Wednesday, March 24, 2010

A Tough Decision One Could Make

How many of you can really make a genuine decision in life, the one that can benefit everyone and preserve what is legally right. My collegue, Mr Rasaya makes me realize the truth about making a correct decision, though it could be painful to certain extent.

So... Let's see what kind of decision will you make?


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 is coming, and you are just beside the track interchange.
You can make the train change its course to the disused track and save 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 what kind of decision we could make......... ........



Most people might choose to divert the course of the train, and sacrifice only one child.
You might think the same way, I guess.
Exactly, to save most of the children at the expense of only one child was 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 at 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 everyday.
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 the case he was sacrificed, no one would shed a tear for him.

The great critic Leo Velski Julian who told the story said he would not try to change the course of the train because he believed that the kids playing on the operational track should have known very well that 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.

(Email fwded by Mr Rasaya)


I initially chose to save the child playing alone because i believe he is playing on the safe side, compared to the other ignorant children.. unless saving only him could kill every creature on earth (Seems that the great critic Mr Julian was on my side) But quoting Mr Rasaya, he believed that he would save all both children on both tracks because children are children and their misdeeds out of sheer ignorance should not be punishable by death. But of course the reality limits our action.

Somehow i realize life is full of choices.

But you can make the difference.

9 comments:

Niezam said...

Great issue to be discussed here :)
Yup life is all about making decision.So decide what we have to decide,stick for what we have decided, because there would not be yes or no in life,neither right nor wrong.If yes is the answer, no will always complement it.If we think its right, wrong thing will always accompanied it.That is the fact of life, it’s not unfair but it is a way it should be.Perfect satisfaction will not be achieved in the name of life. Just follow the routes of our life and always listen to our heart.Enjoy the sweetest and bitterest moments of our life. Cheers :)

Mok Cik Bambina (hentam sajalah) said...

I couldn't agree more with u syakira =) but since life has full of options/decisions, and since it is up to us, the decision maker to decide, I choose to help kids from both tracks!

Sounds pretty ambitious kan? I think everything is possible if you believe so! remember: when there is a will, there is a way.

Keep praying and having faith to Allah, for without His helps things cannot be in their proper places.

Sometimes we think our decision is the best for us and everyone else, but sometimes, what is best for us is not best enough. Allah knows better than us do. Have faith in Him and He will grant you his help. This is the promise He made.

This is only my sheer point of view, though =) Hope this helps!

Ms Syakira said...

Hi Niezam,
life is just like sailing on the ocean. There are risks and challenges that become the external force. It teaches a man to be tough n wiser.

Lina,
thanks for the meaningful thoughts. You remind me of the gratitude and reward from God. U know what? I kinda miss our degree years - where life was full of choices but less stressful ;)

Anonymous said...

ermmm...wat a great thinkig u have miss syakira jane..seems dat the readings had made u a better person,(perhaps)!..haha i salut d way u thinkigs n how creative u r,its a bless hav a teacher like u...hope we could work better after diz,to inprove my learnig ;) -Naqiu-

Ms Syakira said...

Hi Qiu,
Thanks for visiting my blog. Yeah, there's no harm when it comes to sharing knowledge. Let's make our BEL130 the most memorable class this semester ;)

Actually, language class is fun! It teaches you to think out of the box ;)

Old dwarf said...

yup....bel is really fun...especially with miss syakira's class...a lot more fun...but dun make her angry...i've seen her angry b4...u guys surely will shock when that happen..hahaha..but overall she is the best lecturer i ever know...

Ms Syakira said...

Old Dwarf!
i know u miss my class, right. But seems you grow older, little dwarfs have taken your place. hehe.

In life, there are always two choices; whether to remember the person you once knew or erase his image completely. But you, Old Dwarf - you r the one that i can remember for now and always =)

Old dwarf said...

miss your class??hmm..a lil' bit laa..haha..but 1 day old dwarf will leave this fairy land...and u will be with little dwarf..hope u enjoy with them..at that time,mybe u wont be listen to my fairy tales again.. T.T

Ms Syakira said...

Fairy tales?
I think i listen to fairy tales everyday :p
You are the best "penglipur lara". Tq for adding some spices and rainbow 2 my life n others.