If you could save the life either of Mao Zedong or a kitten...

[TDAS04]

You see Mao Zedong sleeping on the train tracks, and a train is coming.  The only thing you could do to save him is to divert the train to a different path, which would result in a kitten getting hit.  

What do you do?

[Esteemed Jimmy]

Kitten (of course)

[fluffypanther19]

what kind of question is this? obviously the kitten

[Badger]

what kind of question is this? obviously the kitten

I almost empty quoted this in agreement. But what would that unleash? Could someone even more destructive have risen and killed even Millions more? What long-term unseen ramifications would removing such a pivotal Europe history cause, possibly much to the harm of the overall world?

Adolf Hitler was a perfect example. The first reaction for any sensible person would be grab the kitten and let Adolf gets squashed like a bug he is. But then what? While he was to put it mildly a formidable force in propelling Nazism to power in 1930s Germany, he was far from the only individual or social Force going on that led to that. The Nazis very well may have come to power even without Hitler.

And then what? Hitler made repeated moronic strategic decisions that literally lost Germany the war. Such as channeling his rage against Air Raids on Germany during the Battle of Britain by having the luftwaffe divert its attacks from English airfields and RAF facilities which were on the verge of knock out towards population centers which gave the RAF desperately needed breathing room to recover and win. Or launching operation Barbarossa far far too early against the advice of all his generals again. Interfering in the defensive the invasion of Europe plans, again over ruling Rommel and far smarter generals than he.

The point being that is entirely reasonable and humane sounding initial reaction could have vastly worst destructive effects. Germany could win the war and the Holocaust might have just gone on and on and on oh, and even spread well past Europe.

History is a fragile thing. Any person who thinks they are pressing enough to seriously Tinker with it is probably more dangerous than any individual they plan to remove from the equation.

[anvi]

This question would make a nice pun in Chinese.  Would you either save Mao (毛 Máo) or would you rather save a cat (猫 māo)?

[Lambsbread]

This is easy. Mao is already dead, so there's no use saving him. Ergo, I'd save the kitten.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

what kind of question is this? obviously the kitten

I think it's a play on the time Antonio said he'd rather save Hitler than Harambe.

[Middle-aged Europe]

The kitten... even if it's Mao's kitten!!

[Swedish Rainbow Capitalist Cheese]

what kind of question is this? obviously the kitten

I think it's a play on the time Antonio said he'd rather save Hitler than Harambe.

Say what?

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

what kind of question is this? obviously the kitten

I think it's a play on the time Antonio said he'd rather save Hitler than Harambe.

Say what?

Yes it was in a discussion where he said he would always save a human life before an animal life.

[Kingpoleon]

what kind of question is this? obviously the kitten

I think it's a play on the time Antonio said he'd rather save Hitler than Harambe.

Say what?

Yes it was in a discussion where he said he would always save a human life before an animal life.

Antonio is the ultimate moral absolutist who is literally believes in moral relativism.

[Former President tack50]

If I am in 2019 and Mao travelled forward in time: the kitten because Mao was terrible.

If I am in the 1940s and I travelled back in time: Mao to avoid a possible time travelling paradox that ends with me not existing.

[Co-Chair Bagel23]

Mao ofc

[Goldwater]

Lean kitten, though I want to hear more about the candidates views on foreign policy.

[HillGoose]

This question would make a nice pun in Chinese.  Would you either save Mao (毛 Máo) or would you rather save a cat (猫 māo)?

too bad if that became a thing these Chinese gov would unperson anyone who said the kitten lmao

[Continential]

Without Mao, the Chinese Communist movement would have been crushed and the history of the world would have been radically different.

[Progressive Pessimist]

I would save the kitten even though I'm allergic.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

Mao so as to save damage to the train.

[Small L]

Mao. I agree with Antonio.

[FairBol]

You see Mao Zedong sleeping on the train tracks, and a train is coming.  The only thing you could do to save him is to divert the train to a different path, which would result in a kitten getting hit. 

What do you do?

See ya later, Mao!! LOL. 

[dead0man]

Without Mao, the Chinese Communist movement would have been crushed and the history of the world would have been radically different.

sure, and a vastly better life for many millions of people...I'll take the chance.