Spiritual development objectives:

• Become aware of the existence of different opinions,
• Debate and argue one’s choices,
• Become aware of the different values influencing our choices.
• Listen to others with respect.

Activity guidelines

Set up teams of 6 to 7 participants 

The leader tells the following story to the participants:

Each team is responsible for the research taking place in an experimental base located far away from any city. Suddenly, it is the start of the 3rd World War. Bombs are raining down and the world gets destroyed more and more everyday. The whole population is desperately looking for anti-atomic shelters. You receive an emergency call from a research centre, they are desperate and they need help. Here is the message that they leave:

“We are 10 people wanting to enter an anti-atomic shelter which was built for 6 people only. We cannot decide ourselves who is going to stay and who will have to leave. It is impossible for us to decide, we’ll end up killing each other if it goes on like this. We think you can help us decide who will enter the shelter and who will not. We’ll obey whatever you decide” END OF MESSAGE.

You are running out of time. You only have 30 minutes to reach your shelter and take a decision on the fate of the people who have just called you. It is a hard decision to take as you only have a superficial description of these people. Think carefully as the 6 people entering the shelter might be the only 6 human beings to survive the war.

Below are the descriptions of the 10 people::

• A 30 year old accountant
• His wife, 6 months pregnant
• A black militant, second year student in medicine
• A 42 year old famous historian
• A biochemist
• A young TV pop star
• A 54 year old rabbi
• A student
• An armed policeman
• A 24 year old carpenter

Choose a time-keeper to warn the group when there will only be 15, 10, 5 and 1 minute left. All groups will then gather and share their results.

Advice for this activity’s debriefing

It is very important that everybody listens to what the others have to say. Do not hesitate to bring order back into the groups.

This experience usually generates strong emotional reactions. Some participants may have the tendency to attack one another and strongly criticise other choices. It is important to focus their attention on the concepts of free speech, tolerance, sensitivity and mutual acceptance.

At the end of the activity, the leader can ask the participants if this activity was difficult and why; if some were influenced by others; if some prevented the group from reaching a final decision; if some were stubborn; what values dictated each person’s choices…  

Variation

The story may change, here is another example:

10 people are in danger of dying. All are in need of an urgent heart transplant. If they don’t have immediate surgery, they will die. Only one heart is available. The surgeon needs your help to decide which one will benefit from the transplant and live.

Here are some examples of the possible candidates for the transplant (the number of people can vary)

• A pregnant 16 year old girl who has given up studying
• A policeman convicted of violent behaviour towards his citizens
• A 75 year old priest
• A 36 year old woman doctor, sterile
• A black militant
• A 39 year old prostitute
• A homosexual architect
• A 29 year old alcoholic lawyer

Source

AnimerSpi - Scouts et Guides Pluralistes de Belgique

SIMON S. et al., A la rencontre de soi-même – 80 expériences de développement des valeurs, Montréal : Actualisation, 1989, p. 282