The Trolley Problem

Today’s quick AngryAndrew meme: What would you do if an out-of-control trolley was careening towards you?

“The Trauma Trolley Terrifies Travelers Taking Their Tranquility, Testing Their Tenacity, Then Truthfully Tarnishing The Town’s Transportation Team” image by AngryAndrew/MJAI

In the classic trolley problem, a man is shown at the switch of a railroad track. On the main line of the track there are five people tied the track, and the trolley will surely make them all un-alive.

Meanwhile, on the spur, there is a single person tied to the track. The implication is, if the man throws the switch they will cause one person to become un-alive, while saving the lives of five persons.

As if that was the only choice.

This is presented as a thought experiment to consider moral dilemmas. But it also implies that such moral dilemmas are binary in nature, and really, they never are.

“A Streetcar Rammed Desire” image by AngryAndrew/MJAI

The best answer to the trolley problem is to throw the switch only halfway, so that the trolley derails, preventing anyone from being un-alived.

Life is not binary, and neither are the answers.

“If you break the trolley’s brakes, and then take a break, the trolley’s brakes won’t brake till you break your break and un-break the brakes, otherwise nothing will brake the trolley with the broken brakes till the trolley brakes by breaking the breakable breakfast bar into broken bar bits”. image by AngryAndrew/MJAI

The ubiquitous “mind the gap” Image by Alessandro da Roma CC

“Destiny’s Waiting Room is an Empty Trolley Car that’s Hurtling Out of Control” image by AngryAndrew/MJAI