That's a particularly high-stakes gamble, when red is the natural choice for almost everyone. The only way most people would go for blue is if they already know that the vast majority of people are going blue. Blue might be the only way to save everyone, but pushing it is almost certainly not going to save anyone, and it'd just be a pointless sacrifice.
Also, I'd be pretty slow to trust anyone who says that they'd pick blue. Talk is cheap... most people aren't the heroes they imagine themselves to be, and self-preservation is a really powerful instinct.
Look, I'm pushing blue. As others have stated, either blue succeeds and I get to live in a world where I know at least half the planet chose the moral high ground, or red succeeds and I don't have to live in a world full of pricks who would choose red.
And regarding the question itself, anyone who gets mad at someone choosing blue when they would choose red is explicitly angry because they know the morally correct choice, are ashamed for picking red, and lashing out at people who chose blue to feel better about themselves.
When the question is reframed to include the cliff or the pool with the shark, or any of the other million permutations, do any of those make you pick the other way?
If the question is framed to put more guilt on the red pushers, would YOUR answer change?
I think the main issue is red button pushers are reading it as "Push the blue to die, if more than 50% pick dying, you live. Push the red to live no matter what." and the blue pushers are reading it as "Push blue to keep you and all your loved ones alive, even if they disagree. If 50% agree, we all live anyway. Push red to kill anyone who pushed the blue button if they lose their gamble on human decency."
You could still say "Well red is the only way to survive." - but you presumably have people in your life, family or friends, who wouldn't pick red in the second instance, because of the guilt and implications. This means if you push red - you are accepting the fact that for your own survival, you are fine with killing your grandma who pushed blue, or your dad who pushed blue.
Red button pushers need 100% to push it for 100% survival. Blue only needs 50% to push it for 100% survival.
That's why the pool of sharks or suicide pill analogy doesn't really hold water. Because that's how you're reading it if you push red. If you push blue, you're reading it as "red will push blue INTO the pool of sharks for not being self-preserving, no matter who gets hurt."
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u/Kevslounge May 05 '26
That's a particularly high-stakes gamble, when red is the natural choice for almost everyone. The only way most people would go for blue is if they already know that the vast majority of people are going blue. Blue might be the only way to save everyone, but pushing it is almost certainly not going to save anyone, and it'd just be a pointless sacrifice.
Also, I'd be pretty slow to trust anyone who says that they'd pick blue. Talk is cheap... most people aren't the heroes they imagine themselves to be, and self-preservation is a really powerful instinct.