."

[EDIT]:

Whoops, hit post prematurely, That's how easily the world could be destroyed...


Right anyway, and the guns thing, Like I said, what made any of us think that weapons weren't included as supplies in the bunker?
Th inclusion of the Cop?
What if he was just the type of cop that deals out parking tickets and has no gun? (at least in England they don't.) We'd still be as screwed as we were before, and all we'd have to show for it was a cop with no gun but in stead authority over a world containing 5 other people.

And as you said, guns only work for as long as you have bullets.

Well in my area cops carry guns(yay North America!) so I assume mine would come complete with one. And yes, guns are only as good as there bullets last, but I would still like having one and someone who is trained in it's use/maintence. And as for the nukes and religion, yeah probably.

 

[Syphonz]

I'll save my game...

 

[Triple G]

Dunno, I would just get some hookers, enough drugs and alcohol for 3 days, food is already there, so it's ok and a gun. Then I would party hard and end my life, so I can go to hell for my sins. And I will try to make those 3 days worth the eternity in hell that I will have to face.

 

[IrishBerserker]

1) A male Librarian
2) The Librarian's wife, who is 6 months pregnant
3) An Olympic male Athlete (for arguments sake, of all sports)
4) An elderly male, famous historian
5) A renowned female starlet (dancer, actress, singer, songwriter, etc)
6) A college co-ed
7) A second year medical student
8) A police officer
9) A rabbi
10)A biochemist

So now it is entirely up to you... Who do you save? Only 6 people can survive, meaning 4 people have to die.

2) the Librarians wife - shes pregnat for gods sake
4) the Historian - history is important
7) the Med student- need a healer
8) the Cop - keep Order
9) the Rabbi - not sure why i just would
10) the Biochemist - could be usefull

I'd also reserve the Right to sacrifice myself for one of the other 4.

 

[Tri Force95]

I would save
1) Male Librarian
2) Librarians wife
3) Olympic Athlete
4) Historian
6) College co-ed (who im assuming is female)
7) Second year medical student

My main concern would be repopulation. The Librarian and his Wife are obviously capable of having children so they would be a must, plus she is already pregnant. The Olympic Athlete and the co-ed could hook up as well (yes I know thats a blunt way to put it). The Historian would be good to help piece history back together after the disaster. The Medical student would be vital since everyone else would have too little experience with such things if there was an emergency.

I agree with this list.

 

[archi-p]

I heard this question the other day in my philosophy class and what at first seemed like a harmless conversation starter slowly became an all out philosophical brawl. I now pose this question to, members of the Escapist, and ask: who do you save?

The question goes as thus: You are a government leader who is aware of an impending nuclear war, and is faced with the decision of who to save. Their is only one fallout bunker capable of escaping the radiation (just go with it), and it only has enough food for 3 months, which is how long the radiation is supposed to last, and 6 people total. Keep in mind that these people that are in this vault may be the last humans and must reinhabit the vacant Earth. You have a list of 10 people to choose from...
1) A male Librarian
2) The Librarian's wife, who is 6 months pregnant
3) An Olympic male Athlete (for arguments sake, of all sports)
4) An elderly male, famous historian
5) A renowned female starlet (dancer, actress, singer, songwriter, etc)
6) A college co-ed
7) A second year medical student
8) A police officer
9) A rabbi
10)A biochemist

So now it is entirely up to you... Who do you save? Only 6 people can survive, meaning 4 people have to die.

you realize if you can save 6 people then they should only pick 5 to save themselves

 

[Shamgarr]

I heard this question the other day in my philosophy class and what at first seemed like a harmless conversation starter slowly became an all out philosophical brawl. I now pose this question to, members of the Escapist, and ask: who do you save?

The question goes as thus: You are a government leader who is aware of an impending nuclear war, and is faced with the decision of who to save. Their is only one fallout bunker capable of escaping the radiation (just go with it), and it only has enough food for 3 months, which is how long the radiation is supposed to last, and 6 people total. Keep in mind that these people that are in this vault may be the last humans and must reinhabit the vacant Earth. You have a list of 10 people to choose from...
1) A male Librarian
2) The Librarian's wife, who is 6 months pregnant
3) An Olympic male Athlete (for arguments sake, of all sports)
4) An elderly male, famous historian
5) A renowned female starlet (dancer, actress, singer, songwriter, etc)
6) A college co-ed
7) A second year medical student
8) A police officer
9) A rabbi
10)A biochemist

So now it is entirely up to you... Who do you save? Only 6 people can survive, meaning 4 people have to die.

you realize if you can save 6 people then they should only pick 5 to save themselves

For this situation to be of any philosophical significance, you have to take yourself out of the equation.

 

[archi-p]

I heard this question the other day in my philosophy class and what at first seemed like a harmless conversation starter slowly became an all out philosophical brawl. I now pose this question to, members of the Escapist, and ask: who do you save?

The question goes as thus: You are a government leader who is aware of an impending nuclear war, and is faced with the decision of who to save. Their is only one fallout bunker capable of escaping the radiation (just go with it), and it only has enough food for 3 months, which is how long the radiation is supposed to last, and 6 people total. Keep in mind that these people that are in this vault may be the last humans and must reinhabit the vacant Earth. You have a list of 10 people to choose from...
1) A male Librarian
2) The Librarian's wife, who is 6 months pregnant
3) An Olympic male Athlete (for arguments sake, of all sports)
4) An elderly male, famous historian
5) A renowned female starlet (dancer, actress, singer, songwriter, etc)
6) A college co-ed
7) A second year medical student
8) A police officer
9) A rabbi
10)A biochemist

So now it is entirely up to you... Who do you save? Only 6 people can survive, meaning 4 people have to die.

you realize if you can save 6 people then they should only pick 5 to save themselves

For this situation to be of any philosophical significance, you have to take yourself out of the equation.

lets see were going to need a leader so i would save myself
numbers 2,4,5,9,and10 would be safe
and just to know probably 1

 

[Megacherv]

1, 2 (saving 2 people there), 4, 6, 7 and after that it's a toss up between 5 and 8.

 

[yaik7a]

2,7(Female),4,6(Female),10,and my slef
I would not take 9 as he would like to start
the barbaric practice of cirmisition

 

[whycantibelinus]

1) A male Librarian
2) The Librarian's wife, who is 6 months pregnant
3) An Olympic male Athlete (for arguments sake, of all sports)
4) An elderly male, famous historian
5) A renowned female starlet (dancer, actress, singer, songwriter, etc)
6) A college co-ed
7) A second year medical student
8) A police officer
9) A rabbi
10)A biochemist

I'd save 10, 7, 9, 2, 3, and 1.

 

[Desert Tiger]

I'd go with the med student, starlet and librarian's wife.

That way we have more food and stuff.

 

[Randomologist]

From a genetic perspective, this gene pool is too small, and after a few generations they'd be hopelessly in-bred. I read somewhere that you need about 20 people to repopulate, I'll edit or follow up this post some other time with the source.

Anyway, based purely on skills and not gender, I'd save 1,3,4,5,7 and 10. I don't see any skills specified for the wife, or the co-ed. The policeman won't be needed for a while, and the Rabbi I don't see as necessary- It is quite possible to become a civilised human being without the fables of religion.

 

[Shamgarr]

From a genetic perspective, this gene pool is too small, and after a few generations they'd be hopelessly in-bred. I read somewhere that you need about 20 people to repopulate, I'll edit or follow up this post some other time with the source.

Anyway, based purely on skills and not gender, I'd save 1,3,4,5,7 and 10. I don't see any skills specified for the wife, or the co-ed. The policeman won't be needed for a while, and the Rabbi I don't see as necessary- It is quite possible to become a civilised human being without the fables of religion.

I'm gonna answer that with a point I made earlier.
It's my opinion that religion will develope in this new world, no matter what. Do you not agree that eventually there will be something set up by the survivors? I think that a religion that has no structure, no leaders, or any sort of guidance, will be ultimately more detramental than a religion which the rabbi can be a spiritual guide for.

 

[Shamgarr]

And lastly the Cop...
What the hell would we need him for? There are 6 survivors all of which have been living in a vault for three months, it's not like there's much policing to be done.
and given the choice, he would rather start looting to survive then continue to uphold ridiculous laws that hold no meaning in a world that's been utterly annihilated.

I think the cop would come complete with a gun, something nessescary for post apocalyspe survival

I was taking a realistic approach, and excluding the possiblity of Mutated surivors attacking...
seeing as a conventional nuclear warhead would either incinerate/blast you to tiny bits from close ranger or kill you slowly from fallout.

A gun just isn't needed, and who says the necessities in the bunker didn't include weapons?

I was taking a realistic point of view aswell. In a world with no rules, no army comming, no food, no colour TV, no hope, how many people would turn to violence as a problem solver? A gun is a nessecity to protect yourself and to keep order among your future settlement. And also, there may be guns in the vault, but the cop is only who knows how to use and mantain one.

True, religion may cause comfort in times of despair, but don't you think people with solid knowledge about how to rebuild humanity would be more important? In a new world, the top priority would be regaining all that was lost, and I believe religion would not help with this. What would be more productive, sitting and praying for god's help or rebuilding yourself?

Yes, it's been here since the dawn of man, but back then, people used religion to answer the questions that they could not answer. Humanity has gained much knowledge since its conception, knowledge that answers many questions scientifically whereas before people used to answer with "because god made it that way". We are currently a science-driven society, and facts are often viewed as more useful than what the holy book says (this is getting into the science vs. religion debate).

Finally, although religion has given humans strength, comfort and a sense of belonging over the course of history, it has also caused more wars and human conflict than anything else. Think how many less wars there would be if religion did not exist. It takes out a great deal. There would be no prejudice based on religion, no "Holy Crusades" that kills all the heretics, etc.

Basically, all I'm trying to say is that in a new world where humanity needs to rebuild itself, a person that can use science to take action is much more useful than a man who sits and prays to god. As you can see, I'm not very religious, but I still respect those who do believe. Remeber, I don't mean to bash religion; I respect your opinion but respectfully disagree.

Alright Good well thought out points. Here are my replies:

First of all, you use religion to control them, not to "Pray to Jeebis that I won't die". In a world where yours is the only police force, the only farm, the only town, the only army, the only rescue boat, where no help is comming, the single most difficult task will be keeping people in line. Shure, when you only have 6 people(and yourself) that wont be a problem. But lets look further down the line: Say when you "Group" has become a 50 strong. 100 strong. 1000 strong. Suddenly keeping moral high becomes a true challenge, as more people will fall into despair or question why they are listenning to you. The easyiest solution? Start religion. Optimal choice? Immediatly. As soon as you get into the vault, you should be set to work establishing your cult, in this case a tweeked version of judism. Then further down the line, everyone will believe this(in theory), and you can focus on things like defense. A society only works when everybody works to the same ends. Shure you can substitue Guns or science for religion, but Guns only work while you have bullets, and science lacks the hope of a good afterlife.

And yes religion has been used to answer things. But to any good leader, he values such a set up. It is no coincidence that a strong religion resembles a strong dictatorship. Luckily, you supplied me with an example. Back in the Dark Ages, one word from the Pope and thousands of people left there homes and traveled across the continent to fight, just because they where told to, because they believed it was "What god wanted". Can you image that degree of control? Something you would most deffinately need if you plan to survive.

I am not a fanatic either, but I realise how useful of a tool religion could be, especialy when trying to maintain order or keep peopel from killing themselves in despair.

That's a pretty interesting point. The Rabbi could definately use some of his authority to assure that the people stay in check. But do you think there would be struggles for power between the religion (rabbi) and the law (police officer)? This has been a theme throughout history and can be seen in examples such as Cardinal Richaloue and King Louis of France. Some people supported the spritual, some supported the Law. We don't want our society to follow this same pattern, and eventually tear itself apart.

 

[Troublesome Lagomorph]

3, 5, 6, 10 left behind.
I have to think of the baby in mind when it comes to the pregnant lady (which is why i chose to leave 10 behind.) The historian will be required to re-teach the pre-fallout world, the libarian could be useful (for his knowledge), the med student can help us with basic medicinal needs (and perhaps delivering the baby) and the police officer will be required for order. The rabbi is probably the confusing choice, but I believe that in the post-fallout world faith will help keep things in order and keep the people out of despair.