# Ten variations on red-pill-blue-pill

Here are some variations on the original red-pill-blue-pill question, recently discussed [here](https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/ZdEhEeg9qnxwFgPMf) and [here](https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/ogcEgWEgmzBw8ePMC).

In all cases, everyone makes their decision in ignorance of everyone else's.

For the first four, who dies and who lives is the same function of the actions. That is, the problems are the same in every way that matters for the purpose of doing the best thing. The others are not isomorphic to these, nor to each other, but I think they do live in the same general area of the landscape of decision problems.

They are presented here without comment. I have already written quite enough of my own views on some of these on the other threads. My only purpose here is to collect together these variations in a single place.

1\. [The original.](https://twitter.com/lisatomic5/status/1690904441967575040)

If more than 50% of people choose the blue pill, everyone lives.

If not, red pills live and blue pills die.

Blue or red?

2\. [arabaga's reformulation.](https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/ZdEhEeg9qnxwFgPMf/a-short-calculation-about-a-twitter-poll?commentId=MsgRzBuLqLnvLEPhq)

If you choose the red pill, you live.

If you choose the blue pill, you die unless more than 50% choose the blue pill.

Blue or red?

3\. [Roko's version.](https://twitter.com/RokoMijic/status/1691081095524093952)

There is a room-sized blender that kills everyone who steps into it.

But, if 50% or more of people step into the blender, there will be too much resistance and it will fail to start and everyone who steps in will be fine.

Those who don't step into it are always fine.

Enter or don't enter?

4\. [The monster on the mountain.](https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/ZdEhEeg9qnxwFgPMf/a-short-calculation-about-a-twitter-poll?commentId=w6ecDkhtaBK9KYboQ)

There's a monster at the top of that mountain. It doesn't hunt people, but it will eat anyone who walks into its mouth. Unless enough people walk in at once.

Enter or don't enter?

5\. Kickstarter pills.

Those who take the red pill live.

Those who take the blue pill live, if the target number of blue-pillers is reached. Otherwise, all the blue-pillers can regurgitate their pills and live.

Blue or red?

6\. [Omega](https://www.lesswrong.com/tag/omega) hands out the pills.

Omega appears to the whole world and infallibly proclaims, "If for the next 24 hours, no-one commits any sin, then paradise will arrive."

(The small print: Omega is available to answer whatever questions you have about what constitutes "sin", but there will be few surprises for anyone familiar with the ["natural law"](https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/GF8TZMqotDHyYafYi/answer-to-a-question-what-do-i-think-about-god-s?commentId=o3qjcbZDm3SNPnwit). No-one will be told to torture kittens.)

Choice 1: Commit no sin for the next 24 hours.

Choice 2: Ignore Omega's challenge.

1 or 2?

Note: It was once a widespread superstition of Christendom, back when Christendom was a thing, that if for a whole day no-one sinned, the Second Coming would arrive. It is also a widespread superstition of Christendom, that no-one can refrain from sin for a single minute, let alone a whole day.

7\. [Havel's greengrocer](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Power_of_the_Powerless) is offered a pill.

The Party has decreed that every business must display a patriotic poster declaring allegiance to the Party. Those who refuse will be severely punished. Unless at least half refuse, because then it will be impractical to punish everyone and the whole matter will be quietly forgotten. In any case there will be no consequences for those who display the poster.

Refuse or display?

8\. [Insanity Wolf](https://kennaway.org.uk/writings/Insanity-Wolf-Sanity-Check.html) hands out the pills.

Choice 1: The Cause is everything. The Cause is the only thing. Nothing else matters. In every waking hour, in every waking second, you must work for the Cause. While you're sleeping, the Cause is faltering! Resting? Revealed preference -- you don't care about the Cause -- you are Evil! No rest for the good! No choice for the good! You have to always be doing the very best thing you can all the time forever! It's a theorem! You can't argue with a theorem! O feet happily fettered on the path to salvation!

Result: Burn out in a year, accomplish nothing, sink into depression, commit suicide. Unless enough people join the Cause! Then paradise will be created before anyone burns out and everything will be wonderful for ever!

Choice 2: Fuck that shit.

Result: A life well-lived, which may include some personal contribution to the repair of the world. Unless all of those contributions aren't enough, and all die.

1 or 2?

9\. [Mountain rescue.](https://www.mountain.rescue.org.uk)

Every year, hill-walkers and mountaineers venture into remote places, places where the landscape itself is trying to kill you. Some of them get into difficulties and need to be rescued, always a hazardous job. The mountain rescue service is entirely run by volunteers with charitable funding.

Do you volunteer?

10\. [Burning Man](https://burningman.org)

Every year, tens of thousands of people venture into a single remote place, a place where the landscape itself is trying to kill you.

How do you deal with that, in regard to yourself and to all the other Burners?