# How many living persons do you truly, deeply love? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 28, 2009, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-living-persons-do-you-truly-deeply-love/494577 "2009-04-28T01:22:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Sunglasses](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5fc32e/32.png) [@Sunglasses](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunglasses)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2009, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-living-persons-do-you-truly-deeply-love/494577/21 "2009-04-28T16:34:20Z")
With a 10% chance of survival, I would only do it for my two sons. ---
**Author:** ![Two\_Many\_Cats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8dc957/32.png) [@Two\_Many\_Cats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Two_Many_Cats)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2009, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-living-persons-do-you-truly-deeply-love/494577/22 "2009-04-28T16:42:43Z")
Well, my mom’s 82 going on 83, so probably none. She’s a Jehovah’s Witness, so she won’t mind if I don’t give her that transplant. When I was a hardcore Doctor Who fan, I might’ve considered it for Tom Baker, but ultimately, I think I would’ve refused. Still, I would’ve thought about it. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2009, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-living-persons-do-you-truly-deeply-love/494577/23 "2009-04-28T17:15:53Z")
With the odds that low, I’d search for a better doctor. I doubt that any ethical doctor would even allow such a transplant. But in a more realistic world, I’d have to say my parents, siblings, siblings-in-law, their kids, and the grandkid. That makes 12. ---
**Author:** ![Tastes\_of\_Chocolate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tastes_of_chocolate/32/3232_2.png) [@Tastes\_of\_Chocolate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tastes_of_Chocolate)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2009, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-living-persons-do-you-truly-deeply-love/494577/24 "2009-04-28T22:45:11Z")
Only 10% survival odds? I’m not sure anyone passes that bar. My SO comes close, but it’s not a given. Thinking about this, I’m getting some interesting internal reactions. Step in front of a bullet - maybe a dozen people. Enter a burning building - raise that to 25ish walk away from everything I own - 50+ (but there has to be a reason, not just “Because I asked you to”) It seems to be a mix of odds and spontaneity. ---
**Author:** ![Silver\_Tyger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/fbc32d/32.png) [@Silver\_Tyger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silver_Tyger)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2009, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-living-persons-do-you-truly-deeply-love/494577/25 "2009-04-28T23:10:29Z")
My parents. Some of my friends. ---
**Author:** ![WormTheRed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/bbe5ce/32.png) [@WormTheRed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WormTheRed)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2009, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-living-persons-do-you-truly-deeply-love/494577/26 "2009-04-29T00:12:16Z")
My brother and sister. My parents would never let me and nope, no one else even comes close. ---
**Author:** ![Monstera\_deliciosa](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monstera_deliciosa/32/109_2.png) [@Monstera\_deliciosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monstera_deliciosa)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2009, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-living-persons-do-you-truly-deeply-love/494577/27 "2009-04-29T00:19:55Z")
My husband. No one else. ---
**Author:** ![uglybeech](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/82dd89/32.png) [@uglybeech](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/uglybeech)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2009, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-living-persons-do-you-truly-deeply-love/494577/28 "2009-04-29T00:20:48Z")
I don’t think this is a fair test for how much you love someone. I would do it for my parents and my brothers, but if I had kids to take care of I wouldn’t. I’d have to exempt parents and anyone who has somebody absolutely depending on them from this test. ---
**Author:** ![Quintas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/48db29/32.png) [@Quintas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quintas)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2009, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-living-persons-do-you-truly-deeply-love/494577/29 "2009-04-29T00:24:23Z")
zero. I think you need to rephrase the question. the 10% survival odds are not even realistic. A better measure is, how many people do you love enough to donate a kidney to. ---
**Author:** ![Quintas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/48db29/32.png) [@Quintas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quintas)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2009, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-living-persons-do-you-truly-deeply-love/494577/30 "2009-04-29T00:32:38Z")
With 10% survival odds, i’m guessing that most people, if they are being truthful and really think about it, would only do it for their children. A few exceptions aside. ---
**Author:** ![uglybeech](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/82dd89/32.png) [@uglybeech](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/uglybeech)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2009, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-living-persons-do-you-truly-deeply-love/494577/31 "2009-04-29T00:38:17Z")
> [@Quintas](#): > > With 10% survival odds, i’m guessing that most people, if they are being truthful and really think about it, would only do it for their children. A few exceptions aside. I don’t know about that. The odds are better than “who would you give your life for” and I think there are lots of people who would give their lives for somebody other than their children. I would for my immediate family - even easier question if there were a chance I’d survive. But again, I don’t think this is a good test for “truly, deeply, love.” You could just not care about your life so much. You could just be very, i dunno, religious and believe in self-sacrifice. Like I said before, if you have kids to take care of I don’t think most people would sacrifice their lives. ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2009, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-living-persons-do-you-truly-deeply-love/494577/32 "2009-04-29T01:28:59Z")
Nobody under this definition. I don’t even know that I’d donate if the likelihood for survival was 50/50. ---
**Author:** ![volcano\_snail](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/c89c15/32.png) [@volcano\_snail](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/volcano_snail)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2009, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-living-persons-do-you-truly-deeply-love/494577/33 "2009-04-29T02:18:53Z")
Zero by that definition. There are two people that I would say I truly love, but would not give my life for them because I know they would both be at serious suicide risk if I died. One is my Dad, the other my SO. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2009, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-living-persons-do-you-truly-deeply-love/494577/34 "2009-04-29T02:43:42Z")
10% – only my wife and kids. 50% – my sisters. [QUOTE=Niles Crane] Frasier, you’re my brother. That entitles you to my bone marrow and one of my kidneys, but _this_ is an imposition! [/QUOTE] ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2009, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-living-persons-do-you-truly-deeply-love/494577/35 "2009-04-29T04:14:46Z")
Three. My grandmother and my parents. I really love my siblings and nephews, but they have others to take care of them(spouses). ---
**Author:** ![tr0psn4j](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/958977/32.png) [@tr0psn4j](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tr0psn4j)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2009, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-living-persons-do-you-truly-deeply-love/494577/36 "2009-04-29T04:37:51Z")
Even without the condition I would say no one. With around 80% odds, I’d give an organ to anyone in my family though. ---
**Author:** ![CanvasShoes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/74df32/32.png) [@CanvasShoes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CanvasShoes)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2009, 9:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-living-persons-do-you-truly-deeply-love/494577/37 "2009-04-29T09:29:32Z")
My two kids, my granddaughter, my sister, mom and dad. &My Aunt Vonnie. ---
**Author:** ![PapSett](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ecc23a/32.png) [@PapSett](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PapSett)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2009, 12:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-living-persons-do-you-truly-deeply-love/494577/38 "2009-04-29T12:04:08Z")
One. And that’s all I’m gonna say. ---
**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2009, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-living-persons-do-you-truly-deeply-love/494577/39 "2009-04-29T12:22:37Z")
Wife and the 3 bambinas. ---
**Author:** ![Kal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9de053/32.png) [@Kal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kal)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2009, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-living-persons-do-you-truly-deeply-love/494577/40 "2009-04-29T12:46:22Z")
Two. My children. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-living-persons-do-you-truly-deeply-love/494577.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-living-persons-do-you-truly-deeply-love/494577.md?page=3)