NUCLEAR HOLOCAUST: WHO SHOULD SURVIVE?

Scenario:

World War 3 has just occurred and you and 9 other people find yourselves to be the only people left on the earth. You manage to all make it to a bunker, however, you all realise that if 3 of you wish to survive for many years, 7 of you will have to leave soon because there are not enough resources for all of you to survive.

If all of you stay, then you will all live only for a maximum of 2 years.

In your bunker, you have the following facilities:

• sewage system
• water
• seeds
• some clothes
• a few books
• some medical facilities but no operating material
• a greenhouse

In your group of ten, each of you have a chance to speak. You must present your case. Explain why you think you should live. Argue for your life unless you really want to sacrifice for others. Listen to others arguments as well.

In the bunker, the following roles will be played out. Each person in the group of ten will play one of the following roles.

1. scientist
2. priest
3. married couple who are hippies and drug addicts
4. a single pregnant woman with a 5 year old girl
5. an army officer who has mental instability of some sort but is useful nonetheless
6. an elderly woman
7. a disabled person
8. lawyer
9. dole bludger
10. doctor

You have ten to fifteen minutes a s a group, to:

• allow each person to speak
• decide whether some will leave and the others stay
• decide who will leave and who will stay

When that is complete, you are to answer the following question in your journal.

Debrief: Explain why you feel the choice was made. What influenced your decision? Did anyone emerge as a leader?  Why?  How did this influence the choices?

REASONS FOR YOUR GROUP'S DECISION  

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