The Value of A Life

In class on Friday, we did an activity where students in a life boat had to decide who to kick off because there was not enough room. Being an observer of the scenario, I gained and interesting perspective. The situation made me think about what makes one life more valuable than another. The group was quick to vote off the elderly couple, which is understandable, they lived a long life, and everyone else deserves that too, right? A pattern that did surface was that the people with family stayed the longest on the life boat. Maybe that's what measures the value of a life, If these people have loved ones to come home to, they should be able to make it home. One move that shook me was that the third person to go was the sailor, he would've been so experienced at sea, that he could have helped protect the lives that were there. Also, the group, for the majority of the time, considered getting rid of the medical student, quarters master, and captain. Again, these people could save lives in the end. The most influential thing I took from this activity was that not one person in our class offered to sacrifice him/herself. Humans all want to defend themselves, and it seems harsh to admit, but many of us view our lives as more valuable as the person sitting next to us.