# 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:** 17\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2009, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-living-persons-do-you-truly-deeply-love/494577/41 "2009-04-29T14:33:16Z")
With those conditions, jeez, that’s tough. My wife and three sons, my parents and my two sisters, for sure. And four, maybe five friends, tops. Most of them are reasonable and selfless enough that they’d probably try to dissuade me from donating, though. ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2009, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-living-persons-do-you-truly-deeply-love/494577/42 "2009-04-29T15:43:50Z")
My husband and two children. My one best friend and her husband, definately. Possibly the kids. Other than that, no one else. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2009, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-living-persons-do-you-truly-deeply-love/494577/43 "2009-04-29T15:46:14Z")
> [@Shirley\_Ujest](#): > > My husband and two children… _Any_ two children? Can I pick one? ---
**Author:** ![nikonikosuru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5f8ce5/32.png) [@nikonikosuru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nikonikosuru)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2009, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-living-persons-do-you-truly-deeply-love/494577/44 "2009-04-29T18:32:53Z")
Six, three family members and three people outside of my family. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2009, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-living-persons-do-you-truly-deeply-love/494577/45 "2009-04-29T18:59:48Z")
> [@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. Even at that, you are responsible to all the children so your survival should take that into consideration. Most parents would jump into a raging river to save their child regardless of the odds but to sit back and make a calculated decision is a different story. I think a lot of things come into play. It doesn’t make sense to kill yourself in order to save your SO. If you love each other that isn’t an option. I would be much more inclined to trade my life for a younger life and that inclination would grow with age. ---
**Author:** ![gwendee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/35a633/32.png) [@gwendee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gwendee)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2009, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-living-persons-do-you-truly-deeply-love/494577/46 "2009-04-29T19:35:08Z")
> [@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. That’s me. Before thoroughly reading the OP, when I thought it was more “How many people would you give up a kidney for” I had about 8 until I crossed off the oldest generation of my family - who’d only be gaining a few years with a new kidney, and all have a host of other medical issues. That brought us to 5. When I read the 10% part the answer becomes only my son. Assuming this is a choice I’m making right now today. If I gave up an organ and landed on the 90% side that would leave my son to be raised by his father (who is not my current husband).As sad as I would be to lose any of the people on my short list, the potential damage to my son is too great. If my son were an adult and the odds were better my answer would be 5. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Kobayashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4af34b/32.png) [@Mr.Kobayashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Kobayashi)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2009, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-living-persons-do-you-truly-deeply-love/494577/47 "2009-04-29T19:48:27Z")
Under those conditions just one person would qualify; I’d do that for my brother. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2009, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-living-persons-do-you-truly-deeply-love/494577/48 "2009-04-29T20:08:15Z")
> [@gwendee](#): > > That’s me. Before thoroughly reading the OP, when I thought it was more “How many people would you give up a kidney for” Blame my tendency towards prolixity. The definiton of “truly, deeply love” might easily be rephrased as “willing to risk life & limb for, regardless of transitory disagreements.” ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2009, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-living-persons-do-you-truly-deeply-love/494577/49 "2009-04-29T20:35:08Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > Blame my tendency towards prolixity. > > The definiton of “truly, deeply love” might easily be rephrased as “willing to risk life & limb for, regardless of transitory disagreements.” 90% odds of death are considerably beyond “risk”, as I understand it. The bumps it up into the category of “exchange” your life for. And it’s really even worse than that, as there is no assurance that your own sacrifice will in fact save the loved one. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2009, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-living-persons-do-you-truly-deeply-love/494577/50 "2009-04-29T20:39:36Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > 90% odds of death are considerably beyond “risk”, as I understand it. Oh, it’s a risk–a really BAD risk. Which is why I said “blame it on my prolixity.” Though, if it were an out-&-out exchange, I’d probably do it for wife and/or stepdaughter. I wouldn’t want them to do it for me, but that’s only because I’m a hypocrite. Or perhaps a sexist. Or maybe a hypocritical sexist. I’m never sure. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2009, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-living-persons-do-you-truly-deeply-love/494577/51 "2009-04-29T20:48:07Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > Blame my tendency towards prolixity. > > The definiton of “truly, deeply love” might easily be rephrased as “willing to risk life & limb for, regardless of transitory disagreements.” I can’t count anyone under that - my mom is the person I feel most for and she wouldn’t want me risking my life for her. Also, then she would be left living without me, and I’d rather take on the pain of living without her than making her live without me. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2009, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-living-persons-do-you-truly-deeply-love/494577/52 "2009-04-29T21:16:29Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > Oh, it’s a risk–a really BAD risk. Which is why I said “blame it on my prolixity.” > > Though, if it were an out-&-out exchange, I’d probably do it for wife and/or stepdaughter. I wouldn’t want them to do it for me, but that’s only because I’m a hypocrite. Or perhaps a sexist. Or maybe a hypocritical sexist. I’m never sure. Beter to go with both – safer. Oh, and you’re a pig too. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2009, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-living-persons-do-you-truly-deeply-love/494577/53 "2009-04-29T22:24:01Z")
Zero. My father is 88, so that doesn’t make much sense. Mom is dead. No wife no kids. One sister and I might give up a kidney for her if I had a decent chance of surviving. But she has abused her body and I am pretty sure she would not ask me to do it. For the record, I would not be asking anyone to have a 90% risk of life to save me. That sounds incredibly selfish. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Credible](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a8b319/32.png) [@Justin\_Credible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Credible)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2009, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-living-persons-do-you-truly-deeply-love/494577/54 "2009-04-30T00:21:29Z")
One. She’s already posted to this thread. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2009, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-living-persons-do-you-truly-deeply-love/494577/55 "2009-04-30T00:31:21Z")
My wife and kids. That’s 4. I’d give either of my brothers a kidney, but not die. My family needs me more. I also love my mom and dad, but dying would be a little much – plus they’d never allow it anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2009, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-living-persons-do-you-truly-deeply-love/494577/56 "2009-04-30T00:33:30Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > Beter to go with both – safer. Oh, and you’re a pig too. 😛 Upon reflection, since I admit it, I’m not being hypocritical. I am however adhering to a double standard, so “pig” still works. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2009, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-living-persons-do-you-truly-deeply-love/494577/57 "2009-04-30T17:27:50Z")
> [@Justin\_Credible](#): > > One. She’s already posted to this thread. Thank you, that means a lot! What? 😛 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-living-persons-do-you-truly-deeply-love/494577.md?page=2)