While hiking, some neurons fired. If I was offered a billion dollars, would I step off this cliff?

[I would insert an image of said cliff, but iCloud isn’t working so I can’t]

“Yes”. After all - think about how far that billion dollars could go for the causes I support and the people I care about. I could practically yell out a will on the way to the bottom - “300M to Ena! 400M to my mum! Rest to KDE!”

But then I thought about it more. What if I had 10 minutes to decide my will? How would I break it up more granularly? How would I ensure there’s as little room for interpreation as possible, as to prevent lawsuits among the claimants?

Much like the Trolly Problem, I naturally assumed everyone would think the same way as me (after all, who wouldn’t pull that lever?)

So without even thinking of the original premise, I turned to my girlfriend and said: You get 1 billion dollars for jumping off this cliff. Who do you distribute it to?

My girlfriend looks at me blankly.

“Do I die?”, she asked.

“Well, yea…”, I replied. I was caught off guard by the question. “Let’s say it’s 99% chance of dying.”

“That’s stupid. Why would anyone do that?”

In 1981, during the Cold War, Roger Fisher made a proposal for how the nuclear launch codes should be handled:

“My suggestion was quite simple: Put that needed code number in a little capsule, and then implant that capsule right next to the heart of a volunteer. The volunteer would carry with him a big, heavy butcher knife as he accompanied the President. If ever the President wanted to fire nuclear weapons, the only way he could do so would be for him first, with his own hands, to kill one human being […]”

Ever since I first heard of this idea, I thought it was brilliant. A simple sacrafice with the potential to save millions. What a great honor that would be.

(As an aside, this quote started my belief that, to ensure a President always put their country - not themselves - first, the president should be voluntarily executed 8 years post-election)

But both of these ideas are continuously met by people asking “Who would do that??”. But to be honest, a lot of people. Let’s break it down:

  • If it costs 50$ to gain 100$, you make money.
  • If it costs 50$ to give a loved one 100$, that’s probably worthwhile.
  • If there’s a 50% chance your life ends to give 1,000,000 people a 1% higher chance of survival - You’re basically every lifeguard on the planet, combined.

So it may be materialistic, but a 99% chance of death to give family, friends and charities unfathomable amounts of wealth is a damn good bet. Money buys opportunities of happiness and relief of suffering. One life is a small cost to unlock that. Heck, you could probably give 1,000,000 people a 1% higher chance of survival with 1 billion dollars.

Since I would hope others jump (and give me a share!), I have to expect myself to do at least the same. So yes - I would jump.

As an aside, I don’t think people really appreciate just how much 1 billion dollars is.

So on to you: Would you jump for a billion dollars?