The document presents a story about a group of children playing on railway tracks, with most on an operational track and one child on a disused track. It asks the reader to consider what decision they would make if they could divert an approaching train to the disused track, saving most children but sacrificing the lone child. It discusses how people often choose options that save the majority, even if it means sacrificing a knowledgeable minority voice. The story suggests letting the situation play out as is, without diverting the train, as diverting could endanger passengers and the lone child was safest where he was.

1. Decision Making
Train Track andTrain Track and
ChildrenChildren
English Arabic
SMO Customer Services Monthly Tips
Tips of May,2004

2. The story given here isThe story given here is
quite interesting andquite interesting and
really gives us an insightreally gives us an insight
into DECISION MAKINGinto DECISION MAKING
Introduction
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3. Which one will you choose?
A group of children were playing
near two railway tracks, one still in
use while the other disused. Only
one child played on the disused
track, the rest on the operational
track.
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4. Which one will you choose?
The train came, and you were just
beside the track interchange. You
could make the train change its
course to the disused track and
saved most of the kids.
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5. Which one will you choose?
However, that would also mean the
lone child playing by the disused
track would be sacrificed. Or would
you rather let the train go its way?
Let's take a pause to think what
kind of decision we could
make................
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6. Which one will you choose?
Analyse the situation………….
Think and reflect…….
Decided your answer !!!!
Now … go ahead
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7. Which one will you choose?
Most people might choose to divert
the course of the train, and sacrifice
only one child. To save most of the
children at the expense of only one
child was rational decision most
people would make, morally and
emotionally.
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8. Which one will you choose?
But, have you ever thought that the
child choosing to play on the disused
track had in fact made the right
decision to play at a safe place?
Nevertheless, he had to be sacrificed
because of his ignorant friends who
chose to play where the danger was.
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9. Which one will you choose?
This kind of dilemma happens
around us everyday. In the office,
community, in politics and
especially in a democratic
society, the minority is often
sacrificed for the interest of the
majority, no matter how foolish or
ignorant the majority are, and
how farsighted and
knowledgeable the minority are.
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10. Which one will you choose?
The child who chose not to playThe child who chose not to play
with the rest on the operationalwith the rest on the operational
track was sidelined. And in thetrack was sidelined. And in the
case he was sacrificed, no onecase he was sacrificed, no one
would shed a tear for him.would shed a tear for him.
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11. Which one will you choose?
To make the proper decision isTo make the proper decision is
not try to change the course ofnot try to change the course of
the train because the kids playingthe train because the kids playing
on the operational track shouldon the operational track should
have known very well that trackhave known very well that track
was still in use, and that theywas still in use, and that they
should have run away if theyshould have run away if they
heard the train's sirens.heard the train's sirens.
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12. Which one will you choose?
If the train was diverted, that loneIf the train was diverted, that lone
child would definitely die becausechild would definitely die because
he never thought the train couldhe never thought the train could
come over to that track!come over to that track!
Moreover, that track was not inMoreover, that track was not in
use probably because it was notuse probably because it was not
safe.safe.
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13. Which one will you choose?
If the train was diverted to theIf the train was diverted to the
track, we could put the lives of alltrack, we could put the lives of all
passengers on board at stake!passengers on board at stake!
And in your attempt to save a fewAnd in your attempt to save a few
kids by sacrificing one child, youkids by sacrificing one child, you
might end up sacrificingmight end up sacrificing
hundreds of people to save thesehundreds of people to save these
few kidsfew kids
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14. Which one will you choose?
While we are all aware that life isWhile we are all aware that life is
full of tough decisions that needfull of tough decisions that need
to be made, we may not realizeto be made, we may not realize
that hasty decisions may notthat hasty decisions may not
always be the right one.always be the right one.
"Remember that what's right isn't"Remember that what's right isn't
always popular... and what'salways popular... and what's
popular isn't always right."popular isn't always right."
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15. Everybody makes mistakes; that'sEverybody makes mistakes; that's
why they put erasers on pencilswhy they put erasers on pencils
Remember
ExitWith the complements of SMO
Customer Services

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