this post was submitted on 19 Jul 2025
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EDIT Ok so it's just the trolly problem.

EDIT2 : AHA War Games 1983. "The only winning move is not to play." (We might call this the final product of a lot of smart philosophical digestion, because it's a famous movie). There's always the perfectly valid option to ditch the riddle. (Because maybe the riddle is dumb, or maybe the riddle is no better than a thousand others, utilitywise )

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[–] PolandIsAStateOfMind@lemmy.ml 47 points 3 weeks ago (26 children)

Trolley problem is a bullshit in the first place, just as your "what if" nonsense. Millions of innocent children are dying and being tortured already by the capitalism, which is also main cause of global warming.

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[–] fckreddit@lemmy.ml 21 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

OP, whatever you are on, don't use it ever again. There is no reason to think that torturing and killing kids will solve global warming. In short, it is a useless hypothetical that adds nothing to the discussion about solving the problem. Meaning it useless, while you get to pretend that you are somehow smart. Newsflash: you are not.

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[–] eldavi@lemmy.ml 20 points 3 weeks ago (7 children)

we're already torturing and murdering millions of innocent children in gaza, africa and southeast asia and we're actively enabling climate change to maintain american dominance; is that okay?

[–] Reverendender@sh.itjust.works 2 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Which is ironically undermining American dominance

[–] eldavi@lemmy.ml 2 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

only because of gaza and even then only because of tiktok. after all: we've been murdering millions of across the entire world to maintain our comfort and none of it got anywhere near as much attention as it does now because of social media platforms that were not controlled by our oligarchy. ie tiktok.

emphasis is "were not controlled" because tiktok is very much under control now.

[–] lattrommi@lemmy.ml 3 points 3 weeks ago

I have only tortured children as a passenger in an automobile, using flatulance and automatic window locks. I have not murdered anyone. I have never used ticktalk.

It irritates me a lot when people use 'we' and 'our' in contexts that include me, when they do not apply to me.

So to rephrase your first comment in this chain:

The american government, via israeli and other proxy and puppet armies they have created, are already torturing and murdering millions of innocent children in gaza, africa and southeast asia and unchecked capitalist corporations, both american and international, are actively enabling climate change to maintain american military dominance to serve as their shield from the people who resist; is that okay?

The answer is: No.

I have not been comfortable for a long time, figuratively and literally, long before I ever heard about gaza, since before I was considered an adult, a few weeks prior to 9/11.

I have protested in many ways since then, with several years incarcerated because of it.

I have lived an impoverished life by american standards, although not the same level of poverty as other places, by several orders of magnitude for some places.

It is the billionaire kleptocracy that is controlling the country I am trapped in, that is causing climate change. Not me, with my lack of using fossil fuels whenever I had the choice, eating locally grown as much as available, avoiding supporting the worst companies such as big oil and the process and/or fast food complex.

Sorry for the rant. Like I said, I really hate when people say 'we' and it includes me.

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[–] Fleur_@aussie.zone 18 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Jesse, what the fuck are you talking about???

[–] andrewta@lemmy.world 3 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Not sure, but definitely made a lot of people think

[–] Fleur_@aussie.zone 8 points 3 weeks ago

Yeah like "wtf is op on?"

[–] redlemace@lemmy.world 12 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

At one hand I'd say : you really need (mental)help

At the other hand .... Global warming is doing just that.

So if it's guaranteed global warming is reversed and not starts over, one could reason it's justified (biggest question, which/who's children is it ghonna be)

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[–] lattrommi@lemmy.ml 9 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

If they are going to be living short lives in tortuous conditions thanks to climate change anyways, than yes. Otherwise no.

Could we maybe substitute the children with the one million richest people on the planet?

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[–] Outdoor_Catgirl@hexbear.net 8 points 3 weeks ago

You don't have to do that.

[–] megopie@beehaw.org 7 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

We don’t need to. We just need to stop letting business interests direct economic priority.

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[–] Horse@lemmygrad.ml 7 points 3 weeks ago

what if the world was made of pudding?

[–] CraigCabbage@sh.itjust.works 7 points 3 weeks ago (3 children)

Were you on drugs? Of course that's not okay.

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What if we had to torture and murder you to solve global warming? Would that be ok?

[–] CmdrShepard49@sh.itjust.works 3 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Are we witnessing the DNC forming their 2028 presidential platform here in real time? I can't wait to have a bunch of right-wing liberals tell me why murdering millions of kids is absolutely necessary and that I'm obviously a conservative Russian plant for not supporting it.

[–] DominatorX1@thelemmy.club 0 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

It's the trolly problem. A classic.

[–] Achyu@lemmy.sdf.org 2 points 3 weeks ago

What do you think is the use of trolley problems?

[–] Outwit1294 3 points 3 weeks ago (8 children)

If there is absolutely no other option, yes. Even dropping nukes over the whole earth is okay if that solves a massive long term problem.

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[–] electric_nan@lemmy.ml 2 points 3 weeks ago

You and me have zero control of the trolley. In fact, statistically we are among the "billions who must die". Stop wasting your time with philosophical distractions when our lives and futures are at stake now. Let's kill the billionaires reaping obscene profits from destroying the planet first, and see how that goes. After that, if you still feel that the unwashed masses need thinning, I suggest you lead by example.

[–] TheLeadenSea@sh.itjust.works 1 points 3 weeks ago
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