Ethical Question for Monogamists

The Sum of Awe · Feb 9, 2014

While this is probably unrealistic, but if someone was high-jacking a plane and said they would stop if you would have sex with them, would you do it?

What made me think of this random, seemingly troll-ish, however not, scenario? Well, the movie Non-Stop trailer played and when Liam Neeson texted "What do you want?" my friend was with me and said "I want to bang you" and then my mind started processing that... yeah.

So would this be ethical? To break your sexual morality in order to save lives?

4consideration · Feb 9, 2014

The Sum of Awe said:
While this is probably unrealistic, but if someone was high-jacking a plane and said they would stop if you would have sex with them, would you do it?

What made me think of this random, seemingly troll-ish, however not, scenario? Well, the movie Non-Stop trailer played and when Liam Neeson texted "What do you want?" my friend was with me and said "I want to bang you" and then my mind started processing that... yeah.

So would this be ethical? To break your sexual morality in order to save lives?

I probably would, especially if the lives of others were in jeopardy. I think I know my husband well enough to assume that while he would definitely care about any trauma I experienced personally in the matter, he would value the lives of people on the plane, and would not consider an extreme effort to save them as a violation of my vow of fidelity. I wouldn't consider it "cheating" and I don't think he would either.

edit: I would expect for him to do the same, in the same situation.

MysticSang'ha · Feb 9, 2014

The Sum of Awe said:
While this is probably unrealistic, but if someone was high-jacking a plane and said they would stop if you would have sex with them, would you do it?

What made me think of this random, seemingly troll-ish, however not, scenario? Well, the movie Non-Stop trailer played and when Liam Neeson texted "What do you want?" my friend was with me and said "I want to bang you" and then my mind started processing that... yeah.

So would this be ethical? To break your sexual morality in order to save lives?

Yep. I would.

The Sum of Awe · Feb 9, 2014

While you might see why your partner would do it; would you at all feel negatively effected

MysticSang'ha · Feb 9, 2014

Oops. I just realized this thread was intended for monogamists. I'm in an open marriage. So the question isn't for me. Sorry!

The Sum of Awe · Feb 9, 2014

It's alright. Thanks for you input

For monogamists that do not have a partner: You are allowed to answer.

Gjallarhorn · Feb 9, 2014

The Sum of Awe said:
While this is probably unrealistic, but if someone was high-jacking a plane and said they would stop if you would have sex with them, would you do it?

What made me think of this random, seemingly troll-ish, however not, scenario? Well, the movie Non-Stop trailer played and when Liam Neeson texted "What do you want?" my friend was with me and said "I want to bang you" and then my mind started processing that... yeah.

So would this be ethical? To break your sexual morality in order to save lives?

Whether or not it is ethical, I would do it. One moment of altruistic infidelity for a plane of people and an extended life with my significant other would be a fair trade, IMO.

4consideration · Feb 9, 2014

The Sum of Awe said:
While you might see why your partner would do it; would you at all feel negatively effected

Probably. I think anytime someone I love has been through a traumatic or extreme situation, I am negatively effected by the thought of them having such an experience and sadness regarding them experiencing pain.

I may have a fleeting feeling of upset at the thought of my husband doing that with someone else, but mostly what I think of as being wrong with doing it with someone else has a lot to do with the sense of betrayal one feels and the deception often involved in breaking a promise that is usually a foundational one in such a relationship.

Given that what is at stake is the lives of people, I figure I could process the traumatic feelings in that area, and eventually reach resolution that my negative feelings are a part of the cost paid for the lives of the people on the plane.

bobhikes · Feb 9, 2014

The Sum of Awe said:
While this is probably unrealistic, but if someone was high-jacking a plane and said they would stop if you would have sex with them, would you do it?

What made me think of this random, seemingly troll-ish, however not, scenario? Well, the movie Non-Stop trailer played and when Liam Neeson texted "What do you want?" my friend was with me and said "I want to bang you" and then my mind started processing that... yeah.

So would this be ethical? To break your sexual morality in order to save lives?

I am highly skeptical and believe that they would have their way and still keep the hijacking but I would use it to my advantage. Allow them to get close and take out as many of them as I could before they got me.

When in jeopardy saving lives is the only ethical, moral solution no matter the consequences. See Atom Bomb drop.

lewisnotmiller · Feb 9, 2014

Yep, I would.
I'd also consider it a form of rape, so I don't see it as breaking any sort of moral rules in any case.

Alceste · Feb 9, 2014

I would agree, get him alone, wait for his guard to be down and kill him or beat him into submission. I would not trust a rapist who is hijacking a plane to keep his word that he'd stop the hijacking after the rape.

Badran · Feb 9, 2014

The Sum of Awe said:
While this is probably unrealistic, but if someone was high-jacking a plane and said they would stop if you would have sex with them, would you do it?

I'm not necessarily a monogamist (pretty open to multiple scenarios and i never needed to make a particular decision anyway) and i don't have a partner, but if i was and if i had one, i would definitely do it, because of what's at stake and because of what lewisnotmiller mentioned. It's more a form of rape in my eyes than it is sex.

Though more realistically, as mentioned, there are other considerations too. Like whether or not it'll actually work. Whether the hijackers will really stick to their word or not.

The Sum of Awe said:
While you might see why your partner would do it; would you at all feel negatively effected

I would feel negatively that my partner's life was at risk, that she had to be in a position where she did something like that with a criminal who was threatening her life and the lives of others, and would keep thinking how that must have felt like for her.

Darkness · Feb 9, 2014

Alceste said:
I would agree, get him alone, wait for his guard to be down and kill him or beat him into submission. I would not trust a rapist who is hijacking a plane to keep his word that he'd stop the hijacking after the rape.

This is the voice of reason. The hijacker is clearly lying in this case. Nobody hijacks a plane so that they can force somebody into having sex with them.

The Sum of Awe · Feb 9, 2014

Darkness said:
This is the voice of reason. The hijacker is clearly lying in this case. Nobody hijacks a plane so that they can force somebody into having sex with them.

Well, Freudians might say otherwise

Badran · Feb 9, 2014

Darkness said:
This is the voice of reason. The hijacker is clearly lying in this case. Nobody hijacks a plane so that they can force somebody into having sex with them.

It's indeed extremely unlikely the hijacker would stick to his/her word, but i think it's also why the OP acknowledged the scenario is unrealistic. It's just a hypothetical aimed at a certain point (at least as i understand); whether or not people would view this as a violation of their monogamous arrangement and how would they feel about it generally.

May be the hypothetical would be better if offered within a smaller context than a plane hijack.

Alceste · Feb 9, 2014

Badran said:
It's indeed extremely unlikely the hijacker would stick to his/her word, but i think it's also why the OP acknowledged the scenario is unrealistic. It's just a hypothetical aimed at a certain point (at least as i understand); whether or not people would view this as a violation of their monogamous arrangement and how would they feel about it generally.

May be the hypothetical would be better if offered within a smaller context than a plane hijack.

My decision still stands. Any kind of threat, blackmail or coercion tells me I'm dealing with a rapist, so I would kill or subdue the rapist and call the authorities. I can't see how monogamy has anything to do with it.

Badran · Feb 9, 2014

Alceste said:
My decision still stands. Any kind of threat, blackmail or coercion tells me I'm dealing with a rapist, so I would kill or subdue the rapist and call the authorities. I can't see how monogamy has anything to do with it.

Like i said, that is indeed reasonable given the unrealistic aspect of the hypothetical. I was clarifying however what in my understanding the OP was focusing on with it, and that another hypothetical may have been more suitable.

What you're saying though is more or a less an answer in itself. You wouldn't do it because you wouldn't think it'd work, not because you think it would violate a monogamous arrangement, since it's a form of rape.

Darkness · Feb 9, 2014

The Sum of Awe said:
Well, Freudians might say otherwise

I am a Freudian and I would not say otherwise. I might say that the ideology someone adopts in hijacking a plane is a neurotic substitution for unfulfilled sexual desires, but not that it is a direct plot to obtain sexual gratification. Freudianism is far to clever for such a gross assertion (the former).

Saint Frankenstein · Feb 9, 2014

Hell no, I wouldn't have sex with them.

Alceste · Feb 10, 2014

Badran said:
Like i said, that is indeed reasonable given the unrealistic aspect of the hypothetical. I was clarifying however what in my understanding the OP was focusing on with it, and that another hypothetical may have been more suitable.

What you're saying though is more or a less an answer in itself. You wouldn't do it because you wouldn't think it'd work, not because you think it would violate a monogamous arrangement, since it's a form of rape.

That's exactly right, although I'd just call it sexual assault rather than "a form of rape". The word rape just confuses people.

Ethical Question for Monogamists

Brought to you by the moment that spacetime began.

*

Big Squishy Hugger

Brought to you by the moment that spacetime began.

Big Squishy Hugger

Brought to you by the moment that spacetime began.

N'yog-Sothep

*

Nondetermined

Grand Hat

Vagabond

Veteran Member

Psychoanalyst/Marxist

Brought to you by the moment that spacetime began.

Veteran Member

Vagabond

Veteran Member

Psychoanalyst/Marxist

Wanderer From Afar

Vagabond