I love hypothetical questions. You can get absurd with the situation and force people to make hypothetical decisions they would never have to make in real life. This may seem like a lot of fun and games but it’s actually a good way to dig deep into a person’s psyche (and even your own). You can expose beliefs and thoughts that may surprise you.
I have a hypothetical question that I’ve asked people for years. I began asking it when I was single and had no desire for a wife and/or children. I still ask it now that I’m happily married with three great children. So, I’m going to pose the question here for you guys. First, remember this is hypothetical. So don’t overthink the specifics. Don’t say “that could never happen” or “..but what about this…” or ” I could find another solution”. Just accept the scenario and go with it……and answer it honestly.
It’s a few years in the future and the earth is in dire straits. There is a massive asteroid headed for earth. You are chosen to pilot a one of a kind spaceship that has the ability to alter the trajectory of the asteroid (don’t ask why you were chosen..just go with it). You have one condition before you agree to go up in space: Your family must be safe. So, the government puts your entire family…everyone you care about…on another spaceship and sends them up with enough food and supplies to last 100 years (remember…willing suspension of disbelief).
Now, your family is in space and you are in space. You see the asteroid coming and you line up your shot. You only have one shot and you need to make it count. The asteroid reaches the point of no return and you must shoot. But then you notice that if you take the shot the asteroid will miss earth but it will hit your family’s spaceship. There’s no time to contact them or change your position…you must decide. Take the shot and save the earth but lose everyone you love. Or don’t take the shot, save your family but sacrifice billions of people on earth.
So there you have it. What do you do? For me this is an easy question, I would save my family without blinking. I guess that’s the protector in me. You may call me selfish or a monster but I will do anything to protect my family. The interesting thing for me here is that when I was single I answered this one differently. My view then was “It would be a tough decision but I’d save the earth”…of course I had no family at the time.
Our priorities change as we mature and have more life experience. I’d love to hear your thoughts on this, please comment below or head on over to the SmallBizDad Facebook page and tell me what you would do.