Chances of Death = X, Do You Save a Friend?
 

Ok, imagine this scenario. A good friend is going to die unless you do something about it. Let's assume that if you decide to take action (minimal effort needed), you will save your friend 100% of the time. The catch is, there is a risk on your own life. (You can only die or come out untouched. No in-betweens.)

Clearly, everyone would rescue their friend if the chances of dying themselves was 0%. However, most people would not save their friend if the chances of dying themselves was 100%.

So OOT, what odds do you need to go ahead and rescue your good friend?

Re: Chances of Death = X, Do You Save a Friend?
 

Here's what I think

Friend = 1% chance of me dying while saving him
Close Friend = 5%
Best Friend = 10%

I'm young and have no wife/kids.

Re: Chances of Death = X, Do You Save a Friend?
 

heartless bastard.

Re: Chances of Death = X, Do You Save a Friend?
 

wow, you suck as a friend

Re: Chances of Death = X, Do You Save a Friend?
 

My percentage approaches 100 for most good friends I think, but maybe I'm optimistic.

Depends on the pain I have to go through when I die ;P

Re: Chances of Death = X, Do You Save a Friend?
 

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heartless bastard.

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goddamn, why'd i say anything

Re: Chances of Death = X, Do You Save a Friend?
 

better to die a hero than live as a coward

Re: Chances of Death = X, Do You Save a Friend?
 

Random friend- very close to 0%
Close friend- 2-3%
Best friend- 6%

It also depends whether I was fully aware of my chances of dying, if I knew there was exactly a 15% chance of me dying, I probably wouldn't save them, if I estimated a 15% chance, I probably would just since I run sick good when it matters.

Re: Chances of Death = X, Do You Save a Friend?
 

Number would depend on how close the friend is, but it's much higher then the numbers you pussies are writing.

Re: Chances of Death = X, Do You Save a Friend?
 

Childless close friends: like 2% maybe

Close friends with children, but lots of life insurance: 5%

Close friend with child, NO life insurance: 20%

My best friend, several children, I'm guessing no life insurance: 25%

Re: Chances of Death = X, Do You Save a Friend?
 

I am 23.

Acquaintance- 1%
Friend - 15%-25%
Best friend - 85%
Mom/Dad - 85%
Sister - 95%

Only reason parents are so low is because they have less time to live than I do.

Re: Chances of Death = X, Do You Save a Friend?
 

dog-100%

Re: Chances of Death = X, Do You Save a Friend?
 

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I am 23.

Acquaintance- 1%
Friend - 15%-25%
Best friend - 85%
Mom/Dad - 85%
Sister - 95%

Only reason parents are so low is because they have less time to live than I do.

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Yeah I'm similar except for my dad it might be 25%, but only because he's almost 70 and he would never want me to do so. i say that, but when it came to it, probably 95%. My mom wouldn't want me to do so either, but I'd still do it if it were 100%. Brothers and girlfriend, probably same, 100%.

Probably around 5% for my two cats.

Re: Chances of Death = X, Do You Save a Friend?
 

I am not sure what I was thinking when I wrote this... My sister is not just 100% but I would pick 100% for me even if it only lessened my sisters chance of dying by 50%

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So sister - 100% in order to lessen her chance of dying by 50%

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I am very happy with my life too, but I could never choose myself over her.

Re: Chances of Death = X, Do You Save a Friend?
 

99% for anyone who returns my phone calls on a regular basis (heck, this would even apply to work related calls right now).

There's that 1% that would be that I'm too involved in a TV show, video game or something else to be bothered.

Re: Chances of Death = X, Do You Save a Friend?
 

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Childless close friends: like 2% maybe

Close friends with children, but lots of life insurance: 5%

Close friend with child, NO life insurance: 20%

My best friend, several children, I'm guessing no life insurance: 25%

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This reminds me of the old saying:

"A lack of planning on your part does NOT constitute an emergency on my part."

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*For my brother: 100%. I would throw myself in front of a bus or a bullet for him without a thought.
*Best friend: 75%
*Boyfriend: (one I love, not one I'm just keeping around) 30%
*Parents: 15%
*Everyone else: 5%

Re: Chances of Death = X, Do You Save a Friend?
 

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Childless close friends: like 2% maybe

Close friends with children, but lots of life insurance: 5%

Close friend with child, NO life insurance: 20%

My best friend, several children, I'm guessing no life insurance: 25%

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This reminds me of the old saying:

"A lack of planning on your part does NOT constitute an emergency on my part."

[img]/images/graemlins/shocked.gif[/img]


*For my brother: 100%. I would throw myself in front of a bus or a bullet for him without a thought.
*Best friend: 75%
*Boyfriend: (one I love, not one I'm just keeping around) 30%
*Parents: 15%
*Everyone else: 5%

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You have a random boyfriend and best friend ahead of your parents?

fyc

Re: Chances of Death = X, Do You Save a Friend?
 

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I am not sure what I was thinking when I wrote this... My sister is not just 100% but I would pick 100% for me even if it only lessened my sisters chance of dying by 50%


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wtf...I love my sister, but I would never sacrifice my life to save her's. And I would expect she (and any other sane human being) would think the same.

Re: Chances of Death = X, Do You Save a Friend?
 

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dog-100%

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If you were still 100% to die and the dog was only 10% to survive, would you still go for it?

p.s. you're sick in the head

Re: Chances of Death = X, Do You Save a Friend?
 

My parents would both be supremely unhappy if I gave my life to save theirs. It would probably kill my dad. Really.

It's not a measure of how important they are to me, it's me trying to respect how they would feel, balanced against my selfish desire to keep them around.

Re: Chances of Death = X, Do You Save a Friend?
 

You guys are saying if your sister needed a heart transplant to live and the odds of it being a success were 50%. You would just off yourself so she could have your heart? This seems totally irrational to me.

Re: Chances of Death = X, Do You Save a Friend?
 

People saying 15% for parents or less than 100% for wife/girlfriend, etc. are either not thinking about this or are strange in my book.


You are walking across the street, a few feet behind your wife/mother/sister. All of a sudden a car comes barreling towards them and time freezes. Somehow you become aware that you can push them to safety but you will have X% of dying. Are you people seriously saying ehhhhh, I'll take a pass.

I revise my answer to 100% for all friends and family and strangers under the age of like 60. Only those I don't like or the terminally ill are getting hit by that bus.

Re: Chances of Death = X, Do You Save a Friend?
 

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You guys are saying if your sister needed a heart transplant to live and the odds of it being a success were 50%. You would just off yourself so she could have your heart? This seems totally irrational to me.

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Yes.

But I think that it is rational because her happiness is more important to me than my own.

Edit: And noah is right. All of my estimates were really low. Rational or not I would definitely risk my life to save a random person in danger and would take a pretty substantial risk for someone who I am acquainted with.

Re: Chances of Death = X, Do You Save a Friend?
 

honestly mine is pretty high for a stranger if i though I could really help.

Re: Chances of Death = X, Do You Save a Friend?
 

I have absolutely no idea how to answer this without being in the situation. Srsly how could you?

Re: Chances of Death = X, Do You Save a Friend?
 

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I have absolutely no idea how to answer this without being in the situation. Srsly how could you?

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Agreed.

Stranger comes to you and says, "hey I need a transplant, can you help me out? Theres a 50% chance you die."

I say "sorry bro. that sucks, but i can't help you. good luck."

Stranger about to be hit by bus, I knock him out of the way.

Re: Chances of Death = X, Do You Save a Friend?
 

I'd die for anydamnbody. Unless I knew for a fact that you were a scumbag, or, now that VR has made me think about it, they would really, REALLY rather that they died and I lived, my X for any given person approaches 100%. Really, what's better than going out in a blaze of glory? Would you rather die of cancer? Choke on a turkey sandwich?

Re: Chances of Death = X, Do You Save a Friend?
 

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I have absolutely no idea how to answer this without being in the situation. Srsly how could you?

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Agreed.

Stranger comes to you and says, "hey I need a transplant, can you help me out? Theres a 50% chance you die."

I say "sorry bro. that sucks, but i can't help you. good luck."

Stranger about to be hit by bus, I knock him out of the way.

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I think the transplant situation works better for this hypothetical because in that situation you have time to calculate the risk involved. Also we should make the assumption we are the only person who is a match for the transplant.

Re: Chances of Death = X, Do You Save a Friend?
 

without reading anything, unless X > 30% yeah lets GAMBOLLLLLL!!!!!!!!1

Re: Chances of Death = X, Do You Save a Friend?
 

i agree that that all the percentages are different in different life-threatening situations. for instance, in the heart transplant scenario, you would have to take into account all your friends and family would be urging you not to do it. especially your parents-- they would have 50% chance of losing two children and 100% of losing one. who are you to selfishly make that decision?

Re: Chances of Death = X, Do You Save a Friend?
 

Random friend = 1%
Best friend = 60-70%
Girlfriend = 50%
Sister = 100%
Coworker = Get my gun

Re: Chances of Death = X, Do You Save a Friend?
 

Also, people seem to have serious crushes on their sisters.

Re: Chances of Death = X, Do You Save a Friend?
 

Wow, OOTers are cold. Without hesitation I'd make this 100% for any family member under 65, and 100% for any friend with children. I'm 25 and I guess if I were treating this like a poker game it would be irrational to save my 50-y/o dad, but I don't know how I could look in the mirror after refusing that.

Like someone mentioned above, for my younger/closer family members it becomes a question of how much of a chance of saving his/her life I'd be willing to go for 100% chance of sacrificing myself. Absolutely no question that my (younger fwiw) sister would be in the single digits for this.

Re: Chances of Death = X, Do You Save a Friend?
 

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Childless close friends: like 2% maybe

Close friends with children, but lots of life insurance: 5%

Close friend with child, NO life insurance: 20%

My best friend, several children, I'm guessing no life insurance: 25%

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FWIW I think the insurance money issue <<<<<< the kids not growing up without a mom/dad.

Re: Chances of Death = X, Do You Save a Friend?
 

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You guys are saying if your sister needed a heart transplant to live and the odds of it being a success were 50%. You would just off yourself so she could have your heart? This seems totally irrational to me.

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Um, 50% you living & 100% them living is not equal to 0% you living & 50% them living

Re: Chances of Death = X, Do You Save a Friend?
 

I have been an ocean lifeguard for 5 years now, which has chances probably as good as 10% some days for random strangers I have never seen before. Hell I have almost died in training one day, waves are dangerous.
Friends, much much higher. dog even more.

Re: Chances of Death = X, Do You Save a Friend?
 

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I have been an ocean lifeguard for 5 years now, which has chances probably as good as 10% some days for random strangers I have never seen before. Hell I have almost died in training one day, waves are dangerous.
Friends, much much higher. dog even more.

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So you see a person go under. Would you rescue him if you knew there was a 1% chance you would die in the process? A 10% chance? A 99% chance?

Re: Chances of Death = X, Do You Save a Friend?
 

Yes, I had days where i have done 10 or more rescues, those are generally the worst days, and i guess the 10% could be for the general public, its probably more like 2 for a properly trained guard. but i would go in almost regardless. I had decided that in the event of a shark attack i would go in. and i would stand by that today.

Re: Chances of Death = X, Do You Save a Friend?
 

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I'd die for anydamnbody. Unless I knew for a fact that you were a scumbag, or, now that VR has made me think about it, they would really, REALLY rather that they died and I lived, my X for any given person approaches 100%. Really, what's better than going out in a blaze of glory? Would you rather die of cancer? Choke on a turkey sandwich?

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we're not all suicidal.

Re: Chances of Death = X, Do You Save a Friend?
 

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I'd die for anydamnbody. Unless I knew for a fact that you were a scumbag, or, now that VR has made me think about it, they would really, REALLY rather that they died and I lived, my X for any given person approaches 100%. Really, what's better than going out in a blaze of glory? Would you rather die of cancer? Choke on a turkey sandwich?

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we're not all suicidal.

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Rain or shine I have always felt this way. To be fair, with a wife & kids or something, I could easily feel much differently about it. But as long as you're just living for yourself, who cares?