Would you murder someone for wealth and fame?

[nolongerhome]

Not at all. Would I push the button to execute someone on death row? Maybe. Just saying, with as ill-defined a question as the OP gave us, there are a ton of options beyond what is being implied.

If I killed an intruder in my home I'd be okay with being rich and famous as a result.

The OP did say murder. While the thought of executing a prisoner is, for me, a physically nauseating sensation and something I would never do, it isn't strictly murder. Nor would killing an intruder in your house in self defence.

 

[keith99]

The OP did say murder. While the thought of executing a prisoner is, for me, a physically nauseating sensation and something I would never do, it isn't strictly murder. Nor would killing an intruder in your house in self defence.

Anyone who know who my Avatar is would know there are some I would murder without hesitation. But the list is short and consists of those deserving death (and all that the Christian not Heaven promises).

But it would not be for fame or wealth.

 

[Chesterton]

C'mon guys. If no one answers "yes" to this question, I'll be forced to conclude that morality is objective and universal as I suspect it is.

 

[Marek]

C'mon guys. If no one answers "yes" to this question, I'll be forced to conclude that morality is objective and universal as I suspect it is.

The question was too vague to answer with a definite "yes." As others have pointed out, it really depends. If I'm guaranteed not to get caught and the person I have to kill is not my mother, brother, close friend, etc., then probably. Of course it would depend on the amount of wealth I'd be receiving.

 

[Fenny the Fox]

I don't honestly care much for money, and I am way too anti-social (social anxiety) to want fame.

But really, I feel the taking of human life (indeed, I am in limbo on the subject of non-human life, even) is abhorrent. And a morally and ethically based impossibility for myself (I simply couldn't do it in good conscience or faith, regardless of consequence).

In addition to that issue (personal it may be), how do we define a "murder"? Is killing in self-defense the same? Capitol punishment?

 

[Chesterton]

The question was too vague to answer with a definite "yes." As others have pointed out, it really depends. If I'm guaranteed not to get caught and the person I have to kill is not my mother, brother, close friend, etc., then probably. Of course it would depend on the amount of wealth I'd be receiving.

That's close enough to a "yes". I guess I'm wrong. Or maybe I'm right and you're just a bad human. Has to be one or the other, I suppose.

 

[MyRightEye]

What if all you had to do was kill someone to be rich and famous for life? Would you do it?

Picturing gladiators? Yuppers, if it is a fair fight or an approximately fair fight or even tilted in the other persons favor. . . with out batting an eye. If its dropping the eyelids on someone hoplessly outmatched. . . . I'd probably have a hard time if they weren't there by choice. There by choice? No problem. Can I get double the wealth if I do take two or more lives at once? More fame for being artistic about it?

And before I get an static, I never claimed to be a good person. Honest, yes, good? eh, probably not.

 

[Bushido216]

The OP did say murder. While the thought of executing a prisoner is, for me, a physically nauseating sensation and something I would never do, it isn't strictly murder. Nor would killing an intruder in your house in self defence.

That's a cop-out answer.

 

[Chesterton]

Picturing gladiators? Yuppers, if it is a fair fight or an approximately fair fight or even tilted in the other persons favor. . . with out batting an eye. If its dropping the eyelids on someone hoplessly outmatched. . . . I'd probably have a hard time if they weren't there by choice. There by choice? No problem. Can I get double the wealth if I do take two or more lives at once? More fame for being artistic about it?

And before I get an static, I never claimed to be a good person. Honest, yes, good? eh, probably not.

Gladiators died when they didn't kill. An important detail. Some may have gained fame after successive victories, but I assure you, fame was, at least, the second thing on their minds.

 

[Belk]

What if all you had to do was kill someone to be rich and famous for life? Would you do it?

I wouldn't take it as a gift... well fame at any rate. I might take some money as long as it was not too much. I would definitely not kill someone for it.

 

[Eudaimonist]

C'mon guys. If no one answers "yes" to this question, I'll be forced to conclude that morality is objective and universal as I suspect it is.

Are you including professional hitmen in this assessment of its universality?

But I think that only the "ought" need be universal. A consensus isn't required.


eudaimonia,

Mark

 

[Skaloop]

Why would I want to kill someone?! If you want money in life you have to work for it.

You've clearly never had to cut a body up into manageable pieces for ease of disposal. Then clean up afterwards! That's hard work...

Not to mention the out-of-pocket expenses; incapacitating drugs, duct tape, a variety of tools, gas for travel to and from a remote location, plastic bags, cleaning solution... It adds up. Especially since even if you only use half the jug of bleach, you can't just bring home the rest. There's a lot of waste.

Plus, it's generally a pretty specific field. Not a lot of people are willing to do it, and even fewer are able to do it well.

So yeah, with the specialization needed to do it correctly, the operating expenses of the job itself plus the costs of maintaining necessary items for a a go-to contingency plan, and then the physical and mental effort required, yeah, someone would need to pay me plenty handsomely to kill someone.

 

[Chesterton]

Are you including professional hitmen in this assessment of its universality?

Yes. Any hitmen for that matter.

 

[dinonum]

Nope.

 

[MyRightEye]

You've clearly never had to cut a body up into manageable pieces for ease of disposal. Then clean up afterwards! That's hard work...

Not to mention the out-of-pocket expenses; incapacitating drugs, duct tape, a variety of tools, gas for travel to and from a remote location, plastic bags, cleaning solution... It adds up. Especially since even if you only use half the jug of bleach, you can't just bring home the rest. There's a lot of waste.

Plus, it's generally a pretty specific field. Not a lot of people are willing to do it, and even fewer are able to do it well.

So yeah, with the specialization needed to do it correctly, the operating expenses of the job itself plus the costs of maintaining necessary items for a a go-to contingency plan, and then the physical and mental effort required, yeah, someone would need to pay me plenty handsomely to kill someone.

Proper disposal of bodies really isn't nearly as hard as people make it out to be.

When was the last time you heard of a professional hitman being arrested? Given those two fella's body counts vs the number of unsolved bodies out there. . . . I tend to think there are more folks who are better at it than a lot of us would feel comfortable admitting.

 

[dinonum]

Proper disposal of bodies really isn't nearly as hard as people make it out to be.

When was the last time you heard of a professional hitman being arrested? Given those two fella's body counts vs the number of unsolved bodies out there. . . . I tend to think there are more folks who are better at it than a lot of us would feel comfortable admitting.

Man, all you all have to do is watch a few episodes of Dexter and you got it in the bag! (pun terribly intended)

 

[quatona]

C'mon guys. If no one answers "yes" to this question, I'll be forced to conclude that morality is objective and universal as I suspect it is.

In which case I´ll be forced to conclude that you have no clue how logic works.

 

[Gecko King]

I think I would be able to kill another human being under certain conditions, but a a cold-blooded murder for fame and fortune; no.

 

[Skaloop]

Proper disposal of bodies really isn't nearly as hard as people make it out to be.

When was the last time you heard of a professional hitman being arrested? Given those two fella's body counts vs the number of unsolved bodies out there. . . . I tend to think there are more folks who are better at it than a lot of us would feel comfortable admitting.

Ah, unsolved bodies. The point is not to even have a body to remain unsolved.

You just want to whack a guy, yeah, that can be pretty simple. Just go for a bit of a drive, leave the gun, and take the cannollis. But if you want it to be more interesting, well, that's like going to a 5-star restaurant instead of McDonalds. Quick and messy works to fill you up, but it's not as enjoyable as fine dining. And there's a premium to be paid for that special experience.

 

[MyRightEye]

Ah, unsolved bodies. The point is not to even have a body to remain unsolved.

You just want to whack a guy, yeah, that can be pretty simple. Just go for a bit of a drive, leave the gun, and take the cannollis. But if you want it to be more interesting, well, that's like going to a 5-star restaurant instead of McDonalds. Quick and messy works to fill you up, but it's not as enjoyable as fine dining. And there's a premium to be paid for that special experience.

Of course, there is however a pretty vast range in the unsolved category. Setting up 5 star Vs McDonalds as two extremes denies the truth. . .. that there are all kinds of eating joints with all kinds of variety to offer. Which of course is my point, there are a LOT of killers out there and only the truly dumb and the passion crime-type seem to end up behind bars. Professionals . .. not so much, even the McDonald's grade professionals don't seem to get collared much at all (of course that doesn't mean they aren't having their ends tied by a higher grade professional i.e. "Hey Mickey, congrats on your 14th kill, Mr. Crimeboss wants me to give you a very special bullet to thank you for great work, on your retirement". That is, just because they aren't getting caught doesn't mean they are healthy).

Body wise, everytime I have moved a body there has been mess and smell. Chopping things up is like playing with your food . .. doesn't get the job done any faster, increases the window of liability and in the end there are just far more efficient ways & the body isn't apt to be found within the century or the next three.