A Difficult Scenario

In Rottenberg’s text we are presented with a difficult scenario.

Task: A series of environmental catastrophic events has virtually wiped out human life on earth. The only known survivors in your vicinity are the eleven listed… There are resources to sustain only seven. Choose seven…people to survive. List them in the order in which you would choose them. (220)

If this scenario which I have been presented with were something I had to face in reality I would probably leave the group and try to find other resources. I would not want to be part of anything that would lead to the destruction of another human being, even for the purpose of the survival of other human beings. I believe that in life there is always a choice and I hope that I would make the moral choice. However, since this exercise is only an assigned task and does not affect the life of any actual person I will do it as if there were no other option. Each person is valuable but I have chosen 7 to survive based upon what they can contribute to the existence of the others in the group, to themselves, and perhaps to other survivors that they might encounter later.

The first person that I chose to survive is Mr. Newton. I have limited information about Mr. Newton. Rottenberg states,

Mr. Newton – twenty-five, black power advocate, starting last year of medical school, suspected homosexual activity, music as a hobby, physical fitness buff. (221)

In order to be diplomatic I will only focus my attention on the skills or qualities that each person can offer. What I immediately note about Mr. Newton is that he is young, healthy and has medical knowledge that under the current circumstances will be useful to the group and possibly other survivors that they may e...

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Mary Evans – eighteen, black, Protestant, trade school education, wears glasses, artistic. (221)

I chose Mary because she is young, she is probably fertile, and her artistic abilities may contribute to the morale of the others. If they are in good spirits they are more likely to survive.

These kinds of decisions should never have to be made. The choice is not a moral one. If the choice does have to be made and humanity and morality are not the ultimate goals then the goal must be survival of the majority and survival of the future; but what kind of future will it be? Our value is not in our abilities alone but in our humanity. Let us never sacrifice the latter for the former; that would be a terrible reality.

Works Cited

Rottenberg, Annette T., and Donna Haisty. Winchell. The Structure of Argument. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2009. Print.