Virgil Showlion
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Post by Virgil Showlion on Jan 30, 2014 20:40:34 GMT -5
The Dispute
Fellow posters, help billisonboard and me resolve a dispute. The following problem is taken straight out of the pages of a grade 6 Common Core English course. Billis claims that it's a legitimate exercise that will lead students into "seeing both what they value and that others do not necessarily value the same things", and to "a great discussion on how human beings work to reach consensus in stressful situations". I, on the other hand, see the exercise as sophomoric and pointless. I maintain that it imparts no useful skills, knowledge, or attitudes. So... why not try it out and see? All are welcome to participate. Let's put our minds together and see what consensus we come up with. The Problem
(copied verbatim, with a few edits to tailor the statement to our message board)
A severe storm has crippled a small ship, the S.S. Guppy, and the only remaining lifeboat has room for seven people. You have no hope of reaching civilization, but there's a fairly good chance that you can make it to one of the many small, uncharted, and unpopulated islands in the area. You may have to remain on such an island for years. Your task is to choose which seven people should be allowed on the lifeboat, and hence, be allowed to survive. We, in this thread, must come up with a unanimous decision and explain why we have chosen our seven people. To emphasize the fact that the passengers on the S.S. Guppy are real people with real lives, I have assigned each one a name randomly from the list of P&M frequent posters (with matching gender). The Passengers
1. Dr. djpolldancer - thirty-seven, white, no religious affiliation, Ph.D. in history, college professor, in good health (jogs daily), hobby is botany, enjoys politics, married with one child. 2. Mrs. mmhmm - thirty-eight, white, Jewish, rather obese, diabetic, M.A. in psychology, counselor in a mental health clinic, married to djpolldancer, has one child (Virgil) 3. Virgil - ten, white, Jewish, cognitively disabled with an IQ of 70 4. Mrs. chiver - twenty-three, Spanish American, Catholic, ninth grade education, cocktail waitress, worked as a prostitute, married at age 16, divorced at age 18, one child (Paul) 5. Paul - three months old, Spanish American, healthy 6. cereb - eighteen, black, Protestant, trade school education, wears glasses, artistic 7. Mr. Archie - twenty-five, black power advocate, starting last year of medical school, suspected of homosexual activity, music as a hobby, physical fitness nut 8. Mrs. Swamp - twenty-eight, black, Protestant, daughter of a minister, college graduate, electronics engineer, single now after a brief marriage, member of Zero Population 9. Mr. workpublic - fifty-one, white, Mormon, B.S. in mechanics, married with four children, enjoys outdoors, years of experience in construction, handy, sympathizes with anti-black views 10. Fr. billisonboard - thirty-seven, white, Catholic, priest, active in civil rights, former college athlete, farming background, often criticized for liberal views 11. Dr. phoenix - sixty-six, Spanish American, Catholic, doctor in general practice, two heart attacks in the past five years, loves literature and quotes extensively
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Virgil Showlion
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Post by Virgil Showlion on Jan 30, 2014 20:46:50 GMT -5
Starting us off, I vote to DJ, mmhmm, Virgil, and Archie.
mmhmm and Virgil since they're never going to make it anyway. DJ, because he might as well die with his family. And Archie because the last thing we need is a black power advocate on an island with a Mormon with anti-black views (workpublic, who we need for his construction skills).
So on the boat are: chiver, Paul, cereb, Swamp, workpublic, billisonboard, phoenix.
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Tennesseer
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Post by Tennesseer on Jan 30, 2014 21:00:55 GMT -5
Paul goes because of his age and food needs. Chiver stopped lactating and the only milk in the boat is 1% milk fat.
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billisonboard
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Post by billisonboard on Jan 30, 2014 21:06:37 GMT -5
The Dispute
Fellow posters, help billisonboard and me resolve a dispute. The following problem is taken straight out of the pages of a grade 6 Common Core English course. Billis claims that it's a legitimate exercise that will lead students into "seeing both what they value and that others do not necessarily value the same things", and to "a great discussion on how human beings work to reach consensus in stressful situations". I, on the other hand, see the exercise as sophomoric and pointless. ... I am not sure we disagree if you see the exercise as "sophomoric". I would agree that people above the sophomore level would not benefit from it.
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Tennesseer
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Post by Tennesseer on Jan 30, 2014 21:09:01 GMT -5
The Dispute
. The Problem
(copied verbatim, with a few edits to tailor the statement to our message board)
A severe storm has crippled a small ship, the S.S. Guppy, and the only remaining lifeboat has room for seven people. You have no hope of reaching civilization, but there's a fairly good chance that you can make it to one of the many small, uncharted, and unpopulated islands in the area. You may have to remain on such an island for years. Your task is to choose which seven people should The Passengers
1. Dr. djpolldancer - thirty-seven, white, no religious affiliation, Ph.D. in history, college professor, in good health (jogs daily), hobby is botany, enjoys politics, married with one child. 2. Mrs. mmhmm - thirty-eight, white, Jewish, rather obese, diabetic, M.A. in psychology, counselor in a mental health clinic, married to djpolldancer, has one child (Virgil) 3. Virgil - ten, white, Jewish, cognitively disabled with an IQ of 70 4. Mrs. chiver - twenty-three, Spanish American, Catholic, ninth grade education, cocktail waitress, worked as a prostitute, married at age 16, divorced at age 18, one child (Paul) 5. Paul - three months old, Spanish American, healthy 6. cereb - eighteen, black, Protestant, trade school education, wears glasses, artistic 7. Mr. Archie - twenty-five, black power advocate, starting last year of medical school, suspected of homosexual activity, music as a hobby, physical fitness nut 8. Mrs. Swamp - twenty-eight, black, Protestant, daughter of a minister, college graduate, electronics engineer, single now after a brief marriage, member of Zero Population 9. Mr. workpublic - fifty-one, white, Mormon, B.S. in mechanics, married with four children, enjoys outdoors, years of experience in construction, handy, sympathizes with anti-black views 10. Fr. billisonboard - thirty-seven, white, Catholic, priest, active in civil rights, former college athlete, farming background, often criticized for liberal views 11. Dr. phoenix - sixty-six, Spanish American, Catholic, doctor in general practice, two heart attacks in the past five years, loves literature and quotes extensively Interesting description of the passengers by the way.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jan 30, 2014 21:10:10 GMT -5
The Bengal tiger eats us all.
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mmhmm
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Post by mmhmm on Jan 30, 2014 21:16:51 GMT -5
Starting us off, I vote to DJ, mmhmm, Virgil, and Archie. mmhmm and Virgil since they're never going to make it anyway. DJ, because he might as well die with his family. And Archie because the last thing we need is a black power advocate on an island with a Mormon with anti-black views (workpublic, who we need for his construction skills). So on the boat are: chiver, Paul, cereb, Swamp, workpublic, billisonboard, phoenix. You've chosen as I would have chosen, Virgil.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jan 30, 2014 21:20:29 GMT -5
Starting us off, I vote to DJ, mmhmm, Virgil, and Archie. mmhmm and Virgil since they're never going to make it anyway. DJ, because he might as well die with his family. And Archie because the last thing we need is a black power advocate on an island with a Mormon with anti-black views (workpublic, who we need for his construction skills). So on the boat are: chiver, Paul, cereb, Swamp, workpublic, billisonboard, phoenix. I agree with this. dj also has no survival skill to contribute, a second reason to let him go. The only one I would reconsider is Archie. I might trade him for phoenix. Phoenix's age and health don't give him a good survival rate and Archie has both fitness and some medical training. I might also let workpublic go. If he's a racist he could be a problem.
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grits
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Post by grits on Jan 30, 2014 21:27:55 GMT -5
None are going to survive. The lifeboat is full of termites, and is rotten.
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Tennesseer
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Post by Tennesseer on Jan 30, 2014 21:29:52 GMT -5
I question throwing out Archie, the black power advocate. You will still have to deal with the tension between cereb who is black (as is Ms. Swamp), and Mr Workpublic with his anti-black views. Tensions will surely explode. Cereb has trade school skills and is artistic. She will most likely be able to design and implement satisfactory housing for the remaining survivors. Mr. Workpublic is expendable.
Additionally, you don't want too many heterosexual men on the island as tensions will rise as they attempt to woo the available women of breeding age.
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grits
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Post by grits on Jan 30, 2014 21:33:12 GMT -5
Mr. Workpublic is experienced in construction, and handy. Also, I don't know if the men would want women of breeding age. They might want Mrs. Chiver because of her former employment. *cough* *cough*
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jan 30, 2014 21:38:01 GMT -5
Mmhm, Virgil, chiver and Paul need to go. The mama bears will sacrifice the good of the group to save their kids. They have to go.
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Tennesseer
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Post by Tennesseer on Jan 30, 2014 21:44:18 GMT -5
Virgil will be needed to survive and grow up. Who else will be fit enough when all the rest will be instituted in the island's one and only nursing home. Someone has to empty and clean the bed pans and treat the resident's bed sores.
When Virgil is finally all alone, so very alone, will he then have all the time in the world to analyze the mathematical meaning of life.
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Sum Dum Gai
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Post by Sum Dum Gai on Jan 30, 2014 21:45:15 GMT -5
Nobody is dumping phoenix? Guy has had two heart attacks in the last five years. He's a dead man walking without medication, and you have somebody else in the group with medical training.
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ՏՇԾԵԵʅՏɧ_LԹՏՏʅҼ
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Post by ՏՇԾԵԵʅՏɧ_LԹՏՏʅҼ on Jan 30, 2014 21:46:03 GMT -5
My 7 would be:1. Myself - well that's just obvious - we'd all save ourselves. I'm surprised most of you missed that on your lists. 2. Dr. phoenix - he may be older with a heart condition, but he is a physician in general practice - that could come in handy. He wouldn't be doing physical labor. 3. Mr. workpublic9 outdoorsman, years of experience in construction, handy. 4. cereb - has a trade-school education - that could come in handy to assist Mr workpublic with any construction/carpentry (building shelter, (or a new boat), etc. 5. Mrs. mmhmm - M.A. in psychology, counselor in a mental health clinic. She' be very useful for settling any racial differences or other disputes that might arise. 6. Paul - he may still be an infant, but he's in good health. 7. Dr. djpolldancer no religious affiliation, Ph.D. in history, college professor, in good health (jogs daily), hobby is botany Dr djpolldancer, beacuse his hobby in botany would help - he could identify edible from poisonous plants, he's in good health, and he's a college Professor. And doesn't evey island of castaways need "The Professor"? ![](http://images.proboards.com/new/grin.png) .
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EVT1
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Post by EVT1 on Jan 30, 2014 21:46:55 GMT -5
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jan 30, 2014 21:53:31 GMT -5
I'm thinking of getting rid of phoenix. But the racist worries me.
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Sum Dum Gai
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Post by Sum Dum Gai on Jan 30, 2014 22:00:15 GMT -5
Mmmhmm is an obese diabetic, and her son is cognitavely impaired, no boat for them.
You can't trust DJ after forcing him to abandon his wife and kid, so I'd leave him behind too.
Now we're down to 8. Boat holds 7. I'd leave the former prostitute and her infant behind. The kid is dead weight and mom has no useful skills.
Now there's 6 with room for me too.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jan 30, 2014 22:02:47 GMT -5
Why had Dj abandoned anyone?
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Sum Dum Gai
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Post by Sum Dum Gai on Jan 30, 2014 22:05:33 GMT -5
Why had Dj abandoned anyone? Read the problem again, DJ and Mmhmm are married. You can only take him and leave her and the disabled kid behind if you trust him not to stab you in the kidney the first time you turn your back on him.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jan 30, 2014 22:08:30 GMT -5
Why had Dj abandoned anyone? Read the problem again, DJ and Mmhmm are married. You can only take him and leave her and the disabled kid behind if you trust him not to stab you in the kidney the first time you turn your back on him. That prob means I wouldn't do so good in school
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jan 30, 2014 22:12:55 GMT -5
Why had Dj abandoned anyone? Read the problem again, DJ and Mmhmm are married. You can only take him and leave her and the disabled kid behind if you trust him not to stab you in the kidney the first time you turn your back on him. He might be the kind of guy that doesn't mind letting go of an obese wife and disabled son. Then I just don't want him around. BTW I don't have to be the one to tell these guys they aren't getting on the boat do I? Cause if I am I want to rethink my choices. ![](http://images.proboards.com/new/wink.png)
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billisonboard
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Post by billisonboard on Jan 30, 2014 23:21:48 GMT -5
Read the problem again, DJ and Mmhmm are married. You can only take him and leave her and the disabled kid behind if you trust him not to stab you in the kidney the first time you turn your back on him. That prob means I wouldn't do so good in school At least not at the sophomore level. ![](http://syonidv.hodginsmedia.com/vsmileys/charmed.png)
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Virgil Showlion
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Post by Virgil Showlion on Jan 30, 2014 23:30:40 GMT -5
OK. So I'm seeing very little support for DJ on the boat. Can we at least agree on DJ, mmhmm, and Virgil out? Virgil is just not going to survive. mmhmm isn't going to survive. And DJ will be a liability with his family gone.
Also Archie has a point that mmhmm and Virgil basically come as a pair. No way a mother leaves her mentally retarded kid behind to die. So we get 3/4 of the pain out of the way by eliminating that one family. DJ is a college professor and those guys are useless in the real world anyway.
As for the remaining cut, maybe I could see keeping Archie and tossing Dr. Phoenix, but then we've basically set it up so that the group's only doctor is a black supremacist. Not wise.
ETA: And it seems obvious from the problem statement that "we" aren't a factor in the problem. We don't include ourselves as either saved or left behind.
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Virgil Showlion
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Post by Virgil Showlion on Jan 30, 2014 23:37:22 GMT -5
That prob means I wouldn't do so good in school At least not at the sophomore level. ![](http://syonidv.hodginsmedia.com/vsmileys/charmed.png) ![](http://syonidv.hodginsmedia.com/vsmileys/rolleyes2.gif) soph·o·mor·ic adjective \ˌsäf-ˈmȯr-ik, -ˈmär- also ˌsȯf- or ˌsä-fə- or ˌsȯ-fə-\ having or showing a lack of emotional maturity
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whoisjohngalt
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Post by whoisjohngalt on Jan 30, 2014 23:38:45 GMT -5
I would keep:
Chiver - although I've never met one, I would think that being a prostitute teaches you to be resilient in any situation Paul - he doesn't need any real food for a looong time Cereb - hopefully his trade school was for some useful trade and not underwater basket weaving, although that could become handy in this instance Swamp - being engineer and all workpublic - who cares about his views, he will be really handy to have Bill - they would need all the farming advice they can get phoenix - hopefully he won't drop dead of another heart attack just yet, but would be nice to have a doctor
I would get rid of: DJ and his family - they would bring nothing to the table Archie - Every medical student I met was an arrogant jerk. Add that to the "black power advocate" and I would want to throw him overboard even if we could save everyone
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billisonboard
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Post by billisonboard on Jan 30, 2014 23:40:20 GMT -5
At least not at the sophomore level. ![](http://syonidv.hodginsmedia.com/vsmileys/charmed.png) ![](http://syonidv.hodginsmedia.com/vsmileys/rolleyes2.gif) soph·o·mor·ic adjective \ˌsäf-ˈmȯr-ik, -ˈmär- also ˌsȯf- or ˌsä-fə- or ˌsȯ-fə-\ having or showing a lack of emotional maturity You mean like sixth graders?
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Tennesseer
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Post by Tennesseer on Jan 30, 2014 23:41:17 GMT -5
Virgil Showlion - is Mr Archie black? You only said he was a black power advocate. I am a women power advocate but I am not a woman.
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Virgil Showlion
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Post by Virgil Showlion on Jan 30, 2014 23:41:31 GMT -5
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Tennesseer
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Post by Tennesseer on Jan 30, 2014 23:47:58 GMT -5
I would keep: Chiver - although I've never met one, I would think that being a prostitute teaches you to be resilient in any situation Paul - he doesn't need any real food for a looong time Cereb - hopefully his trade school was for some useful trade and not underwater basket weaving, although that could become handy in this instance Swamp - being engineer and all workpublic - who cares about his views, he will be really handy to have Bill - they would need all the farming advice they can get phoenix - hopefully he won't drop dead of another heart attack just yet, but would be nice to have a doctor I would get rid of: DJ and his family - they would bring nothing to the table Archie - Every medical student I met was an arrogant jerk. Add that to the "black power advocate" and I would want to throw him overboard even if we could save everyone Interesting. Black power advocate is bad but the white Mormon with anti-black views is saved/good.
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