The story given here is quite interesting and really gives us insight into DECISION MAKING.
A group of children were playing near two railway tracks, one still in use while the other disused. Only one child played on the disused track, the rest on the operational track.
The train came, and you were just beside the track interchange. You could make the train change its course to the disused track and saved most of the kids.
However, that would also mean the lone child playing by the disused track would be sacrificed. Or would you rather let the train go its way?
Let's take a pause to think about what kind of decision we could make...
Analyse the situation...
Think and reflect...
Decide on your answer!!!!
Now... go ahead...
Most people might choose to divert the course of the train and sacrifice only one child. To save most of the children at the expense of only one child was a rational decision most people would make, morally and emotionally.
But, have you ever thought that the child choosing to play on the disused track had, in fact, made the right decision to play in a safe place?
Nevertheless, he had to be sacrificed because of his ignorant friends who chose to play where the danger was.
This kind of dilemma happens around us every day. In the office, community, in politics, and especially in a democratic society, the minority is often sacrificed for the interest of the majority, no matter how foolish or ignorant the majority are, and how farsighted and knowledgeable the minority are.
The child who chose not to play with the rest on the operational track was sidelined. And in case he was sacrificed, no one would shed a tear for him.
To make the proper decision is not to try to change the course of the train because the kids playing on the operational track should have known very well that the track was still in use and that they should have run away if they heard the train's sirens.
If the train was diverted, that lone child would definitely die because he never thought the train could come over to that track! Moreover, that track was not in use probably because it was not safe.
If the train was diverted to the track, we could put the lives of all passengers on board at stake! And in your attempt to save a few kids by sacrificing one child, you might end up sacrificing hundreds of people to save these few kids.
While we are all aware that life is full of tough decisions that need to be made, we may not realize that hasty decisions may not always be the right one. "Remember that what's right isn't always popular... and what's popular isn't always right."
Everybody makes mistakes; that's why they put erasers on pencils.
Shoeb Hakim
From India, Mumbai
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1A group of children were playing near two railway tracks, one still in use while the other disused. Only one child played on the disused track, the rest on the operational track.
The train came, and you were just beside the track interchange. You could make the train change its course to the disused track and saved most of the kids.
However, that would also mean the lone child playing by the disused track would be sacrificed. Or would you rather let the train go its way?
Let's take a pause to think about what kind of decision we could make...
Analyse the situation...
Think and reflect...
Decide on your answer!!!!
Now... go ahead...
Most people might choose to divert the course of the train and sacrifice only one child. To save most of the children at the expense of only one child was a rational decision most people would make, morally and emotionally.
But, have you ever thought that the child choosing to play on the disused track had, in fact, made the right decision to play in a safe place?
Nevertheless, he had to be sacrificed because of his ignorant friends who chose to play where the danger was.
This kind of dilemma happens around us every day. In the office, community, in politics, and especially in a democratic society, the minority is often sacrificed for the interest of the majority, no matter how foolish or ignorant the majority are, and how farsighted and knowledgeable the minority are.
The child who chose not to play with the rest on the operational track was sidelined. And in case he was sacrificed, no one would shed a tear for him.
To make the proper decision is not to try to change the course of the train because the kids playing on the operational track should have known very well that the track was still in use and that they should have run away if they heard the train's sirens.
If the train was diverted, that lone child would definitely die because he never thought the train could come over to that track! Moreover, that track was not in use probably because it was not safe.
If the train was diverted to the track, we could put the lives of all passengers on board at stake! And in your attempt to save a few kids by sacrificing one child, you might end up sacrificing hundreds of people to save these few kids.
While we are all aware that life is full of tough decisions that need to be made, we may not realize that hasty decisions may not always be the right one. "Remember that what's right isn't always popular... and what's popular isn't always right."
Everybody makes mistakes; that's why they put erasers on pencils.
Shoeb Hakim
From India, Mumbai
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This is an old story, it's at least a decade old. I have been using this in my training sessions for years now. Anyways, good that you posted it. Knowledge sharing is good. But when things go full circle on the same topic, it becomes kind of irrelevant. But for first-timers, it sure is a good story.
Cheers
From India, Bhubaneswar
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Cheers
From India, Bhubaneswar
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Good one , really made us to think ...if we would be in such situation what would be the our decision....
From India, Mumbai
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From India, Mumbai
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this was used by one of our professors at college while taking OB classes
From India, Lucknow
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From India, Lucknow
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Scary Story! Imagine the single child saved, and he/she becomes a Hitler. On the other hand, he might become an Einstein or Plato. But if the single child were your only child and you have to make the decision....
Thanks very much for this enchanting and thought-provoking story.
From India, Bangalore
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Thanks very much for this enchanting and thought-provoking story.
From India, Bangalore
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