The Black Button

[MA-Caver]

(Think Rod Serling's voice)
Consider one Jeffery Roberts, a simple everyday working man, faced with a choice. He's in a locked room with a man whom he's never met. A self professed wealthy man who now offers him $10 Million Dollars for the simple act of pushing a single button. A button which will cause someone on the planet to die. If he refuses he can choose a key which will let him out of the room... without the money and he can continue to his final destination.
Push the button and he's wealthier than he's ever realized himself to be.
It's a Faustian puzzle to be sure. A puzzle which could only be found... in the twilight zone.
Before watching this film ask yourself which would you choose. 10 million dollars which would mean the death of one out of 6 billion people? Or walking out of the room with nothing? Try to be honest with yourself and then watch the film.
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Which did you choose?

 

[Bob Hubbard]

Now that was interesting.

 

[teekin]

Very nice find, thanks for posting this.
Lori

 

[Brian R. VanCise]

Interesting watch!

 

[Phoenix44]

Interesting, and well done.

I'd have chosen the key, no deliberation. I've lived without $10 million all these years, I'll be fine without it. But the knowledge that I was responsible for someone's death? Intentional? For a price? That would be much harder to live with.

Besides, when you think about it, what sort of entity wants to tempt poeple into evil, and to see a world without mercy? Satan? He didn't say you could go on back to your life...he said you could go on to "your destination." Satan lies, cheats, and deceives. I know that because I watched "The Devil's Advocate" so it must be true.

 

[MA-Caver]

Interesting, and well done.

I'd have chosen the key, no deliberation. I've lived without $10 million all these years, I'll be fine without it. But the knowledge that I was responsible for someone's death? Intentional? For a price? That would be much harder to live with.

Besides, when you think about it, what sort of entity wants to tempt poeple into evil, and to see a world without mercy? Satan? He didn't say you could go on back to your life...he said you could go on to "your destination." Satan lies, cheats, and deceives. I know that because I watched "The Devil's Advocate" so it must be true.

Yep Al Pacino did an excellent job and the part was well written.
The whole trick is not telling someone that they're dead already. Not saying that isn't lying... actually the truth is a lot more fun when you think about it.
I'd probably would've used the brief case to smash the guy's head in take the key and gone out with the 10 million without pushing the button... but then I think Satan would've thought of that already.
So drive HIM nuts... sing a bunch of good ole' fashioned hymns... off key of course.

 

[Jade Tigress]

That was pretty wild. I couldn't have pushed the button either.

 

[celtic_crippler]

I wouldn't have pushed the button either. I would have jumped the table, snapped his neck, grabbed the brief case, taken the key and unlocked the door and roamed the earth as the first millionaire zombie. =-P

 

[Bob Hubbard]

I pushed the button. Twice. Thought it might double the winnings.

 

[MA-Caver]

I pushed the button. Twice. Thought it might double the winnings.

Heck if you're gonna do that might as well ask him for the launch and arming codes of every single nuclear missile on the planet... :idunno: sorta puts an quick end to the nonsense eh?

Actually the original film reminds me of a story I saw either on the new Twilight Zone series or somewhere... a couple living in the projects of some unnamed city gets a knock on their door. A stately gentleman in a fine business suit holding a brief case asks to talk with them. They let him in and he makes them a simple offer. Watch over the briefcase for him for 24 hours and in return they'll get $25,000 in cash no questions asked. However the briefcase is to remain unopened for the duration. IF they open it... well, someone they DON'T KNOW will die... and they still get the money. The couple accepts and the man leaves promising to be back at exactly 24 hours from now.
The rest of the film deals with the couple agonizing over whether or not to open the case... they're deathly curious and argue that if they open it someone they don't know will die...they still will get the money... BUT what's in the damned case???
They make it through the day/night/next morning and the gentleman shows back up with yet another briefcase.
He KNOWS they haven't opened it and opens the other case showing the cash. As he leaves they asked him what will he do with the case? He replies:

"ohh, don't worry about this... it'll be given to someone you don't know."

Wish I can find this particular film again... marvelously done. Anyone recognize it?

 

[Bob Hubbard]

Freaky.

 

[teekin]

The one series I would like to see in reruns is the Twilight Zone. I sure miss it. That and Red Dwarf, Dr. Who, Black Adder. (Seems I living in the wrong country.)
Lori M

 

[girlbug2]

SF channel has twilight zone rerun marathons on certain holidays. They also rerun the first 3 seasons of the new Dr. Who, although it's been a while since I've seen any Dr Whos from the 70s or 80s. Prolly you'd have to buy them on Dvd.

 

[CoryKS]

Can't watch the video as I am currently at work. But given the premise that MA-Caver has outlined, I would not press the button. Not purely for moral reasons - a truly "Twilight Zone" ending would have the man pressing the button and dying, $10 million none the richer. With my luck, the odds are probably 1 in 1.

 

[Archangel M]

I thought that at the end the guy was going to be told that since he chose the button he couldnt get the key and would be trapped in the room for eternity.

 

[MA-Caver]

Can't watch the video as I am currently at work. But given the premise that MA-Caver has outlined, I would not press the button. Not purely for moral reasons - a truly "Twilight Zone" ending would have the man pressing the button and dying, $10 million none the richer. With my luck, the odds are probably 1 in 1.

Yeah, since the premise is "someone you don't know will die" it fits in a way because how well do we really know ourselves?

 

[CoryKS]

Yeah, since the premise is "someone you don't know will die" it fits in a way because how well do we really know ourselves?

That part wasn't included in your description above, and like I said, I can't watch the video until I get home. Still, your questions does make it a bit Twilight Zonier.

 

[Bob Hubbard]

I thought that at the end the guy was going to be told that since he chose the button he couldnt get the key and would be trapped in the room for eternity.

That was my thinking too.

 

[teekin]

I never can guess the end of these things, I'm always too literal. I just never get outside of the box enough, or I'm way way outside of the box, slid off the desk, across the floor out of the room. Makes for a surprise ending however.
Lori