Important moral question.

Remove all ads!

I received this test in an email today and found it compelling. Please have a look:

This test only has one question, but it's a very important one. By giving an honest answer, you will discover where you stand morally. The test features an unlikely, completely fictional situation in which you will have to make a decision.

Remember that your answer needs to be honest, yet spontaneous. Please scroll down slowly and give due consideration to each line.

--------------------------
THE SITUATION
You are in Florida, Miami to be specific. There is chaos all around you caused by a hurricane with severe flooding. This is a flood of biblical proportions. You are photo journalist working for a major newspaper, and you're caught in the middle of this epic disaster. The situation is nearly hopeless. You're trying to shoot career-making photos. There are houses and people swirling around you, some disappearing under the water. Nature is unleashing all of its destructive fury.

===============================================
THE TEST
Suddenly you see a man in the water. He is fighting for his life, trying not to be taken down with the debris. You move closer. Somehow the man looks familiar. You suddenly realize who it is. It's George W. Bush.

At the same time you notice that the raging waters are about to take him under forever. You have two options--you can save the life of George Bush, or you can shoot a dramatic Pulitzer Prize winning photo, documenting the death of one of the world's most powerful men.

Scroll down for the question.


===============================================
THE QUESTION
Here's the question, and please give an honest answer....... Would you select high contrast color film, or would you go with the classic simplicity of black and white?

 

Two answers:

1) Being a photographer of many years, I would have a minimum of 2 cameras with me - one with color and one with b&w.

2) With one camera, I'd choose color film. I'm sure my teen years of fiddling in the dark recesses of my parents' basement would give me the opportunity to try to de-colorize color prints; essenctially turning them b&w.

 

Bah, it's all digital these days so it wouldn't matter. You could doctor the image up however you want later on.

 

Color of course, everyone likes color.

 

I could never be a reporter....

Granted this could have been in the joke post, but I tend to help people (even after I know who they are).

There's an old joke in the Navy:
Experienced Ship Driver to trainee: 'Man overboard - what do you do?'
Trainee: 'Who is it?'

 

If you see a drowning man and you don't help him out if you can, you go to jail.

Hmm... Dubya should look great in B&W.

But seriously, I can't swim.

[ September 23, 2005, 00:28: Message edited by: chevalier ]

 

Good one

 

Yeah, another vote for B&W here, for a documentary-ish look that some pivotal event like that would just require...

...but I don't care - as much as I despise George II; I'd be diving in to help him out. (I consider this to be a character flaw on my part )

 

I heard the same joke only with Canadian PM Paul Martin instead of George W.

I believe I wasted too much time looking for something heavy to throw to him...

 

I think that I'd rescue him too, after all:

From Homer Simpson

On second thought I might to the humanitarian thing and shoot him as well (just to make sure)

 

Colour - that can be changed digitally to black 'n white, the opposite isn't true.

Although I would personally save him. Why? Think of the money I'd get, man!

 

I'd set the camera in automatic, so that it photographs me while I help him. Then I sell the pictures and become rich AND a hero. Who says that you don't learn anything by reading Spiderman comics?

Now, don't expect me to give him the kiss of life.

 

I think I'd be too busy laughing to do anything.

But given the choice, I'd say colour - you can always edit it to monochrome later.

 

Excellent! I would choose colour to document him in all his glory, and I would order tons of extra prints for friends and family

BTW nice avatar Colthrun

 

I've often thought of this sort of thing in a serious way -- you see lots of pictures of people suffering and I say to myself "why didn't this idiot put the blasted camera down and HELP this suffering person?" I know the answer, of course -- greed, but it still makes me ill.

One year ago I would have said I'd dive in to save him. After this hurricane debacle, I'd just throw him something that floats and wish his good luck.

 

Neither. If I take a picture and he dies, it's just proof that I didn't save him when I could have. Better to stick a tracking tag in his ear so they can find the body.

 

heard this one several times already, with a different person each time

my answer: wouldn't bother, i'd walk away.

but just to keep in the spirit of things, i'd probably choose color

 

I will help him , no mather the risk , anyone deserves to live nomather how many mistakes he has made ...

 

1. He's too dense to float
2. I don't think he can swim
3. To create an allusion to pathos and stark reality it has to be black and white

 

I would take pictures of me saving him THEN i'll drown him and take anything he has in his pockets then i'll say he must of died of a diease or he drowned.

-A TINY BIT MORE SERIOUS-

I'd take a quick picture then save him. I get glory, maybe some riches and become a bit more famous.

*EIDT* If I was evil I would kill him then take a picture of him after I saved his body then tell everyone he was dead when I saved him then i would document the death of one of the world's most powerful men. Then swim in my money