Saturday, July 17, 2004

The Right Decision!

An interesting thought....
A group of children were playing near two railway tracks, one still in use while the other disused. Only one child played on the disused track, the rest on the operational track. The train came, and you were just beside the track interchange. You could make the train change its course to the disused track and saved most of the kids.
However, that would also mean the lone child playing by the disused track would be sacrificed. Or would you rather let the train go its way?
Let's take a pause to think what kind of decision we could make................ 

Most people might choose to divert the course of the train, and sacrifice only one child. You might think the same way, I guess. Everyone thought the same way initially because to save most of the children at the expense of only one child was rational decision most people would make, morally and emotionally. But, have you ever thought that the child choosing to play on the disused track had in fact made the right decision to play at a safe place?
Nevertheless, he had to be sacrificed because of his ignorant friends who chose to play where the danger was. This kind of dilemma happens around us everyday. In the office, community, in politics and especially in a democratic society, the minority is often sacrificed for the interest of the majority, no matter how foolish or ignorant the majority are, and how farsighted and knowledgeable the minority are.
The child who chose not to play with the rest on the operational track was sidelined. And in the case he was sacrificed, no one would shed a tear for him.
I would not try to change the course of the train because I believe that the kids playing on the operational track should have known very well that track was still in use,and that they should have run away if they heard the train's sirens.
If the train was diverted, that lone child would definitely die because he never thought the train could come over to that track! Moreover, that track was not in use probably because it was not safe. If the train was diverted to the track, we could put the lives of all passengers on board at stake!And in your attempt to save a few kids by sacrificing one child, you might end up sacrificing hundreds of people to save these few kids.
While we are all aware that life is full of tough decisions that need to be made, we may not realize that hasty decisions may not always be the right one.

"Remember that what's right isn't always popular...and what's popular isn't always right."

Everybody makes mistakes; that's why they put erasers on pencils.

3 comments:

Ravi Handa said...

Why havent you posted anything for so long? You were quite regular in the past.

EvolutioN said...

hey deepz,
relax man...
n i dont mind if ya drop me as line too... life's too short to nurse any grudgs, as for the finishing line, i always finish all my mails with that line, Love, laughter n keep the faith...
so deepz, u know what?? u need to relax n take it easy too...
know what? what with all the pressures on the heads, we do not need to add enmity to all that...
ok??? so tell ya what< I'll love it if ya drop me a line... n maybe a mail or two...
donno what you are so worked up about... if you are under the impression that i am trying to line marofying Debolina, i am not, because i have just about broken up with my ex and am not yet ready to go into all that love ka lafda... ok??? so just take it easy and relax...

you heard the song by Eagles??? Stick to that man...

and yes, wont mind having you as a friend...

Sagnik

Unknown said...

Hi Ravi,
Thanx for visiting my blog, I thght no one ever visits my blog...and i am glad to know someone does!
Actually since my exams were one i cudnt come online...i had a lot to write then, but forgot all when the exams got over :P
Well i'll surely write more blogs soon!
Cya,
TC,
Pradeep.