A moral Quandry for You.

T

theorgg

Guest
Here's the setup, as I can't just ask the question and let answers flow in; I just finished watching the movie The Last Supper starring Cameron Diaz and Ron Perlman. In it, central to the plot is this question:


Imagine you're a time traveler. In 1909, you meet an artist in Austria named Adolf, a brilliant, intelligent, and hopeful art student just starting to blossom. This man Adolf will go on to kill millions of men as the leader of the Nazi party in the near future.


Do you kill this now-innocent man to prevent the deaths of millions of others? This man who has done nothing to you, and probably never will do anything to harm you... would you kill him.
Now please, everyone who reads this, please reply. Even if it's with just a "yes" or "no." However, feel free to elaborate.

Would you kill Hitler before his rise if you had the chance?
 

Ransac

CPA Trash Man
I'd like to say yes, but I'll have to say no. As horrible as he may have been, everything happens for a purpose, no excuses. I don't want to mess with history.



Ransac, cpa trash man
 
S

Svenmonkey

Guest
Is this movie based on Hitler's real life? Because I'm pretty sure he was crazy from the beginning.

But anyway, I'd say no, because we never know what will happen if we alter the past. The future would be a whole lot different when I'd go back. In fact, I probably wouldn't be in the past anymore, for the time machine thing may not have been created. :confused:
 

Ferret

Moderator
Staff member
I would have to say 'no'. Despite, the insanity, the military crusade, and of course the genocide the world would not be in the shape it was today w/o him.

Think about it: Germany had to be nearly burned to the ground in order to become the economic power-house it is today. Also, Japan would not have had the oportunity to be smashed flat and then grow to its current state and give us great things like Hondas, electronic stuff, and Final Fantasy games :)

I would like to change many things in the past, but I believe that every one of those changes could totaly destroy the world that we live in - and, for the moment, I'm content w/ it.

-Ferret

"...ever play Command & Conquer Red Alert?"
 
M

MrXarvox

Guest
...was Adolf Hitler even his real name? I heard somewhere that it was actually something else and that he changed it... I dunno


Anyway, I would hit "save", then I would kill Hitler and see what happened, and if it was bad I'd just restore my saved game. and if it was good I'd create a new saved game just in case something bad happens later.
What? life has no "save" button? Of course it does, right there below the "show automap" tab....
 
T

train

Guest
Yes... that way I'd have no trouble selling Coat in Germany!!!
 
I

Istanbul

Guest
If Adolf Hitler had died, there is a good chance that World War II would not have happened.

If World War II had not happened, there is a good chance that America would not have recovered from the Great Depression as quickly, if at all.

In other words...killing Adolf Hitler could mean the death of America.

So...no.
 
M

Mongoose Man

Guest
I'm going to have to say no... I think it is better to have the world how it is and have all of Hitler's evil deeds to have happened then it would be to risk an unknown future by killing him, who knows what the world would be like today if Hitler had been killed young? I admit tho that if I were someone related to a person killed by Hitler's genocide then I would probably feel differently...

Also I don't think I could bring myself to kill an innocent (at the time) person...
 
S

Sammy Dead-O

Guest
It's weird that I used to be such a pacifist, but I find myself struggling with this question.

In the end, I think CT said it best.

So...no.
 
T

theorgg

Guest
I never answered the question... but I just cannot tell WHAT I'd do...

If this sparked anyone's interest, check out the movie. It's pretty funny, too... And it's got some interesting points as well.
 

Ferret

Moderator
Staff member
I actually have it. Seen it a few times - I keep trying to get the wife to watch it, but the more I ask the less she wants to see it...

-Ferret

"...she's kind of stubborn that way..."
 

TomB

Administrator
Staff member
You all sound like Christopher Lloyd in those Back to the Future movies, with all his time-space continuum mumbo-jumbo. I say he dies as soon as I can figure out a way to do it and not get caught, then I find a way to invest rather heavily in Henry Ford's fledgling young company. Sell the stock off late in 1928, then sit back and ride the storm of the Great Depression out. Do it right and you'd be set for life.

No fate but what we make...;)
 
T

Thallid Ice Cream Man

Guest
Well there would be other ways to go about changing his future than just killing him - giving him a wad of money for example.

Still I don't think I'd get on the time machine in the first place, much less screw around with history that way.

Good to see you back, Ferret! (although maybe you've been back for weeks and I just don't know because I just got back 5 minutes ago)
 
R

rkoelsch

Guest
very intriguing question. I would say no. and I am pretty sure my wife would say yes. she believes the old star trek adage," the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few"
 
Top