AN INDUSTRY OF DEATH!!!
So, Derrick and I saw this museum in LA called "PSYCHIATRY: AN INDUSTRY OF DEATH," and of course felt obligated to check it out.
As it turns out, this organization is funded by the Church of Scientology and just as crazy. We were pummeled with propaganda, logical fallacies, and the occasional fact or statistic. We did, however, leave with some interesting literature.
I grabbed a booklet of middle school "sociology experiments / psychological tests" that were all clearly from the 50's. I found one experiment/class project to be pretty interesting, though, and thought I'd share it with y'all in hopes you will compare answers with me. Check it!
The Lifeboat Game
A passenger liner is wrecked at sea and these fifteen people find themselves together in a lifeboat. The lifeboat, however, can only support nine people, If six are not eliminated everyone will die. If you were in command of the lifeboat, whom would you choose to survive?
First of all, I would probably do some sort of random selection via drawing straw or something similar, but since the point of the exercise is to choose, I will.
1. A doctor. GP. He is addicted to drugs and very nervous, aged 60
2. A Negro minister, Protestant, aged 27
3. A prostitute, no parents. She is an excellent nurse. Has already saved a drowning child. Aged 36
4. A male criminal charged with murder. He is the only one capable of navigating the boat. Aged 37
5. A man mentally disturbed who carries important government secrets in his head. Aged 41
6. An automatic washing machine salesman. Member of the local Rotary Club. Aged 51
7. A crippled boy, paralyzed since birth. He cannot use his hands, or do anything for himself, so must be fed by others. Aged 8.
8. A married couple. Construction worker who drinks a lot, aged 27. Housewife with two children at home, aged 23.
9. A Jewish restaurant owner, married with three children at home, aged 40.
10. A teacher, considered one of the best in Essex! Aged 32.
11. A Catholic nun. Supervisor of girls’ school, aged 46.
12. An unemployed man, formerly professor of literature. He has a great sense of humor, showed courage in the war, and was in a concentration camp for three years. Aged 53
13. A married couple deeply in love, but no children yet. Both Irish. He is studying to be a pharmacist. Aged 24. She is a housewife, helps with a playgroup. Aged 21.
Immediate cross-offs:
1. The Doctor - doesn’t seem much use if he’s cracked out, and the prostitute has already proven herself helpful in his area. Gone.
2. The Murderer - It’s a lifeboat. How much navigation does it need? Dude killed somebody. Gone.
3. Crazy Government Agent - Doesn’t get much sketchier. Gone.
4. Cripple Boy - The crueler thing is to keep feeding him. Gone.
Immediate Keeps:
1. The Prostitute - She saves lives AND has sex for money? Rockin!
2. Construction Worker and Wife & Jewish Restaurant Owner - They got kids at home. Come on.
3. Irish Couple - Too happy with too much life ahead of them.
The middle ground:
1. The Minister - Still a young man, he stays.
2. The Nun - Out of everyone, should be most comfortable meeting God. Sorry!
3. The Professor - didn’t survive a concentration camp to get kicked off a lifeboat. Stays.
4. The Salesman - doesn’t have a reason to go, but doesn’t have a reason to stay, either. Sorry!
The Teacher - Best in Essex sounds like she's making a difference. Stays.