Man who created massive D.C. commuter nightmare had good reason. 5 year old left on platform

[Igel]

5. Was anybody hurt by the action?

I don't mean "inconvenienced" or "insulted."

Stressed to the point of heart attack or stroke. Stranded so that their blood sugar dropped because they missed food and were diabetic. I mean hurt.

I might let "long-term consequences" slip in. Missed a signing for some legal purpose which, left undone, has really bad consequences.

If so, it's a nice variation on the Trolley Problem.

Most people that stand back and think slow are utilitarian and decide for arguably the best definition of "the common good". Most people that get emotionally involved think fast and sacrifice the common good for a particular person.


But this is also a sad commentary on social trust. Instead of asking a stranger to make sure the kid got on the next train and seeing him off at the next stop, where the father would be waiting--the kid had to be rescued. I understand this. But still find it sad that others couldn't be trusted with his kid, or trusted to see after the kid. Because the assumption is that others are evil or, at best, uncaring.