Survival Test


The Scenario

130 people gather at an airport. Their intention is to fly from point A to point B.

The 130 people represent a cross-section of our community and therefore possess a range of abilities and experiences.

Amongst the 130 people is an aeronautics engineer, a human resource manager for a large international company, three persons with engineer qualifications.

28 of the passengers have tertiary research skills and the remainder have a spread of other life skills including a bus driver, a professional football player, a plumber, a hairstylist

The 130 people also represent a large spectrum of ages and a range of mental abilities, personality styles and physical health including include 2 pensioners and 1 long term unemployed 3 people in various stages of dementia plus 1 person in the final stages of a terminal illness.

When the people are all gathered at the airport they are told they must choose a person from amongst their group as the pilot, to fly the plane.

The pilot will be a person who has volunteered to undertake the task and is to be elected by the votes of the 130 people.

They are also told that the pilot, once chosen, will also be responsible to determine the conditions and destination of the flight.

Each person shall have one vote and that voted shall rank at equal value.

However if a person voted for by an individual as pilot and that person is not supported by a significant number of the other passengers then that person will be given a second vote for another of the more popular candidates as the pilot.

Passengers voting for a more popular candidates at the outset will not be accorded a second vote.

The persons volunteering as pilot are entitled to influence, in any lawful manner, the way the 130 passengers cast their vote.

Please Note: Providing a passenger with incomplete or incorrect information about one's flying abilities or making a promise that one cannot or does not intend to keep, is not unlawful.

No independent assessment of the candidate's piloting ability to fly a plane will be undertaken by the Independent Aviation Board, in order to provide guidance to the passengers before they vote.

The 130 passengers are given a 12 hour period in which to consider their choice before being required to make their decision. -

Each person must vote.



Survival Survey

1. Where: the Highest prospects = 100 and the Lowest prospects = 0:

Score the prospects for passengers of:

Surviving the Journey;

 

Arriving at their desired destintion;

 

Enjoying the flight;

 

2. Do you consider the system outlined above an appropriate way to select:-

A person that requires certain skils;

 

A person to have significant influence on your future;

 

A system of government;

 

3. Do you consider the system outlined above is the best that the 21st century can deliver for selecting crucial persons to perform important tasks.

 

Reasons for your choice?

 

Is there a better way than the current system for selecting the best people to make decisions on your behalf?