The New Trolley Problem

[The Old Hack 2,489]

PROBLEM: A trolley is rushing out of control down a single track at a speed of about 30 mph, or 50 km/h. There is no-one within line of sight in any danger of being hit by the trolley.

ELEMENTS: You are standing next to the track. The trolley will pass you harmlessly in ten seconds. Next to you stands Harvey Weinstein, film producer and serial sexual predator. He is also in no danger of being hit.

PROPOSED SOLUTION: Shove Weinstein onto the track. This will stop the trolley in a few more seconds when it hits him.

COURSE OF ACTION: Do it. Even though the track seems clear, that might not be true further down the line. Someone could get seriously hurt, so it has to be done for safety's sake. It is the only responsible thing to do.

[Pharaoh RutinTutin 1,619]

There is a very large number of individuals who could be substituted and produce the same result

[The Old Hack 2,489]

1 minute ago, Pharaoh RutinTutin said:

There is a very large number of individuals who could be substituted and produce the same result

That is the precise point of this version.

[Darth Fluffy 338]

11 hours ago, The Old Hack said:

PROBLEM: A trolley is rushing out of control down a single track at a speed of about 30 mph, or 50 km/h. There is no-one within line of sight in any danger of being hit by the trolley.

ELEMENTS: You are standing next to the track. The trolley will pass you harmlessly in ten seconds. Next to you stands Harvey Weinstein, film producer and serial sexual predator. He is also in no danger of being hit.

PROPOSED SOLUTION: Shove Weinstein onto the track. This will stop the trolley in a few more seconds when it hits him.

COURSE OF ACTION: Do it. Even though the track seems clear, that might not be true further down the line. Someone could get seriously hurt, so it has to be done for safety's sake. It is the only responsible thing to do.

 

6 hours ago, Pharaoh RutinTutin said:

There is a very large number of individuals who could be substituted and produce the same result

So many Weinsteins, so few trolleys ...

[ijuin 594]

Obviously we must bring back municipal trolley/streetcar systems!

[Darth Fluffy 338]

3 hours ago, ijuin said:

Obviously we must bring back municipal trolley/streetcar systems!

My area is actually doing that, but very limited interurban coverage is planned, and to say it is proceeding glacially slow is unfair to glaciers.

[The Old Hack 2,489]

2 hours ago, Darth Fluffy said:

My area is actually doing that, but very limited interurban coverage is planned, and to say it is proceeding glacially slow is unfair to glaciers.

Well that's no good. If you push Weinstein in front of it, that means he has plenty of time to get on his feet and away from it again.

[Scotty 1,061]

4 minutes ago, The Old Hack said:

Well that's no good. If you push Weinstein in front of it, that means he has plenty of time to get on his feet and away from it again.

Was it an Austin Powers movie where they were pushed in front of a slow moving vehicle, and spent several moments screaming like they were about to die before finally walking away?

[Scotty 1,061]

Found the clip, was right about the movie, wrong about the setup and result.

 

The fact he had plenty of time to move and yet still got run over....

[The Old Hack 2,489]

19 minutes ago, Scotty said:

The fact he had plenty of time to move and yet still got run over....

Kinda like the Earth and global warming, innit.

[Darth Fluffy 338]

2 hours ago, The Old Hack said:

Well that's no good. If you push Weinstein in front of it, that means he has plenty of time to get on his feet and away from it again.

He would die of old age before this gets built, as might I.

[The Old Hack 2,489]

Just now, Darth Fluffy said:

He would die of old age before this gets built, as might I.

Well I would push him anyway just for the satisfaction of it. If he then dies before the trolley hits him, eh well, can't blame the trolley for that, poor thing.

[Darth Fluffy 338]

On 12/19/2019 at 8:49 AM, The Old Hack said:

Well I would push him anyway just for the satisfaction of it. If he then dies before the trolley hits him, eh well, can't blame the trolley for that, poor thing.

I'm afraid that the evidence of his tweets suggests that he is already off his trolley.