Comments on: Would You Kill a Stranger For a Billion Dollars?

By: FinancialBondage.org

FinancialBondage.org — Sat, 15 May 2010 22:49:05 +0000

I would not kill anyone for money.

By: James from Tech for the Masses

James from Tech for the Masses — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 14:00:54 +0000

I have to say this is quite tempting. A Billion dollars for a stranger? That would stretch anyones conscience. I almost want to say yes then spend part of that billion on post traumatic stress therapy. lol But anyway, money don’t buy happiness.

By: Are We Really Doing What We Want To Do With Our Lives? « Thirtysomething Finance

Thu, 10 Dec 2009 21:54:51 +0000

[...] a sense, this reminds me of Baker’s post over at Man vs. Debt: would you kill a stranger for a billion dollars? I believe that the fact that we even consider this question demonstrates the extent to which [...]

By: Roger

Roger — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 07:40:38 +0000

Wow, this is a deep, deep question. With regards to the initially posed question, I honestly don’t know. I’d like to believe that I wouldn’t kill for money, even great amounts of it, but unless I find myself in a situation when someone is actually holding the suitcase full of money in front of me (or, I don’t know, had a building containing 100,000 people, that was laced with dynamite and set to explode), I doubt I can say anything for certain. I will say that I think if I were able (or forced) to learn the identity of the person before committing to a course of action, it might make the decision easier. A convicted, death row criminal or octogenarian who wants to die, sure, why not; an innocent nine-year, well, that’s a much tougher call. If it’s just a random stranger, I’d have to play the averages, which gets all the tougher.

Now, if it’s me choosing whether I will die, the decision could be more straightforward; I can judge for myself whether the potential benefits to the world outweigh my existence being extinguished. That’s not to say it would be easier; weighing possible advantages to society vs. my own life is not the sort of calculation that’s easy to make. (Although, both of the situations you suggested, 100,000 lives and 1 billion dollars to charity, seem to sufficient to make me inclined to acquiesce.)

As to why putting a dollar amount into the equation rather than a number of lives makes a difference, I have a few ideas. First, receiving money for ending another person’s life comes off as assassination, even if all the money goes immediately to charity; while ending a life to save others seems more heroic, as if you just snuffed an assassin before he blows up a school bus. Second, while we say that one billion dollars, given to the right charity, can save X number of lives, we have no promise that such a donation will actually do so. Charities are limited by laws, their administrators, and other factors that prevent an easy ‘X Dollars will add Y number of years of life for Z number of people’ calculations. Third, and perhaps most importantly, with money involved there’s always the potential to skim a little off the top for yourself. You think, ‘If I keep just 1%, I’ll be able to supply myself and my family for the rest of our nature lives, and the 990 million I give to charity will be able to save just as many lives.’ There’s a temptation with cash that doesn’t exist with straight ‘kill (or be killed) to save these people’ situations.
.-= Roger´s last blog ..How to get Ahead of the Game: Three Tips for Students =-.

By: Roger

Roger — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 07:02:07 +0000

Not necessarily; the sad fact is, there are plenty of people in the world who have few, if any, connections to other people. Hermits, misers, elderly people with no surviving family members…the list goes on. It might not be easy, but it would be possible to find someone, somewhere, that nobody would miss if they died. Which of course raises the related question of ‘Would you kill someone who would not be missed for a billion dollars?’
.-= Roger´s last blog ..How to get Ahead of the Game: Three Tips for Students =-.

By: Collection of best personal finance posts

Collection of best personal finance posts — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 04:18:44 +0000

[...] Would You Kill a Stranger For a Billion Dollars from @ManvsDebt I miss-read this at first, I thought it said a millions dollars. A billion? No question, I’d do it in a second. Wait can I plan it out first so that I actually have a chance to get away with it. Isn’t it funny how this question changes by only a few word? [...]

By: Tommy

Tommy — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 10:03:17 +0000

Hi Baker,
Nice question. I’m currently serving in the US military, and I can say with absolute certainty there are many people willing to kill for a lot less money than you’re proposing. With 6.5 billion humans on this Earth, human life is becoming cheap.

I like your blog. We need more men vs. debt.
.-= Tommy´s last blog ..The Virtue of Cash =-.

By: Steve "Dream" Weaver

Steve "Dream" Weaver — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 23:31:48 +0000

The man who "allegedly shot and killed 4 police officers" was recently shot (in the back?) by another cop. Now that he's dead I guarantee you this; all the evidence will show the dead man was responsible!! The cop who shot him decided take it upon himself to be Judge, jury and executioner. What will happen to this cop who committed murder? My bet is that he gets a paid vacation!! ( a.k.a. a temporary suspension with pay!) .-= Steve "Dream" Weaver´s last blog ..the Burlington liars club =-.

By: Bobby

Bobby — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 23:04:20 +0000

My answer is no. To add another data point: The guy who killed four police officers in a restaurant was recently shot (in the back?) by another cop.

By: Nancy L.

Nancy L. — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 20:21:22 +0000

Lots of interesting points being brought up in the comments section. I am not particularly frightened of dying, but I know I would have a hard time killing another person. I felt guilty when I had to put down a pet goldfish I’d had for a few years, and that was to help the fish avoid more pain and suffering. I can’t imagine trying to kill a person.

Going back to the charity discussion a week or two ago, I would have a hard time justifying killing someone or dying for a charity to receive a specific financial donation, but if I could guarantee a specific outcome (ie 100K people will die if you don’t do this and here are their names), then it would become a much harder decision.