Poll: Stranded on a deserted island, which do you choose? + wild card round (page 5)

How am I "making" it better? The original post states what is included in each group; it is clear as day. As per the original post there is a wrecked sailboat. I'm not assuming the sail boat has anything fancy on it beyond what it needs to function properly as a sail boat (although some of it is damaged but can be fixed using materials found on the island; a process which will take 12 years). As such, making the assumption that the sail boat has a sail is not a stretch.

I think you're trying to alter the parameters to justify your position and then insinuating that I am doing the same!

Most dog food is edible by humans. It's not recommended under normal circumstances, but will work nicely in an emergency situation. The food is not poisonous or toxic and contains caloric content that a human can digest. As I have laid out previously, this would be used as a backup when other sources of food run dry. It's not "apparently now human-edible", it's simply the way it normally is (at least in North America). I'm considering it as a backup only.

I never said the shelter was perfect. But I am making the assumption that it fulfills its role as outlined in the original post. In fact, I am making the assumption that everything presented in the original post is in good working order unless otherwise stated. As such, the hunting rifle can safely fire rounds, the booze is not contaminated and can be consumed, the fishing gear is in good condition and functional, etc. In the case of the shelter, that means it protects against wind and rain (because that is what a shelter meant to house weed would do!). I don't get why this is so contentious?

As for the temperature, there may be some cold nights, but it would likely be quite survivable since there is no wind getting in the shelter and it is dry. As per the original post "island is hot and sunny 3/4 of the year, the other 1/4 is rainy season. We're talking about a tropical island. People live and survive on the street in far colder climates without the benefit of a shelter. It won't always be perfectly comfortable, but it will still be more survivable than whatever shelter you or I could build using materials found on the island.

The animals could wait for me outside of the shelter. Especially at the beginning before I have been able to set up primitive secondary traps/fences/defenses. But at least they won't get me in my sleep. I can then try to wait them out or fight them with any spears/weapons I have created with my knife (depending on what type of animal we are dealing with).

Yes you could use any sail boat stuff which you could easily remove and reattach when ready to set sail. You would be a fool not to! I'm not talking about stripping it down and then assuming that it magically is fit to sail in 12 years; only things that are designed to be removable. The sail itself can easily be taken down and put back up. In fact, even if I didn't need it as a blanket, I would take it down and store it safely in my shelter. I wouldn't just leave it out there to get further damaged. Where in the original post does it say that you can't access the sailboat? Just as if you chose group A, I would assume that you have access to the hunting rifle and 300 rounds!

The original post says there is a wrecked sailboat and not that a sailboat will get wrecked on the island after you spend some time there. The same can be said for any item from any of the groups. The hunting rifle, chest freezer, booze, mp3 are all available right from the onset. If the sailboat was to be wrecked at a later date, the original post would have had to have specified that. Otherwise, it is no different from any of the other items and is assumed to be there from the start.

 

Fair enough.

You know what they say, all is fair in love and survival analysis! (okay nobody actually says that)


The more I study and discuss the options, the more I gravitate towards option C. It seems stacked with options that the other groups can't compete with. At this point it almost seems unfair. Of course I am viewing it through the lens of survivablity. If one were to assume that there is 0% chance of survival in any group, then it would make sense to view it through the lens of which group offers you the best way to go out (i.e. least painful death, most enjoyment before you die, etc.).

 

@Aginor @The Red Devil


I've seen much discussion on there being no chance of survival via any of the options. I disagree with that claim. I feel there is always a very small chance of survival. People have survived against seemingly insurmountable odds. If the various groups give you 0.0002%, 0.003% and 0.08% chance to survive, then I will always go with 0.08% chance because it is the best of a bad situation. The point of the exercise is to analyze which option gives you the best option to survive (no matter how remote), otherwise..

If you genuinely feel that all the options give you a 0.00000% chance to survive, then pick the one which you feel would give you best way to enjoy your final days.

We can all choose which way we would deal with the situation, I know my stance...

 

Wild card round. Same basic scenario as described in the original post, but you get to choose 5 "items" (with an item being defined as everything associated with one picture) in any combination from any of the groups.

For instance, the small shelter with 3 tons of marijuana and acoustic guitar is considered one item because they are all associated with one picture. Similarly the two lesbians are considered to be one item, the same is true for the 3 knives and sharpening stone, etc.

All other described limitations remain in effect, i.e. dog food only lasts 5 years, etc.

So which five do you choose?

Mine are as follows (in no particular order).

 

I would take:
Knife set
Shelter
Fishing gear
Freezer
Boat

I was originally intending to still have the fair lady with me, but having remembered how useful the freezer would be for keeping food for a time in which it was scarce and how the ready-built shelter would be far more comfortable than any scratch-built one, alas it was deemed necessary to abandon her. Of course you are all thinking ‘what are you going to do for fire?’ but I’ve thought of that too - the knife set comes with a sharpening stone, so I believe that it could be possible to strike sparks on the sharpening stone with the knife. If so, that’s my fire sorted.

 

I can't disagree with any of that!

 

With the thread seemingly coming to an end, let's take a look at the wild card votes (cast by 5 members). Here are the number of people that voted for each item:

Knife Set (C) → 5
Shelter (C) → 4
Sailboat (C) → 4
Freezer (B) → 3
Booze (A) → 2
Hot Chick (B) → 2
Fishing Gear (B) → 2
Lesbians (A) → 2
Rifle (A) → 1
Gold (A) → 0
MP3 (B) → 0
Dogs (C) → 0

Total number of votes per category:

Group C → 13 (52% of all votes)
Group B → 7 (28% of all votes)
Group A → 5 (20% of all votes)

 

I think option C would be the most logical, You have dog food to last 5 years for 2 dogs. I'm sure they can survive on less than that and also food that you have foraged. meaning you have backup food for a year. You get to leave 8 years early...Like, come on! thats the best obviously. Then you get the instant shelter and knives extra. More people = more food.

(Edited it so that it makes sense )

 

Mhhh Do I see a plan?

 

You mean option C? The items you mentioned are from C.

Option C is my favourite as well. For the record, you get to leave 8 years early, not 12.

I guess now we know why he is called Killer Angel!