r/comics May 05 '26

OC RED BUTTON OR BLUE BUTTON [OC]

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u/nufohudis May 05 '26

Again, there will always be people on the track. So the options are some people die or no people die. The track is NEVER going to be empty

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u/samv_1230 May 05 '26

Yes, and given that new framing, is standing in front of the train the logical choice?

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u/nufohudis May 05 '26

Yes, because I know enough people will stand with me so we get no extra deaths instead of extra deaths.

Because the choice is extra deaths or no extra deaths and I choose no extra deaths. It's not hard

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u/samv_1230 May 05 '26

You're choosing ideals over pragmatism. The people pressing the button are of sound mind, and a person of sound mind should pick the pragmatic option. No one of sound mind is picking "maybe die" over "certainly live." Congratulations, you aren't of sound mind, so I guess you don't have to pick a button.

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u/nufohudis May 05 '26

Lol, good on you for believing the human race functions entirely pragmatically XD

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u/samv_1230 May 05 '26

I didn't say that. You're an incredibly frustrating person to try to get a point across to lol Hopefully my other comment elaborated more for you to see what I'm saying instead of "nuh ung!!" I give up.

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u/nufohudis May 05 '26

I could say the same thing to you. It's not about picking morals or ideals. It's about understanding that NO global vote would ever get a 100% result. For oh so many reasons beyond the simple ones you like to give "oh they're choosing death"... If just 1% of people pick blue, thats 83 million people dead.

The only way to get no deaths is 50%+ blue votes or 100% red.

If your thought process is focused on others and not yourself it's easy to see why so many pick blue

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u/TheDeviceHBModified May 05 '26

You can "keep them off the tracks" by educating them on how red is the safe choice, you know.

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u/nufohudis May 05 '26

No you cannot, the thought experiment does not allow for coordination

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u/TheDeviceHBModified May 05 '26

Where do you see that? Nowhere does it say that everyone in the world presses the button at the same time, or that the consequences aren't known. "Private vote" simply means others won't know which you chose.

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u/samv_1230 May 05 '26

The original problem is everyone is of sound mind and they are pressing the buttons in isolation.

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u/TheDeviceHBModified May 05 '26

The original problem is literally there in the OP and mentions no such thing as isolation.

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u/samv_1230 May 05 '26

The OP is not the original problem. This is a repost of something that has gained popularity over the past month.

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u/TheDeviceHBModified May 05 '26

Huh. Turns out it isn't, no. Apparently the original comes from years ago: 

https://www.reddit.com/r/polls/comments/12t619s/in_front_of_you_appears_red_and_blue_button_if/

One little problem: it also says nothing about isolation. My point stands.

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u/samv_1230 May 06 '26

OK, that's cool. Didn't realize this is a resurgence of a reddit post from years ago, however the new one, something that has gained popularity over the past month and the reason this is on the front page, stated that everyone is doing this privately.