# Black Box...with a bit of a twist **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 9, 2026, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-box-with-a-bit-of-a-twist/1027527 "2026-02-09T22:14:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![xtenkfarpl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/c2a13f/32.png) [@xtenkfarpl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xtenkfarpl)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2026, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-box-with-a-bit-of-a-twist/1027527/21 "2026-02-10T13:42:35Z")
> [@Sherrerd](#): > > May we assume that these boxes are manufactured by _Lucifer LLC_? No, it’s the acme manufacturing company, of course. As with all their products, they don’t always work quite as expected. Sometimes the wrong person drops dead… occasionally the button pusher themselves…. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2026, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-box-with-a-bit-of-a-twist/1027527/22 "2026-02-10T13:52:39Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > No wasted button pushing on those already dead. There are approximately 6 billion people over the age of 18 alive today. If each one gets to kill someone, and let’s assume that most won’t use their choice to kill children (maybe a bad assumption) then you’re odds aren’t pretty good. If someone is chosen and they die before they push their own button, does that box become null and void? Is that the point of the thought experiment, can you kill off the people who want to kill you before they can act? ---
**Author:** ![ZonexandScout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zonexandscout/32/544_2.png) [@ZonexandScout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZonexandScout)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2026, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-box-with-a-bit-of-a-twist/1027527/23 "2026-02-10T14:32:25Z")
I’ve sometimes speculated that, in place of annual reviews of employees, there should be a day where employees get to fire other employees. You start with the lowest paid employee. They get to fire anyone else in the company, including management personnel. Then you work your way up based on pay or salary. This would go a long way in motivating co-workers and managers to be both pleasant and supportive of those they supervise. Employees do not HAVE to fire anyone, but they also cannot convey their ability to fire someone to another employee. It’s one each. It may seem like the whole company would ultimately get fired, but I believe that most employees would realize that not all managers or co-workers should be fired. It would be naturally self-limiting, I think. Kind of like The Purge. ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2026, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-box-with-a-bit-of-a-twist/1027527/24 "2026-02-10T15:15:53Z")
> [@Sherrerd](#): > > But if everyone knows that there are 7 billion + of these boxes\*, they may not all use up their vote on the most-hated person, assuming that others will take care of him. Now there’s a prisoner’s dilemma! I don’t want to waste my button duplicating someone else, but I also don’t want to risk him getting away unscathed. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2026, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-box-with-a-bit-of-a-twist/1027527/25 "2026-02-10T15:35:48Z")
Remember-a button cannot be “wasted”. If someone else gets there first, your button still works. ---
**Author:** ![Jasmine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jasmine/32/2964_2.png) [@Jasmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasmine)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2026, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-box-with-a-bit-of-a-twist/1027527/26 "2026-02-10T16:05:55Z")
Years ago, a violent stalker went to prison for almost killing me, so I’m thinking my chances aren’t very good. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2026, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-box-with-a-bit-of-a-twist/1027527/27 "2026-02-10T16:07:32Z")
You just have to get to them first. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2026, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-box-with-a-bit-of-a-twist/1027527/28 "2026-02-10T16:12:03Z")
Which is also an encouragement for them to get to _you_ first, of course. ---
**Author:** ![Spiderman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiderman/32/230_2.png) [@Spiderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiderman)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2026, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-box-with-a-bit-of-a-twist/1027527/29 "2026-02-10T16:30:11Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > If nobody’s gunned you down yet, they probably won’t box you, either. I could have done that already but there’s a good chance I’d spend the rest of my life in a 6’ x 8’ cage if I did. I’m assuming these are _magic_ boxes that are either not illegal to use or can’t be tied back to me; eg. the person has a heart attack or drives off a cliff or something. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2026, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-box-with-a-bit-of-a-twist/1027527/30 "2026-02-10T16:32:48Z")
Humanity will be extinct in 27 days. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2026, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-box-with-a-bit-of-a-twist/1027527/31 "2026-02-10T16:36:19Z")
Totally different, because you don’t have to be anywhere near the victim, and there is no way to trace the death back to you. Even if you confessed it all in a court of law, there is no possible way to prove that it was _your_ button that did the deed. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2026, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-box-with-a-bit-of-a-twist/1027527/32 "2026-02-10T16:37:40Z")
> [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](#): > > Humanity will be extinct in 27 days. Except for those folk nobody gives a shit about, maybe? ---
**Author:** ![Frodo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frodo/32/302_2.png) [@Frodo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frodo)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2026, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-box-with-a-bit-of-a-twist/1027527/33 "2026-02-10T16:59:59Z")
Someone will kill them for being such mediocrities. ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2026, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-box-with-a-bit-of-a-twist/1027527/34 "2026-02-10T17:12:30Z")
If 7 billion humans can kill 7 billion humans, it sounds like the human race is reduced to just the one human that pushes the button last. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2026, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-box-with-a-bit-of-a-twist/1027527/35 "2026-02-10T17:18:22Z")
You can always refuse to use the button. ---
**Author:** ![Orville\_mogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/aeb1de/32.png) [@Orville\_mogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Orville_mogul)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2026, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-box-with-a-bit-of-a-twist/1027527/36 "2026-02-10T17:20:34Z")
Would you believe that this is not the first SDMB thread about a magic box with a button to kill people? It’s not even the first such thread by @Czarcasm This is a truly special place… ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2026, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-box-with-a-bit-of-a-twist/1027527/37 "2026-02-10T17:24:44Z")
Some topics are classics. There’s a former co-worker who hated me. He hated a lot of people though but I might make the top of his list. He was finally fired. I have rarely met someone who universally despised as him so someone would probably nail him in short order if he hasn’t already stroked out. He’s completely estranged from his family so I doubt he’d be missed. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2026, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-box-with-a-bit-of-a-twist/1027527/38 "2026-02-10T17:25:21Z")
Same box, different question. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2026, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-box-with-a-bit-of-a-twist/1027527/39 "2026-02-10T17:30:21Z")
My odds of survival are 99.99 percent, at least. No one hates me. My ex wife wouldn’t even consider it, and anyway, like so many people, there’s a certain head of state she’s be in a rush to hit that button for. ---
**Author:** ![Pardel-Lux](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pardel-lux/32/20182_2.png) [@Pardel-Lux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pardel-Lux)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2026, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-box-with-a-bit-of-a-twist/1027527/40 "2026-02-10T17:33:23Z")
> [@Shakester](#): > > I’d say my chances are excellent. No one alive hates me. Ah, you pushed the button first. Clever move! > [@Czarcasm](#): > > Same box, different question. Are you going to patent it? After a couple of years it will be in the public domain, and then there will not only be one for each, but many for those who pay more. I can only think of one person who might, perhaps, push the button thinking of me, so I have to get him first and I’ll be dandy. Reading the small print again: > [@Czarcasm](#): > > press that button **within 48 hours** someone of their choosing will **immediately** drop dead [bolding mine] If they have 48 hours to think of me, > [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](#): > > Humanity will be extinct in 27 days. make it 48.01 hours. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-box-with-a-bit-of-a-twist/1027527.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-box-with-a-bit-of-a-twist/1027527.md?page=3)