NationStates Jolt Archive

I was surprised in a number of posts that people feel that they can place a monetary value on peoples lives, so I just thought I would ask NSG what their mean value for a life would be. Not a mass murderer or a saint.. just your average Jo. What are they worth?

Values are in US$ for convenience sake, and yes an American Billion too..

I was surprised in a number of posts that people feel that they can place a monetary value on peoples lives, so I just thought I would ask NSG what their mean value for a life would be. Not a mass murderer or a saint.. just your average Jo. What are they worth?

Values are in US$ for convenience sake, and yes an American Billion too..
About $20 to the local abitior or so I've heard.,

Their worth is equal to the value of the goods and services that they provide to society. This doesn't take into account those are who young to have jobs, however. They are worth the projected value of the goods and services that they will provide to society.

1-100 thousand, humans can do a lot if properly motivated.

$0.21 in USD. You can buy a box of fifty bullets for $10.79.

Hmm, well, as spare parts, probably not much. As a machine, quite a lot.

$0.21 in USD. You can buy a box of fifty bullets for $10.79.

Or you can use your hands for free.

Or you can use your hands for free.

Hey, It propbably burns a couple Calories.

A couple of thousand dollars. When you get into big ammounts of money you have to figgure that that kind of cash could save thousands, even tens of thousands of people living in African shitholes from dying if properly applied.

Hey, It propbably burns a couple calories.

True... but you could get those calories back if you're really dedicated. :eek: :eek: :eek:

Or you can use your hands for free.

Too much can go wrong. Spend the quarter, use the remaining for a Bazooka Joe afterward.

It seems sometimes one's death is worth more than one's life. Ask any hit man.

Value is subjective- ergo, we cannot come to a certain value for each human life. All we can try to do is come up with some expression for it.

Not sure if this is a serious post (especially as I spotted an answer by MeansToAnEnd) but nothing. You cannot put a price on human life/existence as (so sue me) all human beings are essentially of equal worth.

Well, for ME, $10 cash up front. Just leave it on the desk, I'll pick it up on my way out.

I'd say in the 100k to million range. Almost all people can be expected to earn atleast a million dollars over the course of their lifetime in the US. Wether they retain it or not is immaterial. Each life is worth atleast $1 million.

Not sure if this is a serious post (especially as I spotted an answer by MeansToAnEnd) but nothing. You cannot put a price on human life/existence as (so sue me) all human beings are essentially of equal worth.

Exactly, the question is what is that equal worth? :p

A couple of thousand dollars. When you get into big ammounts of money you have to figgure that that kind of cash could save thousands, even tens of thousands of people living in African shitholes from dying if properly applied.

I guess I was assuming people would be talking about Humans in their local society.. my bad assumption. The average Jo hanging out in the States is probably paid (I have no stats behind me) US$ 30K a year for 40 years.. thats 1.2 Million ... so I would have thought the value would start about there if you were gonna put numbers on it..

But yeah I guess I should have said the average Human from your local neighbourhood :)

EDIT: Just found a value for an Australian in a totally unrelated article (http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/obesitys-huge-cost-dwarfs-medicare/2006/10/17/1160850935071.html) $AUS 3.7 million or about US$ 2.8 million.

Exactly, the question is what is that equal worth? :p

And my answer is: unquantifiable or none. To quantify a human being's worth is to suggest that there is a sliding scale: which leads to me being worth twenty quid and you being worth fifty and a starving kid in Ethiopia being worth fifty pence...Not a position I (hope) think any of us would agree with.

Not sure if this is a serious post (especially as I spotted an answer by MeansToAnEnd) but nothing. You cannot put a price on human life/existence as (so sue me) all human beings are essentially of equal worth.

I guess its serious enough... I have to admit that I was surprised people were so willing to attach a number to someones life.. but hey.. thats what you set these things up for.. to get some sense of the communities ideals.. or lack thereof :)

The Germans who got kidnapped around the world recently were worth about $ 5 million each.

Not that anyone actually paid anyone anything anyhow... But those were the numbers that made the news.

Just go here (http://www.humanforsale.com/) to find out.

EDIT: According to it, I am worth precisely $1,901,170.

Start bidding, people...

Just go here (http://www.humanforsale.com/) to find out.

EDIT: According to it, I am worth precisely $1,901,170.

Start bidding, people...

I'm worth a little over $2 million, but I've never taken an IQ test so I just put down a random amount for that.

I could kill somebody for 1-10 million dollars, roughly

What are they worth?

One Human

Assorted Chemicals: $7.29
Bottled Water: $19.96
Subtotal: $27.25
Sales Tax (8.25%): $2.25
Total: $29.50

:)

ALL HUMANS ARE SCUM... I wouldn't pay a red cent for any of you, ANY of you scumsucking-maggotpukes!

According to that quiz, $2,252,230. How much money would you be willing to die for if the money all went to charity? Or is that too creepy of a question?

ALL HUMANS ARE SCUM... I wouldn't pay a red cent for any of you, ANY of you scumsucking-maggotpukes!

:p I like you, have a cookie

You are worth exactly $2,064,740.

My dictionary (Webster's NWDOEL, 3rd ed., Unabridged) says that worth and value tend to be used interchangeably but when a distinciton must be made, worth implies those things that intrinsically make us human beings, and value is used in reference to usability and importance.

So i would say the worth of an average joe is incalcuable, and the value of the average joe varies according to the best rate that he can find by the insurance actuaries.

:p I like you, have a cookie

I don't want your poisoncookie, you damned-ugly two-faced wannabe siamiese twin!

I don't want your poisoncookie, you damned-ugly two-faced wannabe siamiese twin!

I also like you, have a brownie.

Not much if you're Dimson

I also like you, have a brownie.

is it magic? bet it is you friggin deluted-pulluted-manipulative- hatemongeringering-liberal-agenda-hippie blackbagger!

Suppose there was bound to be some Freepers about

Depends, what team do you support :p

Depends, what team do you support :p

Spurs and what?

You ain't a Brighton fan are you?

;)

Priceless! I believe in the sanctity of all human life.

Their worth is equal to the value of the goods and services that they provide to society. This doesn't take into account those are who young to have jobs, however. They are worth the projected value of the goods and services that they will provide to society.
That's a disgusting way to thing... might as well kill off the homeless as entertainment, right?

That's a disgusting way to thing... might as well kill off the homeless as entertainment, right?

Don't forget the handicapped, the mentally retarded, the insane and the elderly.

I was surprised in a number of posts that people feel that they can place a monetary value on peoples lives, so I just thought I would ask NSG what their mean value for a life would be. Not a mass murderer or a saint.. just your average Jo. What are they worth?

Values are in US$ for convenience sake, and yes an American Billion too..

I can read between the lines and all I have to say is; I do NOT recommend you starting a career as a hostage taker.

I'm worth... *puts pinky to mouth* 1 bzillion gjillion fjillion trillion stillion millioooon dooollllars....! MUHUWAHAHA!!!! :eek:

(that was a Dr. Evil impression from Austin Powers in case you were wondering)

I gave a guy twenty bucks one time so he could pay the cabby and tip him. I'm pretty sure he would have been murdered had I not bailed him out. I wouldn't have given him any more than twenty though.

Don't forget the handicapped, the mentally retarded, the insane and the elderly.
Oh, how could I?

Depends greatly on the person; hard to say a good average. A (very) small minority of people are near-invaluable, most worth between a few hundred to a few tens of thousand dollars. Some are near-worthless as well, of cource.

Note that is is provided the people could be put to good usage; otherwise, most people are more than worthless.

Depends...


Intellectual? immeasurable
Racist? $20
Sexist? $10
Honest Lawyer? More than you'll ever have
Average Lawyer? $30
Crooked Lawyer? $20
Local Reporter: $200
Unbiased National News Reporter: $1 mil
Person still ticked off about the "War of Northern Aggression"? a nickel.
National News Reporter for Fox: $1
GW bush: $10
Avg. Republican Voter: $20
Dick Cheney?: $10, plus several million dollars in deals to halliburton relating to his funeral.
Far Right Winger/Religious Wacko: $3
Professional Athlete: $1000
Politician? $4
Crooked Politician? $2
Lobbyist: $9
Tobacco/Gun Lobbyist: $6
NAMBLA Lobbyist: $3

Depends...


Intellectual? immeasurable
Racist? $20
Sexist? $10
Honest Lawyer? More than you'll ever have
Average Lawyer? $30
Crooked Lawyer? $20
Local Reporter: $200
Unbiased National News Reporter: $1 mil
Person still ticked off about the "War of Northern Aggression"? a nickel.
National News Reporter for Fox: $1
GW bush: $10
Avg. Republican Voter: $20
Dick Cheney?: $10, plus several million dollars in deals to halliburton relating to his funeral.
Far Right Winger/Religious Wacko: $3
Professional Athlete: $1000
Politician? $4
Crooked Politician? $2
Lobbyist: $9
Tobacco/Gun Lobbyist: $6
NAMBLA Lobbyist: $3

I think we should stick with saying that all humans can not be defined by money.

Especially when you claim Dubya is worth $10. You really think he's worth that much?

(64.3 - their age) * $7200.

Easy.

Depends...


Intellectual? immeasurable
Racist? $20
Sexist? $10
Honest Lawyer? More than you'll ever have
Average Lawyer? $30
Crooked Lawyer? $20
Local Reporter: $200
Unbiased National News Reporter: $1 mil
Person still ticked off about the "War of Northern Aggression"? a nickel.
National News Reporter for Fox: $1
GW bush: $10
Avg. Republican Voter: $20
Dick Cheney?: $10, plus several million dollars in deals to halliburton relating to his funeral.
Far Right Winger/Religious Wacko: $3
Professional Athlete: $1000
Politician? $4
Crooked Politician? $2
Lobbyist: $9
Tobacco/Gun Lobbyist: $6
NAMBLA Lobbyist: $3

A professional athlete is worth more to you than the leader of the free world?

Actually, I don't believe one human has any more value over another human. Even if I am the polar opposite in beliefs (which includes most people on jolt forum :p ), I believe that there is value in differences - dang, the world would be pretty boring if we all thought the same thing!

Oh, and Bush has to be worth more than $10 or so many of you who like to make cheap jabs at the president of the United States would have not nearly as much to talk about on here :)

The AVERAGE human? Not worth much. We destroy what we are given. We break off from what created us. We ignore the truth around us. The list goes on. There are the few gems out there, but it's nothing really.

Here's my 2 cents.

According to www.ibiblio.org/lunarbin/worldpop, the world's current population is approximately 6,657,118,104 at the time of this post. For the sake of this exercise, let us assume that this neatly summarises all humans that need to be taken into account to define the "average human".

According to www2.exxonmobil.com/Corporate/Citizenship/Imports/EnergyOutlook05/slide_5.html, global gross domestic product was estimated to be $31,500,000,000,000 in 2000, and is expected to reach $71,000,000,000,000 in 2030. If we assume (and I realise this is crude but it is the best available data I have on my coffee break) that we are now 20% of the way from 2000 to 2030 and that the population growth is linear (which it almost certainly won't be) over the 30 years from 2000 to 2030, then we can interpolate that current global gross domestic product is approximately $39,400,000,000,000 at present.

Logically therefore, by simple division, your "average human" is worth $5,918,476.95.

This calculation, of course, is possibly flawed by many variables I may have replaced with uneducated assumptions, including the following ones I can think of: the population estimate is correct, the gdp estimate is correct, population grows on a linear scale, there cannot be average human beings anywhere apart from earth, an exxonmobil.com trillion has 12 zeroes, ALL the gdp should be attributed to human beings to determine their worth, age, creed, race, gender, sexuality, etc have no influence on your worth, and of course the massive outrageous assumption that we're actually worth anything at all.

I'd also like to make the point that the "worth" of something, if it needs to be described in monetary terms, is realistically what someone is prepared to pay for it, which implies ownership. A bag of chips is worth $1.10 to me because I then get to own the chips and do something with them (which in my case is stuff them in my ears as quickly as possible, but that's a separate conversation). A human isn't worth squat to me by this line of thinking as I don't get to own the human. Unless the human is a slave. But then, if we were to work out the "average" human's value as a slave, then we'd have to take all 6.66 billion humans into account, and there'd be nobody left to actually own the slaves. Unless we owned each other.

This leads me to the question that if, indeed, we all WERE worth something, who would buy us? God? Surely not. Again, I make the assumption that God exists, for I have no proof. Assuming God exists, and that He created heaven and earth, He owns all of us. Also, if He is putting a value on us, then that requires Him to judge us, His own creation. If God exists, He is by definition perfect and would be happy with Himself, and would have no need to judge His own works. Without judgement, how can we be given a value? And I don't recall learning of any relevance of currency to Creationism, except for love.

How can one man (me) argue that we are worth nothing, at the same time as arguing that we are each worth about $5.9 mill? I must be talking nonsense.

Nonsense aside, I personally believe that every human being is worth whatever he or she individually chooses that they want to be worth. It's up to each individual to kill themselves or sieze the day, love or hate, etc etc, and their worth depends on the decisions they make (as well as the perspective of the person doing the judging of the worth).

Q.E.D.

then we'd have to take all 6.66 billion humans into account

Aww fuck...

Aww fuck...

Not happy about the 666 thing? Sorry. A bit antibiblical of me, wasn't it?

The worth of a person depends upon the person who's value is being judged as well as the person placing the value.

Your mother would probably be worth more to you than to me for instance.

I don't think you can put a value on human life. However, those who do cost-benefit analyses where human life is involved put the figure at $10 million, or so I read somewhere (I think it was New Scientist).

That is, if you are certain that something is going to kill someone, and it would cost $9,999,999.99 to stop it (with a 100% chance of success), then you should do it.

last I heard it was about 7.55 USD

last I heard it was about 7.55 USD

Yeah, for the anhydrous chemicals. But we're mostly water, and distilled water isn't cheap.

Whatever you're willing to pay for him/her.

some worth alot, some nothing at all. like hippies! :upyours: