The Lifeboat Memorial in South Shields, UK (Source: http://is.gd/aY3vrf)
Ready to feel a little uncomfortable? Time for this week's thought experiment!
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"Right," said Roger, the self-appointed captain of the lifeboat. "There are twelve of us on this vessel, which is great, because it can hold up to twenty. And we have plenty of rations to last until someone comes to get us, which won't be longer than twenty-four hours. So, I think this means we can safely allow ourselves an extra chocolate biscuit and a shot of rum each. Any objections?"
"Much as I'd doubtless enjoy the extra biscuit," said Mr. Mates, "shouldn't our main priority right now be to get the boat over there and pick up the poor drowning woman who has been shouting at us for the last half hour?" A few people looked down into the hull of the boat, embarrassed, while others shook their heads in disbelief.
"I thought we had agreed," said Roger. "It's not our fault she's drowning, and if we pick her up, we won't be able to enjoy our extra rations. Why should we disrupt our cosy set-up here?" There were grunts of agreement.
"Because we could save her, and if we don't she'll die. Isn't that reason enough?"
"Life's a bitch," replied Roger. "If she dies, it's not because we killed her. Anyone for a digestive?"
Baggini, J., The Pig That Wants to Be Eaten, 2005, p. 61.
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It's a pretty obvious metaphor, isn't it? But as Baggini says in his discussion of this experiment:
The UN has set a target for developed countries to give 0.7 percent of their GDP to overseas aid. Few have met it.
So what do you think? Are we all being as callous as Roger?
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"Right," said Roger, the self-appointed captain of the lifeboat. "There are twelve of us on this vessel, which is great, because it can hold up to twenty. And we have plenty of rations to last until someone comes to get us, which won't be longer than twenty-four hours. So, I think this means we can safely allow ourselves an extra chocolate biscuit and a shot of rum each. Any objections?"
"Much as I'd doubtless enjoy the extra biscuit," said Mr. Mates, "shouldn't our main priority right now be to get the boat over there and pick up the poor drowning woman who has been shouting at us for the last half hour?" A few people looked down into the hull of the boat, embarrassed, while others shook their heads in disbelief.
"I thought we had agreed," said Roger. "It's not our fault she's drowning, and if we pick her up, we won't be able to enjoy our extra rations. Why should we disrupt our cosy set-up here?" There were grunts of agreement.
"Because we could save her, and if we don't she'll die. Isn't that reason enough?"
"Life's a bitch," replied Roger. "If she dies, it's not because we killed her. Anyone for a digestive?"
Baggini, J., The Pig That Wants to Be Eaten, 2005, p. 61.
---------------------------------------------------
It's a pretty obvious metaphor, isn't it? But as Baggini says in his discussion of this experiment:
The UN has set a target for developed countries to give 0.7 percent of their GDP to overseas aid. Few have met it.
So what do you think? Are we all being as callous as Roger?
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