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sunkan
August 6th, 2010, 06:06 AM
Quite Interesting !

http://f941.mail.yahoo.com/ya/download?mid=1%5f90311%5fAD0QaMsAAGMCTFvUGwW3tywfl s4&pid=2.2&fid=Inbox&inline=1


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................

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Most people might choose to divert the course of the train, and sacrifice only one child. You might think the same way, I guess , because 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.

"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.

BROUGHT TO YOU BY SUNKAN

ketaki2097
August 6th, 2010, 06:08 AM
sunksn, there is a great work to think on our way of decision making skills after reading this.

pranati
August 6th, 2010, 06:33 AM
What a write up once again a great piece from Sunkan. yes decision making is most of the times very tough. We decide something in a hurry is a loss in the long run. Sometimes sudden decisions also prove fruitful. I feel think and then work that really goes with the decision but we are humans we tend to do mistakes even if its about a decision.

Example my personal experience: My brother was working at that time for ICICI he got through another Insurance company. They had send the offer letter. Here he resigned. After that the real drama started they said a group is suppose to join etc etc. They never got back and my brother cannot go back to ICICI. He scolded the people and asked for clarification. To this they said read the clause. On the offer letter they have mentioned something in the tinest font that they are not responsible if any case the offer is cancelled from their side. It was so bad. So his decision was at that moment right to quit but did a mistake by not checking the offer letter properly. So it happens in everyones life.

sunkan
August 6th, 2010, 08:32 AM
true ketaki,
one can think but never be rash

sunkan
August 6th, 2010, 08:35 AM
very sad to hear this pranati,
i must relate something to u too which is beyong our own control, my brother was a financial head in a company, he was asked to give pink slip to a few people as it was recession time from US to all over the world, BUT A VERY BIG BUT, HE GOT THE PINK SLIP THE VERY NEXT DAY AND HE WAS FLABBERGASTED...

dr.jyoti gupta
August 6th, 2010, 12:11 PM
dear sundari,your article left me thinking seriously.yes ofcourse,some may not like a decision,but truth is always bitter.sometimes we have to take hard decisions to do justice.