𝐅𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐄𝐑| 𝐋.𝐂.

11: Tough decisions

"A leader has to make decisions all day long. The higher his or her position, the more critical their decisions are. CEOs, judges, military officials, senators." Suzanne says.

"Captains." Leo says and everyone chuckles at him.

"Today we'll be examining what a leader should do when he or she has to make life or death decisions. If you think that's complicated, you're right." Suzanne continues.

It really isn't, there's always the right choice and the choice that defines who you are as a person.

"Over here, you see a car crossing the rails. Now here's the situation. This train has malfunctioned. It cannot stop. It's gonna crash into the car and kill everyone who sits in it. You can use the crane over here to redirect the tracks elsewhere. But then, the train will crash into this wall, killing twenty passengers on board." She says, pointing at each model on the board.

"Oh, man." I hear a few students murmur.

"So, that's your decision. If you do nothing, five innocent people trapped in the car will die. If you take action, you will cause the death of twenty passengers in the train. What will you do?" Suzanne says as the little train starts to go around.

"Using the crane will be murder." I say and everyone looks at me.

"I agree. There is no moral justification for using the crane." Max says.

"Yeah. Since the train is malfunctioned and can't be stopped, it's not gonna go into a different direction." I say, nodding back at Max.

"Are you crazy? You'd rather kill twenty people?" Becca says to Max and I.

"Becca's right. It's like what Spock said on Stark Trek, the needs of the many outweigh the needs of a few." Emma says.

"Leo, what do you think?" Suzanne asks and I cross my arms, looking down at the grass.

"I say flip a coin." He shrugs.

"Wow. That's a mature decision." I say to him.

"I think it's an unfair dilemma. Any choice would be problematic. Any decision would be immoral." Leo says.

"Well, that's exactly what makes this dilemma so interesting. I mean, most of the time, a leader has to choose between two evils." Suzanne says.

"Yeah. Who gave you the right to choose who will live or who will die?" I say to Leo and he looks at me.

"No, it's not about having a right. We are forced into a moral decision." Max says.

"Decisions aren't always morally correct. It's the choice you have to make to survive for the sake of yourself and for others, even if it isn't right." I say to Max.

"Guys, hold on a second. There is one more thing I need you to take into consideration." Suzanne says as she stops us from chatting.

Great, more of a bullshit twist.

"Something I haven't told you yet." Suzanne says as she picks up two frames of a man and woman and places them in front of us.

"Hey, that's my dad!" Becca says.

"Let's say the people in the car are your parents, on their way to the Greenhouse to visit you. Now what do you do?" She says and everyone is silent for a moment.

"I'd save my family without even thinking twice." Emma says.

"Do you all agree with Emma?" Suzanne asks and everyone nods their head.

"So as leaders, you're saying that you will base your decisions on how closely related you are to others? So you'd rather save your own brother but sacrifice someone else's brother?" She says.