My new Addiction
@LilyoftheThorns (12918)
United States
August 10, 2011 7:50pm CST
I have a new addiction, it is a tv show called What Would You Do? It's on ABC. Has anyone ever heard of this show? Do you watch it?
Well, I'll probably be starting a lot of discussions about what I see on it, but there was one thing that shocked me that I had to bring up here!
I guess I should tell you a little bit about the show in case you don't know what it is. It's a hidden camera show, and ABC news tests out real life scenerios with actors to see how everyday people (not actors) would react...
Okay, so here's the situation they did. A small child (5 or 6) is standing by themself on a busy sidewalk. The child is crying, and sometimes they even ask them to ask passerby's for help. Amazing, some of the people they ask for help just ignore them and keep going. They said at the end of their 2 or 3 day experiment 1,400 (and only a handful did stop) people passed the child without stopping to even see if they were okay....I was SHOCKED at that number I would never be able to see a child who is in obvious distress and do nothing!
What about you guys? Would you keep walking if you saw that, or would you stop? What do you think about 1,400 people doing nothing?
3 people like this
13 responses
@carmelanirel (20942)
• United States
11 Aug 11
Are you flipping serious? I ca't say what I want to say about the 1,400 who did nothing, other than there should be a cage for people like that, a cage where they can't get out and no one cars for them..
If I saw a child alone and in trouble, I would help that child by finding his or her parent or find an officer to help..That is stupid, makes one wonder what goes through peoples minds..
If I saw a child alone and in trouble, I would help that child by finding his or her parent or find an officer to help..That is stupid, makes one wonder what goes through peoples minds..1 person likes this
@LilyoftheThorns (12918)
• United States
11 Aug 11
I know! There was this one guy walking by in a business suit, the kid said "can you help me?" The guy looked at him and didn't even miss a beat in his step. I was like ARE YOU KIDDING ME!?!?! How do you not stop.
1 person likes this
@carmelanirel (20942)
• United States
11 Aug 11
That really stinks, and now that these people have been spotted as jerks, I wonder if they will change their tune...In fact, I take it back what I would do..If I saw a young child looking for help, the first thing I'd do, other than making sure the child is in no danger, is to start taking pictures or videos of everyone passing the child by and then spread the pictures/videos on the internet on every site I can find..Maybe that will wake some people up!!!!
@LilyoftheThorns (12918)
• United States
11 Aug 11
Yeah I hope anyone passerby who saw the episode did feel bad. Especially if their face is recognizable...then they'd have to worry about friends, family, coworkers, etc seeing them ignoring the kid.
1 person likes this
@LilyoftheThorns (12918)
• United States
11 Aug 11
You've stopped watching the show or you've stopped for a kid?
1 person likes this
@LilyoftheThorns (12918)
• United States
12 Aug 11
Well that was def. good of you. A mall is not a good place for a little kid to get lost!! Way too many people there, no way you can trust a kid will be fine.
1 person likes this
@carolscash (9492)
• United States
11 Aug 11
Well, I would hope that I would stop and see if there was something that I could do to help the child, but also with the way that kidnappings and things happen these days if the child went missing, you could be held accountable. Also, if the child is old enough to use the molesting deal on someone then that person could end up in trouble. We have to understand all aspects of this situation.
No, I have never seen the show and doubt that I will watch it as I usually don't watch new things on television.
1 person likes this
@LilyoftheThorns (12918)
• United States
11 Aug 11
This isn't really a new show, I think it's coming up on it's 5th season. I'm just late watching it, have to watch episodes on the computer lol.
You bring up a good point but their specialist said you don't have to do something that could endanger you in that way. You can simply stay with the child on the sidewalk, and call 911. one man did just that. He stayed about 3-4 feet away fromt he girl and called 911.
And the show actually had an off duty police officer standing near by in case some sicko did show up to try to get the child.
@JJ4Ever (4693)
• United States
15 Aug 11
Hi, Lily. I have never seen the show, but it sounds very interesting! That sounds like a show I'd absolutely love to watch. Reality is the best. I'm adding it to my list right now lol. As for the "plot" of the show, if you would call it that, it's very interesting to see how people react in different scenarios. I'm just curious...do you know where this experiment was staged exactly? In my mind, I'm picturing the busy streets and sidewalks of New York City. That would be crazy! Anyhow, to answer your question, if I saw a child by himself, I would most definitely stop and see what was the matter. A child alone on a busy street is cause for alarm. I'm really shocked by the statistics of this show too! Wow, I can't believe how many people couldn't care less about what was going on right in front of them. Thank goodness it wasn't real, but if they did that then, I'm sure they've done it before when someone really did need help! I just think people need to slow down in life and stop to smell the roses, so to speak. Of course, I'm guilty of rushing, rushing, rushing through my day also, but what a great reality check and lesson for all of us.
@LilyoftheThorns (12918)
• United States
16 Aug 11
The child being lost may not have been real, but people's reactions def. were! And I was wrong about the number, it wasn't 1,400 people that ignored the kids...it was 1,700!!!!
You can watch all the full episodes of season 2 and 4 here:
http://abc.go.com/watch/what-would-you-do/SH5555951
And at Hulu.com you can watch all the full episodes of Season 5.
I do hope the website puts season 1 and 3 up too. It is a very interesting show, let me know what you think when you get a chance to watch it! 
1 person likes this
@LilyoftheThorns (12918)
• United States
17 Aug 11
No problem! I don't thik it's on tv for me either. So i was happy I found the links online too. I have watched most of them, I watched all of season 2, and I am halfway done with season 4...so I most likely will know what you are talking about.
1 person likes this
@JJ4Ever (4693)
• United States
16 Aug 11
Ohhh, thanks for the link, Lily! I looked on my cable channels last night and couldn't find the show, so I was pretty bummed about that. I didn't think to look online! I'll definitely be watching these when I get home tonight. Thanks so much for sharing that. I'll definitely let you know once I watch some of them! Have you seen most/all of them? So if I start referring to the different episodes, you'll know exactly which ones I'm talking about. 
@quita88 (3715)
• United States
11 Aug 11
This is what is wrong with our world now. We don't want to get involved.
However, there are cases where a child is a kind of bait for unknowing passerbys to be robbed, mugged , raped,etc............
but, ME? NEVER IN A ZILLION YEARS, COULD I LET A CHILD STAND AND CRY OR EVEN LOOK LOST.........
I would ask the child what was wrong, where were his/her parents? Did they know their home phone number? what was mama's name, or daddy's?
Call 911 if nothing else since most of us do carry cell phones, but ,NEVER would my conscience allow me to sleep if I didn't at least try to help....
How's 'about you???
quita
@LilyoftheThorns (12918)
• United States
11 Aug 11
I have never heard of that bait thing happening here! I guess it's good I know now, I won't let the kid lead me anywhere! lol. But I would never just ignore them. I probably wouldn't even ask them for their parent's numbers...I think I'd probably just immediatly call 911.
@LilyoftheThorns (12918)
• United States
13 Aug 11
Wow...that's bad! Well, I will keep that in mind if I'm ever in that situation
@bounce58 (17387)
• Canada
15 Aug 11
Oh yes, I've seen that show with John Quinones.
It was interesting to see the situations that they've created, and to actually see what real people's reactions to these situations. I am not surprised about this result with the child crying, as most of the scenarios they put up turned up ugly results. Out in the real world, most people are jerks! I think that includes me too sometimes, but I could never not-stop for a child crying.
@LilyoftheThorns (12918)
• United States
16 Aug 11
I think if I had been there, i would have stopped a distance from the child and just stared in shock at everyone passing him. It may have taken me a minute to get over my shock, then i would have gone over to him.
@danishcanadian (28953)
• Canada
11 Aug 11
I have seen that show before, and it's a great one. I am not addicted to it, but I do like to watch it sometimes. I am the kind of person who would always intervene (and I have in the past!) when it looks like there is trouble. If I feel that I can not get directly involved without getting hurt, I will atleast call for help.
The other day my husband was at the bus stop and a diabetic lady collapsed on the sidewalk. He's almost diabetic himself, and knew what to do.
@LilyoftheThorns (12918)
• United States
11 Aug 11
It's a good thing your husband was there! Right time, right place.
I haven't really ever been in a what would you do situation. But after watching this show I don't ever think I would be able to ignore something like these situations now.
The closest thing I've ever come to this kind of thing is this...I took my nieces to a movie, and it had just gotten out...tons of people. And all of a sudden my niece said, "aunt bre they're crying." I was just like what!? I turned around and there were these two little girls, holding hands, without an adult, and they were crying. I immediatly crouched down and ask them what was wrong and they said they couldn't find their mom. So I took one of their hands and, with my nieces, walked them to the movie concession stand to tell a worker. Luckily there mom was found shortly after and all worked out well.
@sizzle3000 (3036)
• United States
11 Aug 11
My daughter likes that show. I can't belileve though that people would do that. How can people just walk past a crying child that needs help? I don't think I could ever do that especially being a mother myself. What if the child had been hurt? It's bad enough that they were lost probably. The poor kids that run into these people that just don't seem to care.
@LilyoftheThorns (12918)
• United States
11 Aug 11
Yeah, I'm glad this was just an experiment, but now I think that it probably happens all the time. I can understand that some people may have not noticed the child, but most of them had to...especially when they asked for help. Ooo I can't believe some people.
@len1016 (36)
• Philippines
11 Aug 11
Honestly I would stop walking, and I will ask the child if he/she is okay, I will ask why she/he cries.I will comfort him/her. I can`t just keep walking and pretend I did not saw a child whose crying,I have my conscience, and I love kids my heart breaking if I saw a child who is in pain.
@LilyoftheThorns (12918)
• United States
11 Aug 11
It's good to know most people on here would stop. I wouldn't be able to keep walking either. And I would def. get them the appropriate help (911).
Thanks len!
@lelin1123 (15595)
• Puerto Rico
11 Aug 11
I usually watch this show on a regular basis too and love it. I saw that episode and couldn't believe so many people could keep walking without helping this poor child. I could never leave a crying child all alone. Even though I knew it was all fake I was so upset and in tears. This just goes to show the type of society we live in. People are just not paying attention to what is going on around them. They are either in their own litle world, walking and talking on the phone, etc...
Those 1400 people should all be ashamed of themselves. I hope they were watching the show and realized they were one of them and change their ways.
@LilyoftheThorns (12918)
• United States
11 Aug 11
Oh this show has made me cry a couple of times. I don't cry when I'm mad at stupid people though, I cry when something really sweet happens. Here are the two things that made me cry (you may know them if you love the show):
1) The experiment where the 2 gay women/parents were being harrassed in the resturaunt by the waiter, and then the guy at the next table left, and came back a little later with a note he had written for the couple. It was a nice, supportive letter. That made me cry.
2) When they had the homeless drunk guy fall on the ground to see if anyone would help him. And no one stopped until the woman (Linda Hamilton) with the cane stopped. When she was asking people who were passing by to call for help and they ignored her...oh that broke my heart. But she was so sweet she made me cry.
Love this show!! I can get mad at the right people, and love the right people. lol
@ebuscat (5935)
• Philippines
11 Aug 11
For me it is there choice by doing it many are not good income in there life and many became bad because they love to thief.
@toniganzon (72281)
• Philippines
11 Aug 11
In my country i believe in that number of people ignoring crying children. You know why they do that? Because of fear of a criminal act that might result in helping the kid. How? In the Philippines children are used by syndicates to capture the heart of those good samaritans because they fall prey to the innocence of the child. After which they just find themselves robbed of money or worse being kidnapped!
So they always reason out that they don't want to get into such trap. In my case however, i couldn't stand seeing a child crying and asking for help. The best that i could do is call the police and let him attend to the child.
@LilyoftheThorns (12918)
• United States
11 Aug 11
Well that's a good point, but like what you would do..they don't have to go anywhere with the kid. They can stay out in the open where everyone can see them and just call the police. Luckily, I don't think we have to worry about such a thing here.
@monasharma (967)
• India
11 Aug 11
Hi friend...It seems to be very interesting show and inspiring also...
I would like to watch the show bt we dnt have this channel in india...
And If see any kid crying near the road then I will go forward and ask him the problem....
On the other hand,there are many beggars in our country.
I know no one would want to say bad about their country bt this is true and I m also doing here the same what the show do...
We see many kids crying on the road here bt ignores....
Thanx....
@LilyoftheThorns (12918)
• United States
11 Aug 11
You may be able to watch it online if you're interested. Here's a link to full episodes, just scroll down to the bottom and you'll see them. Only seasons 2 and 4 are available right now.
http://abc.go.com/watch/what-would-you-do/SH5555951
I would def. stop to help too. And if the child turned out to be homeless?? Oh gosh...it would be pretty hard for me not to help the child. If they were homeless I'd probably call 911 still (to protect myself) but I would probably ask them if I can at least foster the child until they could find them a family. I'd probably get a maternal instinct (even though I don't have kids lol).
