Sacrificing the Innocent Ones

Note: This interesting entry is directly taken from Friendster Buletin.

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

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.............
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How do you decide?
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No cheating...
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What is your decision?
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Most people might choose to divert the
course of the train,and sacrifice only
one child. You might think the same
way,
I guess.

Exactly, I 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.

The friend who forwarded me the story
said he would not try to change the
course of the train because he believed
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