Interesting insight into decision making

plumkiwi
By plumkiwi

Thanks for approving my membership!!! God Bless!

Just want to share. . . . .

"Interesting insight into decision making"

A group of children were playing near two railway tracks, one still in use while the other unused. Only one child played on the unused track, and the rest of the children on the operational track.

The train is coming, and you are just beside the track interchange, who happened to have the chance to change the course of the train.
You can make the train change its course to the unused track and save most of the children.

However, that would also mean the lone child playing by the unused track would be sacrificed. Or would you rather let the train go its way?

Let's take a pause to think what kind of decision we could make...............

..
...
..

Most people might choose to divert the course of the train, and sacrifice only one child. Because to save most of the children at the expense of only one child was rational decision most people would make, morally and emotionally.
But, have you ever thought that the child choosing to play on the disused track had in fact made the right decision to play at a safe place?

Nevertheless, he had to be sacrificed because of his ignorant friends who chose to play where the danger was.

This kind of dilemma happens around us everyday. In the office, community, in politics and especially in a democratic society, the minority is often sacrificed for the interest of the majority, no matter how foolish or ignorant the majority are, and how farsighted and knowledgeable the minority are. The child who chose not to play with the rest on the operational track was sidelined. And in the case he was sacrificed, no one would shed a tear for him.

The great critic Leo Velski Julian who told the story, said he would not try to change the course of the train because he believed that the kids playing on the operational track should have known very well that track was still in use, and that they should have run away if they heard the train's sirens.

If the train was diverted, that lone child would definitely die because he never thought the train could come over to that track!

Moreover, that track was not in use probably because the track was not safe. If the train was diverted to the track, we could put the lives of all passengers on board at stake! And in the attempt to save a few kids by sacrificing one child, you might end up sacrificing hundreds of people to save these few kids.

While we are all aware that life is full of tough decisions that need to be made, we may not realize that hasty decisions may not always be the right one.

"Remember that what's right isn't always popular... and what's popular isn't always right."

By princess habibah• 3 Sep 2008 21:06
princess habibah

Excellent story!

It really puts into perspective that instead of justifying our actions we need to face their consequences.

For instance the children should have never been on the tracks in the first place. So where were the parents who were supposed to be teaching and protecting them. The fences to prevent children from crossing the barrier.

At the end of the day the fact that the children risked putting themselves in such danger was a result of ignorance.

It will be a good lesson to educating people in the future from making the same sort of mistakes and make them focus on how their actions help such things to happen.

Maryum : Umm Hasan bint Abdullah Alshabrawishi

By QT• 3 Sep 2008 20:56
QT

majority!

It is the majority that provide the Majority of the workforce,

It is the majority that is looked upon to increase a country's population and manpower,

It is from the majority that a country's home defenses are pitched at to recruit as many as possible

and...

It is the majority that wins elections!

So, before you do the right thing and side with the clever kid, think....

Is it for the greater good, or just some idealistic notion of right and wrong?

(nice story though, keep it up)

:0)

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