Who would you save: Grandma or the newborn?

A blog I follow got this question:

You are holding onto your grandmother’s hand and the hand of a newborn that you do not know as they hang over the edge of a cliff. You have to let one go to save the other. Who do you let fall to their death? What was your rationale for making the decision?

The blogger's answer was:

My grandmother. That sounds harsh but she would be old and preparing to meet the end of her life and I could let her go knowing she lived a long life. But I couldn’t let the hand of a newborn go…no life lived yet, no memories made, I couldn’t do that.

Thoughts? Personally, I would've chosen my grandmother. I know her. She'd still have more years to live (mine is in her sixties) and her death would impact many people versus a newborn who has no idea what it even is.

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"Be yourself, no matter what. Some will adore you, and some will hate everything about you, but who cares?

It's your life. Make the most out of it."

Breeders always make up these scenarios to show how "compassionate" they are and how much they luuuv teh bebbehs. Or they make it pets versus humans and try to out-mom each other telling how fast they would ditch their animals.

So stupid.

I'd save my grandmother, every damn time. In fact, I'd probably never even reach for the infant in the first place - my concentration would be entirely devoted to making sure my grandmother was safe. And if the breeders really needed a reason WHY I would make such a decision, it's simple: My grandmother is a person I know and love, someone who's lived a full life and developed her identity, and made countless memories with me, our family and her friends. An infant -especially the newborn presented in this nauseating scenario- has no personality, no identity. As much as breeders think otherwise, the fact is that the newborn could be easily replaced. It's like having a one-of-a-kind book in one hand, and a pile of blank paper in the other. You can always get more blank paper, but that book is irreplacable.

I don't see this as an either/or. If I can't heft aside eight pounds of newborn with even my non-dominant arm, there's no way I could save grandma. I'd plop the infant down, then I'd have BOTH hands free to assist Grandma.

My point isn't who's more important; it's how damned silly a lot of these types of situational what-ifs are.

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randomcfchick
I don't see this as an either/or. If I can't heft aside eight pounds of newborn with even my non-dominant arm, there's no way I could save grandma. I'd plop the infant down, then I'd have BOTH hands free to assist Grandma.

My point isn't who's more important; it's how damned silly a lot of these types of situational what-ifs are.

This is what I would do save the baybee first with one hand and using both hands save grandma. The question is in these theoretical situations why can't you do both? There is always a best solution just use the brain.

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no life lived yet, no memories made, I couldn’t do that.

This is precisely why I would let the loaf go. It exists, sure, but it has not had life experiences yet, has no memories, has not touched many lives, and is a nobody. Even if the old woman wasn't my grandmother, I'd still help her; maybe she's closer to the end of her life than the beginning, but that doesn't mean she's done living. Her death could crush so many lives - spouse, family, friends, maybe pets or people in the community she helps. Who would cry over the loaf? Moo and Duh... then they'd get right to work on a replacement before the first one's body was even found. But there are no grandma replacements.

I would never help a loaf. I bet even if I did let my grandma go and helped the loaf, the breeders would scream at me for hurting their pweshus and sue me. Breeders never appreciate it when strangers save their bastards and instead blame the rescuers of their dumplings. Grandma or a random old woman would be much more likely to express gratitude after being saved.

Save my grandmother.

I'd want to honor my grandmother's life and all that she's done for my family, and help her live as long as possible so she could look back on her life and remember things that made her happy.

Babies don't have memories or a sense of self. I don't consider humans under 4 to even be their own "person". More like little organisms/brats that are totally dependent on their parents. To heck with them.

False Dilemma fallacy.

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“There are three things all wise men fear: the sea in storm, a night with no moon, and the anger of a gentle man.”

Well I'd probably let go of the loaf without think just from the shock of discovering that I was touching a fuck trophy.


However, if that didn't happen I save Grandma, no question. I mean I KNOW this person - a person who loves me! And she is sentient. She knows fear. The newborn doesn't know what is going on and can't tell if it is dangling off a cliff or being held 3 feet off the floor. Plus you can bake a new loaf in under a year - you can't make a new grandma!

Grandma. I really like elderly folks. They have so much memories and knowledge to share. Plus they were raised with manners, and are generally more pleasant people than the young ones. I am biased that way. Ageist, perhaps.

So, even in a hypothetical situation, parunts still can't watch their damn kyd? Surely, moo "just looked away for a second" while Sprogley wandered off and fell over a cliff.

My first thought would be, why is a newborn out here hanging around a cliff? Where are the parunts? It's their job to rescue her. Meanwhile, my grandma's rescue would be my responsibility.

Just goes to show you though, that breeders expect everyone -- even complete strangers -- to sacrifice for their kyds. Sacrifice my loved one for a stranger? They really expect that? It would've been bad enough to suggest someone pick a baybee who was related to them over their grandmother, but to suggest that a person should pick a stranger's baby over their loved one? Ugh.

I would always save my grandmother, because she is family and dear to me, and just because she has had a longer life doesn't mean that she is more willing to just let it go. Also, her experiences are so much more valuable than the non-memories of any loaf.

If the scenario would be deciding between saving your dog/cat/pet and a loaf, I would choose to save Max. Doesn't matter if my dog is 16 years old, to me he is more important than any loaf.

The fact that breeders would choose a strangers loaf over their own grandmother just shows how not compassionate they are. Is anyone on here really ready to sacrifice their own grandmother for a loaf? The people that would are evil in my book.

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brown-eyed diamond
A blog I follow got this question:

You are holding onto your grandmother’s hand and the hand of a newborn that you do not know as they hang over the edge of a cliff. You have to let one go to save the other. Who do you let fall to their death? What was your rationale for making the decision?

The blogger's answer was:

My grandmother. That sounds harsh but she would be old and preparing to meet the end of her life and I could let her go knowing she lived a long life. But I couldn’t let the hand of a newborn go…no life lived yet, no memories made, I couldn’t do that.

Thoughts? Personally, I would've chosen my grandmother. I know her. She'd still have more years to live (mine is in her sixties) and her death would impact many people versus a newborn who has no idea what it even is.

I would save the newborn, because my grandmother is in terrible health and actually wants to die. The only reason she doesn't kill herself is because she's Catholic. She'd probably be begging me to let her go. She'd consider it a kindness. And honestly, so would I if I were in her shoes. She has a terrible quality of life, and to make matters worse, she had a terrible life even when she was able-bodied.

If it were someone who wasn't so ill and miserable, I'd save them over a loaf probably (ignoring physical limits for the sake of argument). They have more impact on the world and more people they affect.

I'd save someone I love and care about over a stranger. I would expect the people who care about me to do the same. Why have relationships with people if their lives mean less to you than a stranger's?

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lilin_unite

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brown-eyed diamond
A blog I follow got this question:

You are holding onto your grandmother’s hand and the hand of a newborn that you do not know as they hang over the edge of a cliff. You have to let one go to save the other. Who do you let fall to their death? What was your rationale for making the decision?

The blogger's answer was:

My grandmother. That sounds harsh but she would be old and preparing to meet the end of her life and I could let her go knowing she lived a long life. But I couldn’t let the hand of a newborn go…no life lived yet, no memories made, I couldn’t do that.

Thoughts? Personally, I would've chosen my grandmother. I know her. She'd still have more years to live (mine is in her sixties) and her death would impact many people versus a newborn who has no idea what it even is.

I would save the newborn, because my grandmother is in terrible health and actually wants to die. The only reason she doesn't kill herself is because she's Catholic. She'd probably be begging me to let her go. She'd consider it a kindness. And honestly, so would I if I were in her shoes. She has a terrible quality of life, and to make matters worse, she had a terrible life even when she was able-bodied.

If it were someone who wasn't so ill and miserable, I'd save them over a loaf probably (ignoring physical limits for the sake of argument). They have more impact on the world and more people they affect.

Same here. My grandmother is 88 years old and miserable.

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“I was talking about children that have not been properly house-trained. Left to their own impulses and indulged by doting or careless parents almost all children are yahoos. Loud, selfish, cruel, unaffectionate, jealous, perpetually striving for attention, empty-headed, for ever prating or if words fail them simply bawling, their voices grown huge from daily practice: the very worst company in the world. But what I dislike even more than the natural child is the affected child, the hulking oaf of seven or eight that skips heavily about with her hands dangling in front of her -- a little squirrel or bunny-rabbit -- and prattling away in a baby's voice.”


― Patrick O'Brian, The Truelove


lib'-er-ty: the freedom given to you to make the wrong decision, based on the reasoned belief that you will normally make the right one.

When I was confronted by one too many "Begging for Breeders" campaign in a food store, I remarked that they always had campaigns for babies and kids, while I would prefer fundraisers for poverty-stricken elderly citizens.
Those seniors actually contributed to our society throughout their lifetimes and should not have to deal with extreme poverty in their final years.

In the cliff dilemma, I would chose the person who contributed to our society and is likely to be grateful for being saved.
Both of those criteria counts out breeders and babies !

The quoted peeson's reason for keeping hold of the baby is exactly why it should be dropped. It's useless. It has nothing. It isn't anything. It's completely and easily replaceable.

If either of my grandmothers were still alive, I would choose them faster than a heartbeat. The only thing lost from the newborn is potential and potential is not always a positive thing. That newborn potentially could have been a rapist or serial killer or even just nothing more than a breeder who contributes nothing to society.

A more difficult choice for me would be: save my mother or my sister? Save my mother/sister or my dog? (Well, with the latter, I'd choose my mother/sister over the dog, as heartbreaking it would be. The other would be a sadistic choice that would destroy me no matter which decision I made).

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"Why children take so long to grow? They eat and drink like pig and give nothing back. Must find way to accelerate process..."
- Dr. Yi Suchong, Bioshock

"Society does not need more children; but it does need more loved children. Quite literally, we cannot afford unloved children - but we pay heavily for them every day. There should not be the slightest communal concern when a woman elects to destroy the life of her thousandth-of-an-ounce embryo. But all society should rise up in alarm when it hears that a baby that is not wanted is about to be born."
- Garrett Hardin

"I feel like there's a message involved here somehow, but then I couldn't stop laughing at all the plotholes, like the part when North Korea has food."
- Youtube commentor referring to a North Korean cartoon.

"Reality is a bitch when it slowly crawls out of your vagina and shits in your lap."
- Reddit comment

"Bitch wants a baby, so we're gonna fuck now. #bareback"
- Cambion

Oh whatever. Abortion doctors are crimestoppers."
- Miss Hannigan

I would love one of the idiots who write these questions have to face the choice of who lives or dies in the real world. That triage choice is one of the most difficult ones I've ever faced in my career. It is never easy and you always second guess. None of these moos have the guts or skills to make it.

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“There are three things all wise men fear: the sea in storm, a night with no moon, and the anger of a gentle man.”

I can only imagine, thom. You are a hero!

I would definitely save either of my grandmothers over a loaf any day. They both had a very positive impact in my life, and they both loved me dearly. Why would I save a stranger's loaf over someone who I care for?

This is such a stupid hypothetical I can't even...

Which grandmother? Maternal or paternal?

Just kidding. Newborn goes buh-bye down to its doom as Grandma gets saved. The infant might well have turned out to be an autard anyway.

Save a stranger's kid? Are you fuckin' kidding me? The moo probably "only looked away for a minute" anyway.

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"[GFG's pregnancy is] kind of like at the stables where that one dumb, ugly-ass mare broke out of her corral one day and got herself screwed by the equally fugly colt that was due to be gelded the same afternoon."- Shiny

Breeders don't seem to understand that the death of a newborn (or fetus) is really only the death of their hopes and dreams and expectations of what it will become. And I don't understand how those dreams and expectations could be more immediate or more important than a fully-realized person occupying their proper niche in the world. I guess it's easier to project all their issues onto a cipher than to deal with living, breathing, messy actual human beings that they can't control (especially women) and who aren't actors in their personal plays.

My maternal grandmother has since passed away. If by chance she returned to life? I would save her in a heartbeat. I knew and loved her.

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thom_c
False Dilemma fallacy.

Agreed. And a person simply gain another hand by clamping onto the jumper the baby is in with their mouth, thus holding onto the baby via it's jumper. This would allow two hands to hold grandma, and nobody has to die.