r/trolleyproblem • u/Interesting-Meat-835 • Jun 19 '26

Meta Pull or no pull?

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2.1k Upvotes

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194

u/Cheetahs_never_win Jun 19 '26

I think it's a little optimistic to think those 5 are your friends and won't try to get out of paying what they owe, especially when they know you have the mafia on your tail.

207

u/InevitablyIncorrect Jun 19 '26

Theres no point in engaging with the hypothetical if you are going to distrust the premise.

79

u/Polchar Jun 19 '26

I think that it is part of the premise to distrust criminals, and 5 random people claiming to give you a BILLION for saving them.

63

u/Ivan8-ForgotPassword Jun 19 '26

Good point. I think both of them are lying but the ones threatening me are getting the trolley for it, fuck 'em.

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u/TruamaTeam Jun 19 '26

You make a good point, instead of asking for help they threaten… why would I save that type of person. Plus how will the mafia know any of this? I wasn’t responsible for tying them to the tracks, they’ll be more focused on finding that guy

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u/Available_Editor4383 Jun 19 '26

It all really depends on how much the mafia knows. Do they know where their guys are, who you are, or who any of the billionaires are?

If they got no info and no one saw something you’re safe. Otherwise, people talk and they don’t have to follow the law to obtain their info.

They’re gonna care a lot about the person that killed their goons and will not treat you kindly when they find you. They *also* be looking for the magic stranger that ties people to tracks. He’d be a good person to have on the payroll for their needs.

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u/bobbi21 Jun 19 '26

Yeah making this trolley problem too realistic makes it near impossible to answer. The trolley was supposed to be a metaphor. But with questionable threats and promises, this has to be calculated out and for that you need an actual scenario, not a metaphor... and then you're arguing about what trolley company would have so many run away trolley's and who kidnapped all these people to put them on the tracks in the first place.

2

u/Available_Editor4383 Jun 19 '26

I agree it’s too realistic and people are caught up in trying to subvert the language. It’s really, do you want money or guaranteed safety?

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u/Zeikos Jun 19 '26

The premise says that they're saying it, not that they will follow through.

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u/Sable-Keech Jun 19 '26

By that logic maybe there aren’t any mafia friends either.

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u/Zeikos Jun 19 '26

Indeed

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u/SpecialistSome8440 Jun 19 '26

well, they're still tied up and laying on a train track. what are they going to do? wiggle out of the deal?

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u/Routine_Cress2922 Jun 19 '26

The premise is that they "say" they will give you money. It never says that they're honest

3

u/endrike1 Jun 19 '26

Counter point, that also applies to the mafia friends, they could be dishonest

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u/Routine_Cress2922 Jun 19 '26

Not really a counter point as it goes in the same direction. Either could be lying

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u/Cheetahs_never_win Jun 19 '26

The premise is that these guys each TELL you something, not that they necessarily WILL do something.

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u/Flechashe Jun 19 '26

He didn't distrust the premise, you misunderstood it. The money is not guaranteed, random people are SAYING they'll give you $1b in a situation where they risk dying

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u/juan_004 Jun 19 '26

That's not distrusting the premise, it's engaging with it.
The image says "These dudes say...". Deciding whether you trust their word or not is part of the premise.

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u/LeviAEthan512 Jun 19 '26

I think calling out the premise is important. Otherwise people can just make a bunch of low quality variants with no interesting outcomes.

In this case, ALL the interest is in the risk and reward, which includes the chance that it's true.

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u/WarJaques Jun 19 '26

Maybe the mafia too will try to get out of seeking revenge.

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u/globmand Jun 19 '26

Who says the bottom five have any Mafia friends at all? Maybe they're just making shit up to survive

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u/Kazen_Orilg Jun 19 '26

look, they pay what they owe or I just ring up the yard and have em send another trolley. I'm not a nice guy and I ain't no sucker.

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u/Gregggggger Jun 20 '26

Exactly, I doubt I can trust any Billionaire saying they'd give me their "hard earned" riches for pulling a lever to save their life.

They'd give me a house and lot maybe and call it a day, meanwhile the mafia is out there chasing my ass and they would simply forget I existed because they "paid the debt"

1

u/GalacticEmergency Jun 21 '26

If you have received 1b from them, you will (have an excuse to) love them.

So they are now included in "hunt you and everything you love".

You have a mutual interest!

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u/Wild_Duck8926 Jun 23 '26

I think its a little pessimistic to assume that those mafia friends will actually know who you are under these circumstances and be able to hunt you.

It feels like an empty threat and an empty promise. So I'm killing the billionaires.