The story given below is quite interesting and really gives us an
>insight into DECISION MAKING.
>
>Which one will you choose?
>
>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 came, and you were just
>beside the track interchange. You could make the train change its
>course to the disused track and saved 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. Exactly, I thought the same way
>initially 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 in a democratic society, specially 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
>tear for him.
>
>The friend who forwarded me 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.
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>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
>r! ight one.
>
>"Remember that what's right isn't always popular... and what's popular
>isn't always right."