Lottery of death...

[Brad 49548]

This is just a fun little thought experiment:

 

Suppose you were offered a chance at a million dollars, but in accepting it there is a small, random chance of...death! The question is, what level of risk or odds would you be willing to accept?

 

Would you take the million if the risk of dying was 1 in 10? How about 1 in a 1000? One in a million? Or do you think that no matter how miniscule the risk you'd deem it too dangerous and walk away?

[Guest c**io**m7]

What the hell...you only live once and you can't take it with you anyway...1 in 10 seems just fine to me.

 

We are all going to die anyway, may as well die trying to attain something instead of dying on my couch watching tv.

[roamingguy 300291]

In life already there is a risk of death.

Could be a soldier posted to a war zone

Could be in a corner store and a robbery takes place while you are there and everyone is shot

Or at the bank and a bank robbery takes place

Or you cross the street but someone runs the light and hits you

Or you get an incurable disease

Or you work in a job with an inherent risk to it (firefighters, law enforcement, Alaskan crab fisherman, ice road trucker well you get the idea)

and so on

Point is we already all run depending on circumstances, odds on dying, maybe from as high as one in ten (good odds if you are a suicide bomber LOL) to one in a trillion. Throw in a million dollars for existing risks that we already take, that really is just a bonus

RG

[Guest h****sho***9]

I'm a gambler, I like the 1 in 10 odds

 

there are worse things in life then dying and if i could provide for my family with a 10% chance of something happening to me, I'm all in.

[cometman 35115]

Nope..wouldn't do it. Being poor,good looking, and hung like a horse is preferable to an earlier chance of death. LOL

[piano8950 32577]

Million dollars isn't as much these days as it was 20 years ago.

 

But even if it's a trillion dollars, I wouldn't do it. My life is worth infinitely more to me.

[CristyCurves 169032]

I've got two dogs I'm responsible for, hopefully they'll out live me. So to take a chance at causing them to be homeless and without an owner would be just to selfish and irresponsible. Especially when one has already been passed from home to home.

Anyway, the more money you have the more fake friends, trouble, headaches you'll have, not to mention a higher tax bracket so more taxes you'll have to pay. I'm happy to have what I have:) Death will come at the appropriate time naturally, I hope. No need to invite it any earlier;)

[yellow_dog 804]

An interesting twist on this idea would be if the amount of money you receive increased with the greater odds of death.

 

Set the baseline at 1:1000 with a million. At 1:100 it's 10 million, at 1:10000 it is $100,000. You get the idea.

 

That would change my response, and possibly others as well. I'd risk higher odds, but probably not greater than 1:100.

[Guest R**3*9]

Seriously folks,

 

Does anyone here think the lives of the people who care about you would trade you for a million dollars?

 

That's really what's being asked I think. Would your family and friends say hey I'd take a million dollars on the chance that this great person I love and care about would only have a 1/1000 chance of dying...damn.

 

It's all in good fun but I've yet to meet anyone on this site who I'd take a million dollars for even if there was a 1/1,000,000 chance that they would die because of it and I don't know most of you and I only know some of you a little.

 

Everyone here is worth more than money and the happiness you bring to those that are close to you is invaluable.

 

Shit, there goes my peace love and happiness take on life annoying me again....lol

 

Boobies are awesome :boobies: (Inside joke for those who have read some of my other posts.)

[Brad 49548]

Nice responses, all. One of reasons I find this thought experiment fun is that it's interesting to see the different perspectives people come at it from.

 

On one hand, it's interesting how many people feel there are no possible odds good enough that they would risk their life for the million bucks. And yet, as roamingguy suggested, we already take much greater risks everyday for less without giving it a second thought.

 

I mean, presumably if you wouldn't risk 1 in a billion odds for a million dollars, you would also say no if the proposal was a European vacation but the odds of death are 1 in 11 million.

 

And yet the odds of dying in a plane crash are generally put at 1 in 11 million and we fly for pleasure all the time. Heck, we increase our chances of dying whenever we drive out to the corner store when the reward being offered is a bag of chips.

 

On the other hand, there seems to be something about the directness of this particular proposal that puts many people off. Perhaps it's because the offer is so unrealistic and outside of everyday life (unlike flying on a plane or driving to the store) that the risk seems unnecessary in a way the others aren't, or that's it's putting money over the value of life.

[Boomer 33202]

Sure, I'd go one on ten. I'm north of sixty five, so would be nice to add to the kids inheritance, and getting old is not all it's cracked up to be.

[BarrhavenWoody 10776]

Great poll idea, Brad. It really makes you think about what's important.

 

And great responses from everyone so far. As with many questions, there is no right or wrong answer. Only what's right for you.