Would you die to allow someone close to you to live?

[HoneyBLilly]

For my son, husband(not at the moment though), and little sister . . . then yes, for anyone else, probably not.

 

[Zulu Romeo]

What about the reverse? Would you let someone related to you to die if it meant you could live?

Is that really the reverse? It is implicit in the original question that choosing not to sacrifice yourself will cause you to live and them to die, so it sounds like the same question to me.

I think he's assuming that the decision made as outlined in the OP is one made only by yourself, i.e. not mutual, and that he's asking what would happen if that decision about your life and that of a loved one was made by the other person instead of by you.

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

Yes.

 

[RoJoHen]

It would depend on how unpleasant the death was! But conceivably there are one or two people I'd die for.

They'd better do something important with their lives though!

I agree with this.

 

[JoeZhang]

No, I'd push everyone I know under a bus so I can carry on living.

 

[Yeoman Randi]

Yes, absolutely, for my kids, no question. (Although the 17 yr old daughter makes the cut by the skin of her teeth.)

 

[Holdfast]

No. I like life too much.

I suppose one could argue that just means I don't have anyone I consider sufficiently close to me to make the answer yes, but that's really getting into semantics.

 

[Darth Duck]

I'd like to think I would. I hope I never have to find out.

 

[Yeoman Randi]

When answering this question, I also need to consider the consequences of either person's death.

If I died, how many others out there who need my help, either on a personal or professional level, would have to suffer? Could I have much more to offer to the world? Could I save or change more lives for the better or for the worse? Is all that worth my sacrifice?

I can see a degree of selfishness about it all. Is it selfish that I choose to live so that I can fulfil my personal agenda to help others - something that is not even guaranteed, and which could backfire spectacularly? Is it selfish that I throw it all away and die in a state of personal contentedness to help just one person regardless of the countless others who could benefit from me?

How would I react if I lived and the other person died? Would I be full of remorse over the death of the loved one I should have saved, that I just stop everything I do and enter a prolonged period of mourning? Or will it add a new-found drive that I've been given another chance at life?

All of the above of course also applies to the other person in question, whether they lived or died instead of me, and whether they would do the same thing to me.

If I had no time to think about it, though. then I'd go with my gut instinct. I feel that the point about living with the knowledge that I denied someone's continuing life, so that I could further my own, would have a great effect on me and would haunt my every decision afterwards. Rather than consider their sacrifice as a gift and a means to drive myself further, I'd still see it as a burden in that they could have done something with their life instead of me (though there is still no guarantee of this). Therefore, my default answer, with the best of intentions, is still YES.

I love how thoughtful you are ZR.

 

[SPCTRE]

I'd like to think I would. I hope I never have to find out.

Yup.

 

[PianoWizzy]

I think that for anyone other than one particular person I'd say that I don't think I would, even though I'd want to. It's terribly selfish but life has been far too good to me and such a decision would likely haunt me for my life but either choice would be a mistake.

What about the reverse? Would you let someone related to you to die if it meant you could live?

I believe that this is the harder question. The guilt that would be carried by allowing it would be far worse in a way.

 

[RoJoHen]

No. I like life too much.

I suppose one could argue that just means I don't have anyone I consider sufficiently close to me to make the answer yes, but that's really getting into semantics.

Well, in this scenario, I am obviously envisioning that my sacrifice is necessary to buy time for my friend to go on and save the world from imminent destruction.

 

[Maestro]

I try not to prattle on about faith, or even really discuss mine (despite my sig), but this is a time when I feel OK about it.

Jesus teaches that no greater love is there than to lay down one's life for a friend. If I am truly a follower of Christ, then I will allow myself to die to allow someone else to live. Certainly, if it comes to a member of my family or my in-laws, I am willing. A family friend, I think so. A total stranger? I'm not much of a Christian am I.

It would depend on how unpleasant the death was!

My 89 year-old grandma entered Hospice care a few weeks ago. The sister's idea of pain management and the healthy dose of morphine aren't in the same state. I am firmly convinced that the Hospice nuns euthanized my grandma by their dosing recommendations. And I thank them for it, because Grandma died in her sleep, in her own house, with her son and daughter-in-law at her side, and her dignity intact.

 

[Rarewolf]

I hope I would have the courage to sacrifice my life to save a child (even if it wasn't someone close to me).

I've always felt the same, I'd lay down my own life to save anyone younger than me.

 

[RandyS]

There's only one person left in my life that I can say this about: yes, but then, there's nothing in this life I WOULDN'T do for her.

On the other hand, faced with that situation, she most likely wouldn't let me.

 

[Locutus of Bored]

I've always felt the same, I'd lay down my own life to save anyone younger than me.

Are you older than 37? If so, we should hang out, at least until I'm done testifying.

 

[DarkHelmet]

For my wife or two children, 100% yes. Though I would probably, in all honesty, hesitate for a fraction of a second if it was a violent death. But just a fraction, then overcome my fear and sacrifice myself. Just trying to be completely honest.

 

[Gil T.Azell]

For my nephew or my nieces--- yeah, I probably would.

^ Defiantly , for my friends kids yes.

 

[J.T.B.]

For my family and friends definitely yes. There have been two events in my life where I found myself potentially risking my life for strangers, too, so I'm fairly sure about my reactions at this point.

--Justin

 

[doubleohfive]

Absolutely.