I think society is terrible and I hate everyone. I envision throttling dumb people and hoping for the day I can watch that guy who cut me off on the highway, fly right off the bridge. But, i have notoce I won't hesitate to save a life. I live in a hill country and on the road home, you can look right to see a 35 foot tall rock wall of death and on the left you can look down to find a 30-100 foot drop to the bottom of the hill. The roads are carved into the side of the hill and curve at extreme angles. The fastest speed limit is 45 miles per hours. I was coming home around 2 am from a bar. Straight ahead of me I see brake lights and I almost crash because I was following them. The lights turned out to be 25 feet off the ground in a tree over hanging the cliff. This drunk guy drove his half ton truck up this tree and the tree was managing to hold his truck there as he continued to apply gas/brake and turned the steering wheel. He though he was still driving home. I climbed up the tree, knocked on his window and when he rolled it down I cut his seat belt and dragged this 60 something year old out of the car and carried him to the ground. One of the scariest things I've ever done. He had managed to climb back to his truck and tried to drive away when the cops showed up. Not everyone wants to be saved
One year, on this typical 4th of July story, we were launching the largest mortar shells we bought along with a box of assorted fireworks that launch right from the box itself. They were positioned on a wooden slab and the mortar went off first causing the wood to shake violently and knocked the box of fireworks on its side, facing everyone. I, being too far to turn the box, ran straight toward this mom holding her kid, who are like 30 feet from the box. I picked them both up and kept running until they were behind a car and we three watched everyone panic from behind the windows. It was glorious
Once, I went to a large water park with a wave machine attached to a lazy river. A not so lazy river? And I'm walking along the path that follows the river, with a rail between the path and the river so you can jump in, I can see the water receding for a giant wave that hits every 20 minutes or so. The machine sucks in an enormous amount of water. Then I spot this little tiny toddler going around all these people waiting for the big wave and I've seen people get hit by the wave before, no one is really ever ready. It throws you like a rag doll. This toddler just strolls on past everyone and right in front of the machine as it releases all the stored water. By this time I'm being yelled at by the life guards because I'm climbing over and hanging off the railing waiting for this poor kid to wash down stream to me. He's being thrown around, stepped on, grinded against the walls and floor of the river. And I jump right in the middle and grab him so I get pushed around and stepped on instead. The life guards never found me and the kid was crying but he was alright. The mom saw everything so she bought me a hot dog or something I dont remember. A shirt maybe?
My point is, every life has value, it has purpose, it has a meaning. You can dislike every single human alive and still value life. Life means possibilities and possibilities only exist because other people make them exist, because you make them exist. When you save a life, you've just kept all those doors open for that person to make a difference. You've just made a difference
It's a situational thing, but generally i have a strong protective nature. Couple that with my constant awareness of my surroundings and I'm often running contingency plans through my head.
Perhaps the fact that I've already put myself in danger's way in my life, makes me more likely to do it now, but like i said, it's situational.
For example: this last 4th of July, a drunk guy fell off the platform onto the tracks, at the station on Marcy and Broadway. Without thinking, I reached down to help him back up. Now, I sure as hell wouldn't have jumped down on the tracks to help him in that situation, but perhaps if it were a bit different, I would have.
As much as I'd love to say yes, I don't know for sure if that would be an honest answer. I've noticed that I have the tendency to help someone who seems like they could use some help. This happens on instinct if it's something simple like if a person falls off a vehicle, a child struggles to get on a seat, giving up my seat for an older person, etc. I don't have to think about it. But for things that either are not as obvious or as complex as say if someone looks a little lost or if some stranger has something in their teeth or something, I'm more likely to think it all through. "Should I? Would I be assuming that they are lost when they're actually just waiting for someone? Will they feel embarrassed or uncomfortable?", etc. I've never come across a life or death situation per se so I don't know how I'll react. Will I just freeze? Will I act instinctively? Will I call for help? I don't know. All I can say for sure is that I won't just walk away.
If you have people who depend on you, sacrificing yourself for a stranger doesn't make sense. Making heroic efforts to save someone does. The recent human chain that helped a guy out of his flooded car... That was extraordinary. But giving up your life that has value to you and others is asking too much.
It depends on the outcome. Will I still be alive and without any disfiguring injuries? If it's a yes (ex: only bruises and a couple fractures that can be healed) then I would. If that's a no, then nope.
I like the idea. But I honestly don't like people enough to do that. I probably would be more inclined if we didn't live in a giant unpredictable free for all. But if it's a loved one, it would be a different story.
@KaitieSearching - Nah I just see sacrificing oneself as futile since we live in such an unpredictable environment with no ultimately defined goal. My belief system clashes with my instincts a lot on this topic. It has me ending up feeling passive about it. My emotions commend people who honorably sacrifice themselves for others, but my scientific/philosophical side always makes me feel like it's pointless. And that's why I wouldn't be so eager to do it for a stranger, but I'll feel positive emotions for those who would do it for a stranger. I'd be more inclined with a loved one though. I think my instincts would win that fight. 🤼
To be honest with you. Most of these clowns will tell you “oh sure I would, of course”. But if you wanna be real here, 90% of people don’t even stick up for people even when someone is getting bullied. Look at the social experiments people have all over. Not to be negative but nobody gives a damn about you, me, your children nobody. Now people won’t directly say it but it’s important to know that NOBODY will help you and the only person that will is your own self, be generous, be kind to others as it doesn’t cost anyone anything, but most importantly, don’t give a shit about people when they clearly won’t spare a dime for you. I speak from living in a shitty neighborhood where everyone is for themselves I don't know how your case may be.
Sacrifice is different from risk as I see it. There have been no scenarios in my life where I had to sacrifice my life on behalf of others. There have been a few where I had to risk it, and one that landed me in a hospital in exchange for two lives saved. But at the time I had no thought going on in my head of "sacrifice", not even "risk". I just observed a large group of people trying to kill someone and instinctively intervened. I don't know what I'd do in the event of knowing I'd certainly die if I did. I never thought about these things when I rescued people.
>> There have been no scenarios in my life where I had to sacrifice my life on behalf of others.
Obviously, as I wouldn't be here today if so. But I don't know about "sacrifice". I like to think there's always a chance for us to all come out alive no matter what the scenario. I prefer to fail in taking that chance. I have fought 20 people single-handedly to rescue a couple and that's what landed me in the hospital (maybe my most heroic moment in my life, but I was drunk, and all my fingers shattered on both hands trying to block their kicks when I went down along with my ribs and front teeth). I've also helped people out of burning buildings although it wasn't exciting like in movies -- just walk into burning buildings and help people out... the buildings did explode though but after 15 mins or so (more than enough time for the occupants to have left on their own)
Some people have called me a local "hero" for these things but I'm not sure I would do what I did if I knew what would happen in advance (especially the one that broke my hands and ribs and teeth -- especially repairing my teeth was so expensive and still causes me all kinds of irritations today with fake teeth in the front). I didn't think about it at the time. I just went for it. If I knew in advance what would happen, I don't know what I'd do.
Like I'm just sorta stupid. Whatever "heroic" qualities I have that keep being celebrated among people I know is just dumbness, exaggerated by alcohol in some cases. I didn't think about what would happen to me at the time at all. I put zero thoughts into it. That's maybe why I'm "brave". I just don' think. Smart people would do that. I'm not smart. I see people in need of help and I don't think, I just do.
Back in a time when there still existed solid communal structures within western nations, you likely would've seen many acts of kindness and bravery. But modern society being the fractured, transient and anonymous world that it is, I wouldn't expect anybody to piss on me if I were on fire TBH.
Likewise, I look at most random people, and think they should just fucking burn.
No. because my 2 teen kids depend on me , they are not quite old enough to be independent yet. I would only do that for someone ( including other animals , my beloved pets ) that I truly value. I admit I am not a fan of people in general , a small child would be an exception... but up to a point
@FreshOutaIdeas Yep , exactly , give me polecats / ferrets and dogs over the vast majority of the brainwashed 2 legged herd animals out there !! Many make me want to go into full " weasel mode " on them... and you know what mean predators the Mustelid family can be , my late beloved ferret , Miss Woolworth was a savage rat killing Terminator.. yet so adorable on the flip side.
It’s a thought provoking question. The answer is not as simple as people think. Many, if not most, would put themselves in danger to save a child who was in danger, even a total stranger. But that’s only because the danger is in their life at that moment. Almost all of those same spontaneous heroes are not willing to make a modest financial sacrifice to give enough to charity to save the lives of 100-1000 children a year. It doesn’t require that much giving to save lives. Why is that?
Interesting question, and I wonder that myself, but I've read that a few Hollywood actors donate quite a bit of money to causes that are supposed to help people in poorer countries, yet why are those countries still suffering? How much money do they need to actually make a difference? Surely the thousands of dollars already being donated is enough to do something, right?
@helpmealitttle You have no idea what the distribution network is for that money. Who might scrape something off the top in a corrupt situation to where the people who need it don't get the 90 percent of the commodities they're supposed to get. When countries are struggling to organize themselves politically and there's chaos, there will be chaos in every aspect of society. Even aid. It takes millions upon millions of dollars to aid a tiny country. Billions of dollars in damage is done to earthquake, typhoon and hurricane stricken areas.
Every bit helps. Even inefficient aid is better than none during natural disasters or wars. Try Charity Navigator to get a detailed rundown on how efficient and honest individual charities are. There’s a huge difference in effectiveness. My preferred charity is Mercy Corps, which is honest and extremely effective.
I mean if I saw a kid or a person about to be ran over by a car or something and I was close enough that I could actually get to them in time then I would obviously run and try to save em even if it meant I might get hit.
I think that only a husband or a wife would sacrifice themselves for each other because they simply find it hard to live without each other since they are one after marriage.
You can try your best to help someone in need but not to a point where you have to die for them, especially if your married and have a family.
I mean.. Only if it was someone of age and I’d consider dating on earth. If it were someone else and someone I didn’t care about? .. No.. Probably not. What good I’m I gonna do dead. Nothing.
I've have put my life at risk to help others and make them safe, but if I had died in the process, that is not sacrificing my life. That is taking a chance of great harm or death, to keep someone else from the same.
Before my wife cheated on me and left me, I don't know I'd hesitate for sure. Now it's hard enough not to jump in front of a bullet coming out of a gun that I pull the trigger on. Let alone having my death actually save someone else.
I wouldn't PLAN to because I don't want to leave my daughter without a mother. But in the heat of the moment, I can't imagine NOT attempting to save someone.
Every day for work I put on a badge and a gun and go out and try to help people. The other day I literally chased a guy across rooftops (Very Aladdin-esqe). So the answer is yes.
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Anonymous
(18-24)
+1 y
I never really found out why, but some people I know, myself included, have a sort of "savior instinct". I always help a complete stranger without even thinking about it, so I might "accidentally" save a persons life by throwing myself under the bus. No pun intended.
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