Do you think you could kill someone?

[Kibble29]

In the literal sense of the word - could you end someone’s life?

Taking the legal consequence out of it, I’m wondering, on a moral level, if you think you could/would do it? Do you have that in you?

I appreciate this is very much a “you don’t know until you’re in that situation” question, but I think that if my life was at genuine, serious risk, or if my child was in the same situation, I’d do it without hesitation.

I feel 100% confident that I could and would kill someone in self-defence/defence of others. Wouldn't lose a wink of sleep over it, either.

No. You’d have to be a psychopath to think you could.

If someone hurt my kids, yes, I would go full blown Liam Neeson and hunt them down quite happily....

Oh easily. I've watched enough CSI and Law and Order (and spinoffs) to know how to murder without being caught.

Yes I do and if I was sure I’d get away with it I don’t think I would lose any sleep after. I don’t think it would need to be anything like self defence, or protecting my kids - I’m just less likely to think about the pros and cons and just act in these situations.

@UmopapIsdn as long as you don’t write it down it’s fine. 😊

Yes.

Is having a list too far?

Yes 100% if I needed to.

Yes, and I've got a little list. It starts with a couple of presidents of countries.

Yes, definitely.

My sister had terminal skin cancer. Way, way back in 1990. She knew she was going to die. She was ok with that. What she couldn't handle was no longer being her. The possible pain was obviously an issue, but not being her was a much bigger one, for her.

SHE WAS 45
We talked, and I agreed that, if it became necessary, I would either help her end her life or end it for her. I agreed, whatever the consequences for me, I agreed. Consequences were mine. I was not going to let my sister suffer something that was intolerable for her (and I knew would be for me too).
In the end, it wasn't needed. She was strong minded. I took her home from hospital for the weekend. She contacted all the family and friends she wanted to say goodbye to. I took her back to (the Royal Marsden) hospital on the Sunday evening. The following Friday, the doctors said 'maybe 3 weeks', Sunday, my parents were called, the doctors said 'maybe 3 days'.
She died, more or less, as my parents arrived on the Monday morning.
If it had been necessary, I would have helped my sister in whatever way she needed.

YES I would definitely kill if necessary to prevent someone I loved undergoing unnecessary suffering

Yes I would if the provocation was bad enough . I can imagine killing if someone killed my loved ones .

To protect myself or my children -yes, without hesitation.

Otherwise, no.

If it was a loved one in extreme pain, begging me to end it for them and I had some medication that would do it gently, then yes I think I could.

If you are talking cold blooded brutal murder, then no. Though I suppose few of us know what we might do if attacked and needing to defend ourselves.

My sister works with a guy whose 17 yr old daughter had taken up with an abusive older boyfriend. It’s looking like he’s alienating her from her family and giving her hard drugs. Can’t get the police involved because it’s the daughter that will get arrested (he makes her carry the drugs). He’s controlling, coercive and nasty. If it were my daughter I’d think very seriously about doing some time to get her away from him.

Yes I definitely could if I had to (doctor) but I would find it hard to live with the guilt for the rest of my life.

Unintentionally, yes.
Intentionally, no.

Yes.

My first thought would be no, but then I know if anyone did anything to intentionally harm my cat, I could kill them with my bare hands!

Valuing one's own survival over someone else's does not make a person a psychopath.

Yes, I would do it in self-defence without a doubt.

'@WalterdelaMare
No. You’d have to be a psychopath to think you could.'

What a daft comment. It is nothing to do with being a psychopath, protecting your own life when someone is threatening you is just a normal survival instinct.

Yes I think I could. I'm pretty weak though. So I would need a weapon

Yes.
Russia threat? We have to enlist train me and I'll do it.
Protected my dc from threat yes absolutely.

I have already worked that one out !

Are you think about the CEO in NYC

I think most people would in order to save themselves or their loved ones. I certainly would with no hesitation

This sort of moral dilemma is always a theoretical excercise in guesswork and virtue signaling unless you’re actually in the position of kill or be killed.

I actually don’t know what I would do under extreme threat to myself or my loved ones. Suspect I could act in self defence perfectly well.

I also think ending someone’s brutal suffering on their request is morally the right thing, and the loving thing to do, but I don’t know how I’d feel actually putting that into action. Looking down at the person you love and ending their life .. that has to be so hard no matter how much they are suffering.