History Main / WhatIsOneMansLifeInComparison

* In ''Anime/PuellaMagiMadokaMagica'', [[spoiler: [[BigBad Kyubey]]]] has this mindset, which is pretty much a requirement when it's your job to harvest the despair of [[TragicMonster those that become]] [[EldritchAbomination Witches]] because of the deal that [[DealWithTheDevil you made with them]] in order to [[PoweredByAForsakenChild save the rest of the universe from entropy.]] In fact it can't think any other way: [[TheStoic it has no emotions]], and therefore [[TheSpock sees everything through logic and reason.]] [[TheNeedsOfTheMany Sacrificing one life for the good of many others]] is a ''[[StrawVulcan logical]]'' ([[MoralSociopathy if not always moral]]) thing to do, so naturally it views this as acceptable. Kyubey cannot even ''[[EvilCannotComprehendGood comprehend]]'' why humans value one life [[WeHaveReserves when there's six billion of them and growing]]: "Your population is over six billion right now, and four more of you are born every ten seconds, so why do you make such a big deal out of the loss of just one of you?"
* ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'': The Fourth Hokage [[spoiler:discusses this with Kushina about]] sealing the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox into [[spoiler:their son]] Naruto, damning him to a childhood of loneliness and misery, in order to protect the village and country from the masked man who released the fox in the first place. He himself doesn't like it, but there's no other option that doesn't end with ''everyone'', including Naruto in the future, suffering if/when the masked man gets his hands on the fox.

[[folder:Film]]

* In ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire'', this is [[WellIntentionedExtremist Melisandre's]] justification for wanting to sacrifice Edric Storm. She says that the sacrifice is necessary, and if they don't do it, Edric will die anyway along with everyone else when the [[EndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt Long Night]] comes.
** However, there was no guarantee that the sacrifice would work, and all indications seemed to point towards it never working. Melisandre is such a fanatic however, that she often refuses to see the flaws or failures of her plans.

[[folder:Live Action Television]]

* From Literature/TheBible - "Neither do you consider that it is expedient for you that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not." -- John 11:50 ([[Literature/TheBible Douay-Reims]]).
** The irony in this verse is {{Lampshaded}} in the next verse, which says that the High Priest was speaking in his role as a prophet at the time, even though he didn't realize the implications of what he was saying.

-->-- ''WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}}'', "The Why of Fry"

* ''Comicbook/GreenLantern'' Hal Jordan fought in the Corps' first war against Nekron when he entered the Death God's nether world to distract him enough to allow the Corps to drive back Krona's army while the Guardians to seal the inter-dimensional rift. At all this, Jordan's energy field is decaying rapidly as he sees himself being trapped in that other dimension and will die instantly once it fails. The one comfort Jordan thinks that it's his life for the trillions upon trillions of lives he helped save, a really flattering trade when you think about it. Fortunately, at that moment, the spirit of Jordan's predecessor, Abin Sur, helps his successor escape the rift.
* In an old ''Comicbook/SpiderMan'' comic he ends up fighting over an antidote against the Inhumans. Spider-Man needs it to save the life of a man who saved him and MJ from being hit by a truck, the Inhumans need it to prevent a doomsday device from destroying the world. After they fight Spidey finally explains why he needs it and Black Bolt flies to the hospital with the rest of the antidote. In the end Gorgon tells Spider-Man that saving the entire world was important enough to risk the death of the man, since what is one life compared to all others. Spider-Man's reply is along the lines "If you have to ask, you will never know the answer."

* Main plot point of the movie ''The Pink Panther Strikes Again''. Dryfus creates a doomsday device and blackmails the world with it. All he wants is for someone to kill Clouseau.

* ''Brotherhood of the Rose'' by David Morrell. CIA spymaster Eliot uses this argument to justify setting up his surrogate sons to be killed; in doing so he has saved thousands of lives. Saul is not impressed. "You don't betray the ones you love! [[AMillionIsAStatistic I don't know any of those people.]] I'm not sure I'd even like them."

* At the end of ''[[VideoGame/LegacyOfKain Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain]]'', Kain is given the choice between sacrificing his own life to restore balance to the world, or using the power he has accumulated to "rule the world in its ruination" - and furthermore, he had been deliberately manipulated towards this end, by someone who expected him to make the 'selfless' choice. He refuses, and so the sequel ''Soul Reaver'' kicks off in the CrapsackWorld that results. As the MindScrew threads of the TimeyWimeyBall are slowly unravelled, and the true identity of TheManBehindTheMan is revealed, however, it turns out that Kain's decision was the ''better'' option for the world. If he DID sacrifice himself, it would only condemn the world to dance at the strings of an unknowable EldritchAbomination. After Kain learns this, he chose to appear as a villain, while carefully engineering the timestream, pushing it to the point where he could "make the coin land on the edge", creating a [[TakeAThirdOption Third Option]] for the dilemma. [[spoiler:He is also trying to find a way to fix everything without condemning Raziel to his fate to become part of the Soul Reaver. Sadly, he fails since Raziel himself ultimately decides he needs to join the Reaver to save Nosgoth and tricks Kain into impaling him with it.]]

[[folder:Web Comics]]

-->-- ''WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}}''

->'''Nibbler''': What is one life, when weighed against the entire universe?\\
'''Fry''': ''(distraught)'' But it was ''my'' life.
-->--''WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}}''

* In the ''Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine'' episode "In The Pale Moonlight" [[RetiredMonster Garak]] kills a bunch of people for [[UtopiaJustifiesTheMeans the greater good]], and then, when [[TheCaptain Sisko]] objects, gives this little speech:
-->''That's why you came to me, isn't it, Captain? Because you knew I could do those things that you weren't capable of doing? Well, it worked. And you'll get what you want: a war between the Romulans and the Dominion. And if your conscience is bothering you, you should soothe it with the knowledge that you may have just saved the entire Alpha Quadrant. And all it cost was the life of one Romulan senator, one criminal, and the self-respect of one Starfleet officer. I don't know about you, but I'd call that a bargain.''

--> "Does everything have to be of galactic importance? Universal consequences? Celestial upheaval? Isn't one life enough? You ask me why it matters. It matters to me. You matter. To me. Even [[spoiler:gods]] can have favorites, [[spoiler:Jean-Luc]]. You've always been one of mine."

* From Literature/TheBible - "Neither do you consider that it is expedient for you that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not." -- John 11:50 ([[Literature/TheBible Douay-Reims]]).
** The irony in this verse is {{Lampshaded}} in the next verse, which says that the High Priest was speaking in his role as a prophet at the time, even though he didn't realize the implications of what he was saying.
* Likewise Literature/TheBookOfMormon - "Behold the Lord slayeth the wicked to bring forth his righteous purposes. It is better that one man should perish than that a nation should dwindle and perish in unbelief." -- 1 Nephi 4:12.

* In ''Anime/PuellaMagiMadokaMagica'', [[spoiler: [[BigBad Kyubey]] has this mindset, which is pretty much a requirement when it's your job to harvest the despair of [[TragicMonster those that become]] [[EldritchAbomination Witches]] because of the deal that [[DealWithTheDevil you made with them]] in order to [[PoweredByAForsakenChild save the rest of the universe from entropy.]] In fact it can't think any other way: [[TheStoic it has no emotions]], and therefore [[TheSpock sees everything through logic and reason.]] [[TheNeedsOfTheMany Sacrificing one life for the good of many others]] is a ''[[StrawVulcan logical]]'' ([[MoralSociopathy if not always moral]]) thing to do, so naturally it views this as acceptable. Kyubey cannot even ''[[EvilCannotComprehendGood comprehend]]'' why humans value one life [[WeHaveReserves when there's six billion of them and growing]]: "Your population is over six billion right now, and four more of you are born every ten seconds, so why do you make such a big deal out of the loss of just one of you?"]]

* ZigZagged in ''[[https://archiveofourown.org/works/29961147/chapters/78794509#workskin Izuku Midoriya the Rabbit]]''. The Hero Commission doesn't particularly care about Eri and the fact that she is being tortured by the Yakuza, since she's just one girl. After learning ''why'' they're torturing her (to make quirk erasing bullets using her blood), however, they scramble to rescue her as the Commission doesn't want the Yakuza to gain the upper hand against them since they were down three of their top heroes[[note]]All Might burned out his quirk and retired, Endeavor was stripped of his status when his DomesticAbuse came to light and is currently awaiting trial, and Best Jeanist was in the hospital with little chance at a full recovery[[/note]].

* ZigZagged in ''[[https://archiveofourown.org/works/29961147/chapters/78794509#workskin Izuku Midoriya the Rabbit]]''. The Hero Commission doesn't particularly care about Eri and the fact that she is being hurt by the Yakuza, since she's just one girl. After learning ''why'' they're hurting her (to make quirk erasing bullets using her blood), however, they scramble to rescue her as the Commission doesn't want the Yakuza to gain the upper hand against them since they were down three of their top heroes[[note]]All Might burned out his quirk and retired, Endeavor was stripped of his status when his DomesticAbuse came to light and is currently awaiting trial, and Best Jeanist was in the hospital with little chance at a full recovery[[/note]].

* ZigZagged in ''[[https://archiveofourown.org/works/29961147/chapters/78794509#workskin Izuku Midoriya the Rabbit]]''. The Hero Commission doesn't particularly care about Eri and the fact that she is being hurt by the Yakuza, since she's just one girl, but after learning ''why'' they're hurting her (to make quirk erasing bullets using her blood), they scramble to rescue her as the Commission doesn't want the Yakuza to gain the upper hand since they were down three of their top heroes[[note]]All Might burned out his quirk and retired, Endeavor was stripped of his status when his DomesticAbuse came to light and is currently awaiting trial, and Best Jeanist was in the hospital with little chance at a full recovery[[/note]].

* ZigZagged in ''[[https://archiveofourown.org/works/29961147/chapters/78794509#workskin Izuku Midoriya the Rabbit]]''. The Hero Commission doesn't particularly care about Eri and the fact that she is being hurt by the Yakuza since she's just one girl, but after learning ''why'' they're hurting her (to make quirk erasing bullets using her blood), they scramble to rescue her as the Commission doesn't want the Yakuza to gain the upper hand since they were down three of their top heroes[[note]]All Might burned out his quirk and retired, Endeavor was stripped of his status when his DomesticAbuse came to light and is currently awaiting trial, and Best Jeanist was in the hospital with little chance at a full recovery[[/note]].

* ZigZagged in ''[[https://archiveofourown.org/works/29961147/chapters/78794509#workskin Izuku Midoriya the Rabbit]]''. The Hero Commission doesn't particular care about Eri and the fact that she is being hurt by the Yakuza since she's just one girl, but after learning ''why'' they're hurting her (to make quirk erasing bullets using her blood), they scramble to rescue her as the Commission doesn't want the Yakuza to gain the upper hand since they were down three of their top heroes[[note]]All Might burned out his quirk and retired, Endeavor was stripped of his status when his DomesticAbuse came to light and is currently awaiting trial, and Best Jeanist was in the hospital with little chance at a full recovery[[/note]].

* In ''Literature/ABrothersPrice'', the villains think like this [[spoiler: about their own family]]. They'll sacrifice their own people if it means that their goal will be achieved.

* In ''Literature/DragonBones'', Ward pretends to think like this when it comes to killing his uncle in order to become the Hurogmeten of Hurog in his uncle's place - not that he wants to kill his uncle, but it's necessary. [[spoiler: Later on, his allies can convince Ward that, in order to save everyone, he has to kill Oreg, who is willing to make that HeroicSacrifice and has deliberately manipulated things so that Ward has no other choice.]]
* In ''Literature/HarryPotter'', [[spoiler: the titular character discovers that he has to die in order for Voldemort to be defeated. He takes this attitude towards his own death. Of course, he ends up living anyway.]]
* In ''Literature/EnchantressFromTheStars'', if a Federation agent is captured, and it stands to reason that he or she cannot prevent divulging information about TheFederation, the agent is supposed to commit suicide. Of course Elana, the main protagonist is only told this ''after'' she is captured during the action which she probably wouldn't undertaken had she known this beforehand.
** And since her father doesn't quite trust her to commit suicide he [[spoiler: secretly sends her fiance to either free ''or'' kill her, only stopping the plan at the last second. Double facepalm since earlier he explicitly declined giving her the ''order'' to die.]]

* Used beautifully during ''Series/{{Angel}}'' season 5 in the episode "[[Recap/AngelS05E15AHoleInTheWorld A Hole in the World]]"; as Fred is dying from being infected with Illyria's essence, Angel and Spike make their way to the Deeper Well, the graveyard of the Old Ones, in order to find a way to stop it and save her. While Drogyn does say they can save her by drawing Illyria back to the Well, he states that, because Illyria's essence has been freed from containment, it will essentially become an airborne virus and spread to every person between the Deeper Well and Los Angeles, killing tens-to-hundreds of thousands of innocents. Though they do briefly consider it, Angel and Spike ultimately can't sacrifice all those people for one person, and are forced to let Fred die.

* In ''Series/TheOuterLimits1995'' episode "The Sentence", Dr. Henson tries to claim that the potential benefits of his LotusEaterMachine virtual prison would far outweigh the unfortunate death of a young innocent man (the machine wasn't designed to accomodate innocent people and the stress of the experience killed him). No one else agrees and he is sentenced to twenty years in prison with no chance of parole. Near the end of his sentence, Dr. Henson confesses to the prison's therapist that he was wrong to think this way, asking himself "what's one life?" again before breaking down in tears. [[spoiler:The twist is that his entire sentence was actually a simulation fed into his mind by his machine. He had actually succeeded in rescuing the young man, but he was unable to leave the machine in time, forcing him to go through an entire virtual sentence. The horror of his ordeal convinces Dr. Henson that his virtual prison is a bad idea...too bad the previously skeptical Senator now thinks it's just what the country needs.]]

* ''Franchise/{{Danganronpa}}'' has a few examples.

** In ''VisualNovel/DanganronpaV3KillingHarmony'''s 2nd trial, [[spoiler: Kirumi's motive boils down to this. What are the lives of 14 high school students, even talented ones, against the lives of every citizen of Japan?]]

'''Spender:''' ''Please''. Did your ''heart'' tell you to ''scrape open the length of the ghost train?''. It seems to me a bit more calculation ''then'' would have prevented the mistake you're so desperate to make ''my'' responsibility. But I suppose you were too focused on the immediate good of... what, mangling a spirit? Escaping from me? You're selfish. You don't care about the future, you just want to feel good about your actions in the ''present''. Well that's not who ''I'' am. Mayview is my greater good. It's every person I love and have loved plus ten thousand more, and protecting its future is my purpose. Everything else is secondary. [...] I like to keep my hands clean, but if reality ''insists'', I won't let shortsighted morality trump ''practical solutions''.

* Discussed in the ''WesternAnimation/BatmanBeyond'' episode "Babel." Shriek gives an ultimatum, threatening to destroy Gotham unless Batman surrenders himself, and [[UngratefulTownsfolk numerous people in the city all shout for Batman to give himself up]]. Max points out that if Terry did decide to give himself up to Shriek to save the city, that the fallout wouldn't just be limited to himself, but his family still recovering from Warren's death, his friends, and his girlfriend would all be affected. Not to mention Bruce himself whose had more than a few tragedies too many regarding his proteges. When Bruce asks him if he would've answered Shriek's demands if he didn't find out where he is, Terry changes the subject.

* In the ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheBraveAndTheBold'' episode "The Last Patrol!" The Doom Patrol are forced to let a single hostage die at the hands of General Zahl to save the millions of people in Paris. The trauma of this caused the Patrol to split up. They are brought back again, this time with the General threatening to destroy an island fishing village if the Patrol don't take the places of its people. This time, they DO make the sacrifice--and Zahl kills them. However, since their deaths are broadcast over the world's airwaves, this final sacrifice causes them to be admired all the world over. Zahl is forced to admit to himself that because of this, even in Death, the Doom Patrol had beaten him once again. The island's people rename it "Four Heroes."
* In ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague'', J'onn Jonzz, the ComicBook/MartianManhunter really seemed to have taken to using this trope. When Doctor Fate attempted to reason with AMAZO, who had been walking all over the entire League, J'onn pulled this trope. And Fate's response?

** The next time was when [[ComicBook/NewGods Mister Miracle's]] friend Oberon was kidnapped by Granny Goodness and Miracle asked help from the League. J'onn refused because it would only help to put order into Apokolips, thus risking them turning their attention to Earth. Apparently he thought Flash wasn't looking at the big picture when he wanted to help. Flash thought the league was all about helping.
** These incidents are part of Jonzz's negative character development as he becomes more and more detached from people as a result of isolating himself on the Justice League satellite. In the end, he goes on leave to find himself.

* ''Franchise/DanganRonpa'' has a few examples.
** In ''VisualNovel/SuperDanganRonpa2'''s final trial, [[spoiler:the survivors have to decide whether to sacrifice themselves to keep Junko Enoshima trapped, or get out of the simulation but cause the world to end all over again.]]
** In ''VisualNovel/NewDanganRonpaV3'''s 2nd trial, [[spoiler: Kirumi's motive boils down to this. What are the lives of 14 high school students, even talented ones, against the lives of every citizen of Japan?]]

* Used beautifully during ''Series/{{Angel}}'' season 5 in the episode "A Hole in the World"; as Fred is dying from being infected with Illyria's essence, Angel and Spike make their way to the Deeper Well, the graveyard of the Old Ones, in order to find a way to stop it and save her. While Drogyn does say they can save her by drawing Illyria back to the Well, he states that, because Illyria's essence has been freed from containment, it will essentially become an airborne virus and spread to every person between the Deeper Well and Los Angeles, killing tens-to-hundreds of thousands of innocents. Though they do briefly consider it, Angel and Spike ultimately can't sacrifice all those people for one person, and are forced to let Fred die.

* Used near the end of ''VideoGame/FireEmblemAwakening'', but with a twist: Avatar is perfectly fine with the idea of sacrificing [=him/herself=] to [[spoiler:kill the Fell Dragon Grima for good instead of temporarily sealing him]]. It's their best friend (or husband) Chrom who opposes this idea, and the Avatar quotes this trope to try convincing him that this is the right decision - though in the end, it's up to player to decide. [[spoiler:Though even if the player decides to sacrifice themselves, the post-credits cutscene shows that they survive through [[ThePowerOfLove the magic of friendship]] anyways.]]

* ''Manga/FateKaleidLinerPrismaIllya'': Julian Ainsworth wants to save his world, but his method is to sacrifice Miyu to the Holy Grail, declaring one little girl does not outweigh a world.