The Box... would you push the button?

@mommyboo (13174)
United States
October 18, 2009 7:50pm CST
There's a new movie coming out soon where a couple has a chance to push a button on a box and the result is they get a million dollars. The second part of the result is that somebody, somewhere, DIES. If you didn't know who would die, would you push the button? If you KNEW who would die, would you still push the button? If you didn't realize that anybody would die, would you push the button? Would you try to stop the inevitable afterwards?
2 people like this
15 responses
@ShepherdSpy (8544)
• Omagh, Northern Ireland
20 Oct 09
This sounds like a movie version of one of the Psychology experiments that were carried out in the '60's using University psych Students..The subject was introduced to the "Victim" who went behind a screen,to be wired up to receive an electric shock at the press of a button controlled by the subject..A scientist type conducting the experiment had the subject push the button to inflict a shock on the "Victim",dialing the voltage up each time,making the victim cry out,but under the experiment,they'd keep pushing the button under instruction to do so,even when the voltage they thought they were administering was at a lethal level! Of course,the Victim was in on the experiment,and only acting in pain behind the screen..the study was on what people were prepared to do to others while under orders...Look up "The Stanford Experiment" as another example..
• Omagh, Northern Ireland
22 Oct 09
It does sound like a similar premise to the "Saw" Movies..The only way you can gain from the situation is to inflict harm on someone else..
@mommyboo (13174)
• United States
22 Oct 09
I'm not sure I would do that, even under orders. It would depend whether I was being threatened AND if I knew the 'victim' or not. It reminds me in a way of the Saw line up of movies - where people are faced with an awful dilemma - save myself and blow up or cut open the person you're stuck in a room with, or try to figure out how to save both of you - the only problem is he never allowed enough time to save both of you, even if you tried!
@irishidid (8687)
• United States
19 Oct 09
This was already done. It was The Twilight Zone and starred Mare Winningham. It was called Button, Button. She played a rather cynical, chain smoking, smartass character who I much prefer to Cameron Diaz's character in the previews of the movie remake. Of course it's a bit hard to tell from a preview.
1 person likes this
@mommyboo (13174)
• United States
20 Oct 09
There are an awful lot of remakes coming out - btw I didn't know this was originally part of the Twilight Zone. I haven't seen all of them, although I do like them, the original AND the new ones.
@irishidid (8687)
• United States
20 Oct 09
It was from the newer ones. Which aren't all that new anymore! I tend to remember weird things so when I saw the previews for the movie I could see the character from the original twilight zone episode.
@Opal26 (17679)
• United States
19 Oct 09
Hey mommyboo! Notice I was missing? Guess not~ If I was able to get a million dollars by pressing a button and someone had to die somewhere and I didn't know who it was going to be I'm not sure if I could press the button! If it was going to be someone that I really loved and cared about, which it probably would be then I don't know! But, if they gave that choice to the same person they probably would press the button so wouldn't I be stupid to not press the button? Obviously if I KNEW who would die then I would have to make that decision! It would be a different story if I knew! Obviously, a moral dilema! It sure would have to be someone I REALLY cared an awful lot about! I didn't here about this movie, but I sure know I want to see it!
1 person likes this
@Philbo (578)
• Canada
20 Oct 09
I wouldn't push it without knowing what the "catch" was. I'm just paranoid about seemingly free deals. No I wouldn't push the button knowing that it would kill someone. I wouldn't even push it if I knew the person who would die was someone I didn't like.
1 person likes this
@mommyboo (13174)
• United States
20 Oct 09
Really? I don't like to think about anybody dying, but we're all going to die someday. I think if it were somebody I didn't know, that's as much information as I would want. After that, I wouldn't feel bad if I didn't have any more information.
@Zenstrive (237)
• Indonesia
20 Oct 09
If I don't know that somebody would die if I push the button, then by all means, I would push the button. The moral responsible is not on my side as I am the ignorant one. But if I know that someone would die if I push the button, then no. It is immoral to do so and the money I would get would feel like they are hellsend.
1 person likes this
@mommyboo (13174)
• United States
20 Oct 09
That's another dilemma... you say it's immoral to have someone die because you pushed the button for money. Of course it seems that way in black and white, but I look all around me and everybody is out for themselves. The government 'pushes that button' all the time when they lay off teachers and gripe and moan and cry about money that HAS to go toward providing basic services. That's OUR money going into those programs, so MY thought as a citizen AND consumer is that OUR money should go ENTIRELY to programs that benefit US. OUR money should not be going to benefit any government program or government employees to the point where it cuts us out. Look at their pensions, vacation, health care, retirement, etc. I don't think they deserve ANY of that on OUR DIME. Anyway, this is why I raise the question of is it really immoral at all. Then you have another point made by a friend of mine - what if pushing the button simply got rid of an idiot whom we didn't want reproducing anyway? Wouldn't that be a godsend in the long run? The question is ... we don't know which way this will go. I know the movie itself isn't supposed to be funny, but I did see a funny take on this already.
@SallyAnna (142)
• United States
20 Oct 09
Hi Mommyboo, I saw the trailer for this movie it should be good to see what happens in the end. I would want to push the button but, I couildn't let someone die for my greed therefor I wouldn't push it. Karma's a B and I wouldnt want it coming back to haunt me.
@mommyboo (13174)
• United States
20 Oct 09
I'd think about that, certainly, but one of the problems is if you don't have the nerve to do something, other people will. SO... if you just couldn't, someone else would, and it might be 'off with your head'....
@sconibear (8016)
• United States
19 Oct 09
It's actually funny you should ask such a question. I was just checking out a video on this exact same dilemma and how somebody else handled the situation.... Take a look for yourself: http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/44b3d8f432/the-button
@sconibear (8016)
• United States
19 Oct 09
I lurk in the shadows........ ............and the girl's locker room.
@sconibear (8016)
• United States
20 Oct 09
Yeah, that's Will Ferrell's website........pretty funny stuff on there.
@mommyboo (13174)
• United States
20 Oct 09
OMG Sconi, now that was funny!!! I like the way that was handled. I don't want the money, take the money! I want the box. NO you can't have the box! Stop pushing the button, you just KILLED 4 more people....
@dawnald (85139)
• Shingle Springs, California
20 Oct 09
I wouldn't push the button. Couldn't live with myself.
@cream97 (29085)
• United States
25 Jul 10
Hi, mommyboo. I would not press the button. There is just no telling who will die. I don't want to take any chances of doing this. What is the name of this movie? It sounds very interesting.
@murderistic (2278)
• United States
20 Oct 09
I wouldn't push the button if it meant killing someone in any circumstances, even if I myself was killed for not pushing it. When Jesus said to love your neighbors and even your enemies, He probably meant not to kill them. So I'm gonna do my best to follow that teaching.
• United States
19 Oct 09
If I were certain that no one I cared about would have to die then yes I would push the button! everything has a price, nothing in life is for free Everytime we make a decision we are in that metaphorical situation we could ultimately affect someone else, somewhere else
1 person likes this
@mommyboo (13174)
• United States
20 Oct 09
See, if I was certain nobody I cared about would have to die, I think I might do it too. I know well enough that I'm always affecting those around me even if I don't think about it in the moment. I feel like a lot of times other people don't consider how what they do affects sometimes LOTS of people.
• United States
19 Oct 09
In either case, I wouldn't push the button. I think people have become too obsessed and sidetracked over money and its true value. Money doesn't make people happy and I think even one hundred thousand dollars would be too much for one person to handle...at least for myself...as life would get dull and boring. You wouldn't have to be motivated anymore. You wouldn't have to be financially smart. I wouldn't push the button to get a million dollars even if there were absolutely no strings attached. Money is nothing but a cushion to have a decent life. Everything else is what truly matters.
1 person likes this
@mommyboo (13174)
• United States
20 Oct 09
Hmmm. See, although I do agree that people are obsessed over money, it's because everybody has been bled dry by the government lol. Money itself doesn't make people happy, but the options it helps buy you in life and the security of not having to worry about losing anything gives you peace of mind. $100,000 is not a lot, there was a point in time where you couldn't get a house for less than that. And when you think about a mortgage, that's 30 years. That's a LOT of interest. Even with a million you'd have to invest and save and still be financially smart - and continue to work. We don't know what the economy is going to do. With children you have to put aside money to help them get started, for college, for your own retirement. With a million, it would be easy to go purchase a new home and customize it and own it, totally, and not have to worry about a mortgage ever again. Also, I would think of my friends and my family, various organizations that would really benefit from some donations, such as schools, food banks, places that help people. It would be a great opportunity. I think the biggest question for me would be that I would be concerned that either someone I knew would be slated to die - and I wouldn't be able to stop it.... or because *I* pushed the button, *I* would die!
• United States
27 Jan 10
I do not think I would hit the button, it seems too good to be true.
@rhodzptc (1317)
• Philippines
25 Jul 10
if I didn't know that some one will die if I push that button of course I will push it to win, but if ever I knew who would be the one to die even if he is the worst person in the world I wont push it, I will not gamble some one's life for my self purposes.
• Philippines
20 Oct 09
I would push the button out of curiosity.. everyone would die in time anyway.. lol..