Most difficult question you have been asked at an Interview?

[klmnop]

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McGill does the MMI type of interviews and the craziest ones I've heard include:

-Clean your messy office, read a paper, and be prepare to discuss it in 1 minute with the author.

-2 minutes to convince a person not to jump of a ledge

-you have to be the clown for your employers daughter at her birthday

-you have to teach an autistic child how to do the laundry

 

[WholeLottaGame7]

Well, since sexual slavery is illegal in Indonesia, I sincerely doubt that coming out against the slavery option would show insensitivity to the culture.

The question wasn't "is sexual slavery good or bad?" The question was (basically) "is sexual slavery better or worse than letting your entire family die?"

My point about cultural sensitivity was that you have to be prepared to accept viewpoints other than your own as valid. In this case, apparently 93% of people from that culture viewed the survival of the family as more important than the freedom of the individual. Whether or not you would make the same decision is irrelevant as long as you understand that it's a reasonable choice.

 

[Simplify]

The point of such ethical questions is not to get a right answer. It's to make you think on your toes, synthesize, and communicate your own ethical justification on the spot. The interviewer is trying to learn something about how you think. Anyone who thinks there is a right answer obviously missed the point of the question.

 

[Gabby]

I understand that the answer is 'Yes, you need to sell your daughter,' and to understand the cultural differences so as not to judge based on your American/Western views.

I'm amazed by the amount of people on this thread who believe that's "the answer." It isn't. In fact, believing that only proves how culturally illiterate most of the posters on this thread are. Child trafficking/slavery (sexual or otherwise) is illegal in Indonesia. It isn't "acceptable" just because people are poor. There is no difference between the legalities of child slavery there or here.

Secondly, I think quite a few people are being so nonchalant about this because they equate child prostitution with a high-priced Vegas call girl and say ridiculous things like "I'd rather be a 12-year-old prostitute than a dead 12-year-old" or "maybe she can send some money back to her family" or "she'll be a sex worker." They don't understand that little girls in these situations aren't "sex workers." They're abuse and rape victims. They sometimes die of internal bleeding from repeatedly being raped by numerous men each night, many of them will eventually be infected with AIDS, they'll most likely be murdered before they're 18 years old and in ways that make death by starvation seem like paradise.

If your answer is "yes, sell your daughter," you either have no children and have a lot to learn or you have no soul.

 

[Gabby]

The question wasn't "is sexual slavery good or bad?" The question was (basically) "is sexual slavery better or worse than letting your entire family die?"

My point about cultural sensitivity was that you have to be prepared to accept viewpoints other than your own as valid. In this case, apparently 93% of people from that culture viewed the survival of the family as more important than the freedom of the individual. Whether or not you would make the same decision is irrelevant as long as you understand that it's a reasonable choice.

No, I don't understand that it's a reasonable choice, because it's not. So says me, so says the government of Indonesia, which is why it's illegal. That would be like saying that pedophilia here in the U.S. is reasonable since some people do it.

 

[WholeLottaGame7]

No, I don't understand that it's a reasonable choice, because it's not. So says me, so says the government of Indonesia, which is why it's illegal. That would be like saying that pedophilia here in the U.S. is reasonable since some people do it.

It's not like saying pedophilia in the US is reasonable, because lives in the US don't depend on it. I also don't think most people are under the illusion that a sex slave = a US prostitute. I've been operating under the assumption that the life expectancy is not going to be high for the child you sell.

You also seem to be confusing legality with morality. I understand that it's illegal, that's not in question. You seem to have a very narrow-minded view of morality. The point was, you could also argue that it's immoral to let yourself, wife, and child die when you had the ability to save them.

If nothing else, the fact that the people who've actually been in that situation (the Indonesian women) and a good portion of people on this board have chosen that route should tell you that there is no right or wrong answer.

Your best bet if you get an answer like this is, as has been stated before, make your choice and thoroughly explain your reasoning, but stay away from denouncing the other option. Regardless of how strongly you feel about a subject, it's best not to come off as too judgemental during an interview.

 

[SabC]

without an ox, one child will die first. without four people and no ox (so three people and no ox...) you will be unable to get by and will die b/c not enough work will get done.

i tried every way to get myself out of this question by throwing out possiblities to my interviewer like the one you suggested, but he shot them all down. it was an interview. could be a real life situation, but in real life, like many of you, i would have probably killed the guy.

all of your responses are why i posted this question in this thread. it was an absolutely RIDICULOUS question.

I think the point of these questions is often not about the "right" answer so much as it is about giving you an opportunity to talk. To show you have an opinion and can support it, that you can debate articulately, that you have the ability to set aside your own personal/cultural biases and view a situation objectively, gauge whether you can maintain your composure when confronted with a subject that may be an affront to your personal values and beliefs, or if you're are so myopically fixated on them that your adherence to your personal dogma prevents you from even engaging in dispassionate intellectual discussion. The manner in which you answer the question says far more about you than how you answered it imo.

 

[Gabby]

It's not like saying pedophilia in the US is reasonable, because lives in the US don't depend on it.

So if your life is at stake, it's okay to kill your daughter? By giving her up to a life as a sex slave, you're killing her to save yourself.

I also don't think most people are under the illusion that a sex slave = a US prostitute.

I don't know about that, given some of the comments on this thread.

You also seem to be confusing legality with morality.

No, I'm not. Somewhere along the way, people turned this into "understanding the culture" of Indonesia, as if the fact that this is acceptable there makes it moral. I'm pointing out that it isn't acceptable there. If it was, it wouldn't be illegal. Therefore, their whole argument about acceptable = moral in that part of the world falls apart.

You seem to have a very narrow-minded view of morality.

As a matter of fact, I don't, unless it comes to selling a child into sexual slavery. Sexual slavery = murder. Therefore, the question should be, would you be okay with murdering your daughter to save your family? There is no gray there, as far as I'm concerned.

The point was, you could also argue that it's immoral to let yourself, wife, and child die when you had the ability to save them.

That's a faulty argument. Not one person with a child would ever say that it's better to subject your pre-teen daughter to daily beatings and rapings in order to feed your wife. Not one.

If nothing else, the fact that the people who've actually been in that situation (the Indonesian women) and a good portion of people on this board have chosen that route should tell you that there is no right or wrong answer.

No, it just tells me there are a lot of ignorant people on this forum and I'd bet that every one of the posters who said they would sell their daughter don't have children. As for the Indonesian responders, I have yet to see proof of that. Was there a source offered for that study that I missed?

Your best bet if you get an answer like this is, as has been stated before, make your choice and thoroughly explain your reasoning, but stay away from denouncing the other option. Regardless of how strongly you feel about a subject, it's best not to come off as too judgemental during an interview.

During residency interviews, I'll remember not to denounce abusing my patients should I get that as a question. Wouldn't want to be judgmental or anything.

 

[wagmanager]

I too would like to see the said study.I come from a developing nation. I've lived there. I've seen whole families begging on the street for food, living under a tree, with sick kids and these women ,beggars or not love their kids and would not do something like that.Giving them in marriage to a man substantially older than them would be the route most would take(and not even at as young as 12 years) and no don't tell me it is the same as selling them to become a prostitute because it is not.These girls, when married to this man go on to provide for their parents, siblings etc, gain the respectability of being called Mrs someone(since it matters in my country).They are not beaten or raped daily. They might still be unhappy but a lot of them are happy that they are finally able to stop worrying where the next meal will come from and that theri kids will have a better life

 

[WholeLottaGame7]

So if your life is at stake, it's okay to kill your daughter? By giving her up to a life as a sex slave, you're killing her to save yourself.

I agree.

I don't know about that, given some of the comments on this thread.

Fair enough.

As a matter of fact, I don't, unless it comes to selling a child into sexual slavery. Sexual slavery = murder. Therefore, the question should be, would you be okay with murdering your daughter to save your family? There is no gray there, as far as I'm concerned.

That's a faulty argument. Not one person with a child would ever say that it's better to subject your pre-teen daughter to daily beatings and rapings in order to feed your wife. Not one.

Unless you have knowledge of how every other parent in the world thinks, I'm not sure you can speak to this. If you would like to equalize it for those without children, you can replace child with mother/father/sister/brother.

No, it just tells me there are a lot of ignorant people on this forum and I'd bet that every one of the posters who said they would sell their daughter don't have children. As for the Indonesian responders, I have yet to see proof of that. Was there a source offered for that study that I missed?

No, we have to go on what the interviewer said.

During residency interviews, I'll remember not to denounce abusing my patients should I get that as a question. Wouldn't want to be judgmental or anything.

Sarcasm and twisting of decent advice duly noted.

To all the prospective applicants out there, I still suggest you stay away from value judgments during interviews. Best not to rock the boat if at all possible. Hopefully you don't get anything like this scenario; I posed it to two of my fellow graduating med students and they were a little horrified the question even came up.

 

[PianoMajor]

the question that NO ONE can prepare for

My ethical question at Boston University from the chair/dean of the public health school/program (he is an MD/MPH). he also happens to be the individual who runs the health care system in Lesotho (the landlocked island in South Africa) and frequently travels to Indonesia (i skipped a lot of this info so you don't have to read it all):

"So Indonesia is a poor country with many of its citizens living in rural areas relying on an agricultural lifestyle for money and sustenance. Generally, each family has an ox to help on the farm, particularly with the crops. Without an ox, studies have shown that in a family of four, one of the two children will die of malnutrition within 1 year of losing your one ox.

You are the father of a 10 year old son and a 12 year old daughter. Your wife and two children help you on the farm to survive (food, money etc). Unfortunately, one day your ox dies. There is no way to get another ox, as they are $20. You do not have that much money and cannot get that much money as you no longer have an ox to help you with the crops. Surely, one of your two children will die within the year of malnutrition.

One day, a strange man happens upon your farm. He offers you $20 in exchange for your 12 year old daughter, whom he will take into the the city and make her work in prostitution. Do you accept this offer?"

.....curious to hear what you guys think is the right answer. i got it right, according to my interviewer.

I would keep my 12 year old daughter. The little time of being able to be with her, and holding her in my arms when and if she dies knowing that I've tried everything in my own power to keep her alive is infinitely better than knowing that I have doomed her to a lifetime of unhappiness and sexual abuse.

 

[Gabby]

If you would like to equalize it for those without children, you can replace child with mother/father/sister/brother.

No, you can't. The bond of parent and child is like no other and replacing the child with a parent makes no sense. Selling your mother into prostitution is hardly the same as selling your 12-year-old daughter.

No, we have to go on what the interviewer said.

No, we don't. We're going by what one poster claims an interviewer claimed. That's hearsay twice removed. Until there's some sort of proof of this survey/study, I won't include what these women in Indonesia allegedly said in my thinking.

Sarcasm and twisting of decent advice duly noted.

Sarcasm, sure. I don't believe I twisted anything though. Selling a young girl into sexual slavery is just as horrific as a doctor abusing defenseless patients. If one isn't supposed to denounce the former, what's the reasoning behind denouncing the latter?

 

[chelala]

I have to wonder if gender is not playing a role in the answering of this questions. Are most of the people saying "Yes, sell the daughter" male? And would the answers change if the man wanted to sell the 10 year old son? I have to believe that some answers would immediately change.

 

[Gabby]

I have to wonder if gender is not playing a role in the answering of this questions. Are most of the people saying "Yes, sell the daughter" male? And would the answers change if the man wanted to sell the 10 year old son? I have to believe that some answers would immediately change.

I thought of that too. Given some of the responses, it seems that people don't truly understand what forced sexual intercourse can do to a young girl, and I don't just mean emotionally. I bet if it was a son instead of a daughter and there was more explicit language about genitalia tearing/mutilation, a lot of answers would change.

 

[SabC]

Selling the son is largely irrelevant as the % of boys sold into slavery is minuscule comparatively. The question is predicated on a facts. Female children being sold into slavery is a common in many Asian and non-western countries. To service a largely western clientele...many of whom I'm sure have daughters of their own.

People are quite pious and full of moral superiority while smugly judging a decision they will be fortunate enough to never face. Like most Sophie's Choice caliber scenarios, you really have no idea what you will and will not due when forced into a situation.

 

[Gabby]

Selling the son is largely irrelevant as the % of boys sold into slavery is minuscule comparatively. The question is predicated on a facts. Female children being sold into slavery is a common in many Asian and non-western countries. To service a largely western clientele...many of whom I'm sure have daughters of their own.

Answering a hypothetical question doesn't have to be predicated on facts. That's what makes it hypothetical. Nice dodge though. I'm sure the men of the forum will thank you.

People are quite pious and full of moral superiority while smugly judging a decision they will be fortunate enough to never face. Like most Sophie's Choice caliber scenarios, you really have no idea what you will and will not due when forced into a situation.

I guarantee you I will never sell any child into sexual slavery, much less my own daughter. For you to post that only proves that you have no children. Wait until you do and then figure out whether or not you "really have no idea what you will and will not due (sic) when forced into a situation."

 

[klmnop]

i'd probably offer to prostitute myself, the market is smaller but it exists.

also, if it would take a year for emaciation to cause death, a grown man would be able to stave off eating for some time in order to save for an ox. i know this is not an option because the purpose of the question is to eliminate creativity, but you have to imagine there are ways to avoid this.... even if most cannot

 

[Ellegra]

if your answer is "yes, sell your daughter," you either have no children and have a lot to learn or you have no soul.

+1

 

[klmnop]

i have a new answer

say yes, and then when you are following the man back to your hut, attack him with a machete and feed him to your children

alternate ending: hold him for $25 ransom and buy an ox with the money

 

[SabC]

I guarantee you I will never sell any child into sexual slavery, much less my own daughter. For you to post that only proves that you have no children. Wait until you do and then figure out whether or not you "really have no idea what you will and will not due (sic) when forced into a situation."

Are you actually arrogant enough to believe that by virtue of having utilized your reproductive anatomy you can presume to speak every other mother on earth?

Did you list this ability to self-delude in your EC's? It's really quite impressive.

Given your moral outrage and the mere suggestion of the hypothetical, you must be very actively involved with the organizations that are attempting to curtail the prostitution of children in third world countries, a practice that has reached epidemic proportions. Or do you just confine your efforts to virtual outrage on the interwebs?

 

[Ellegra]

For you to post that only proves that you have no children. Wait until you do and then figure out whether or not you "really have no idea what you will and will not due (sic) when forced into a situation."

+1000
I was reading all of these discussions with the thought that here are two different groups. One group has children and another group is not. Guys, when you will have your own child, you will truly understand that the child - parent bond is unique and not comparable with any other feelings. Until that moment it doesn't make any sense trying to prove a point that it is OK to give your daughter for prostitution. I have no doubts that you will not. Before I had a child, I was thinking about children as something not real and not much important compare to people whom I loved. However, after my child was born, things changed. Don't get me wrong on this part, but the truly loving parent would better die than would allow to hurt his or her child. Hold down on time and try to remember this discussion in 10 years 😀

In addition, no one paid attention to the phrase "Surely, one of your two children will die within the year of malnutrition." Common! I would catch that interviewer on these words. If you know in front that death is possible and you have the whole year, you will force yourself to prevent it with the best of your abilities. Move to different place, change your life, or do something else to save your family! There is always the right solution can be found, you just have to search for it. Create some sombreros from dry grass and sell it to tourists! 😉

And remember, interviewers would ask your own opinion and you do not have to be someone else on the interview. Just be honest with yourself and I believe that it is more important with tricky questions and answers.

 

[Gabby]

Are you actually arrogant enough to believe that by virtue of having utilized your reproductive anatomy you can presume to speak every other mother on earth?

No, I was just talking to you in that post and I was foolishly giving you the benefit of the doubt and assuming that you'd be the kind of parent who was devoted to his/her child. I guess I shouldn't presume to speak for you, though.

Did you list this ability to self-delude in your EC's? It's really quite impressive.

Nice. You can't stand up against my argument on the topic, so you change the topic and take cheap shots.

Given your moral outrage and the mere suggestion of the hypothetical, you must be very actively involved with the organizations that are attempting to curtail the prostitution of children in third world countries, a practice that has reached epidemic proportions. Or do you just confine your efforts to virtual outrage on the interwebs?

Actually, yes. I began my volunteer work in high school at a teen shelter for runaways, many of whom became prostitutes, and then continued in college with an international human trafficking organization. I gave up my volunteer work when I began med school last fall because of the time commitment, but I'll be picking it up again this summer.

 

[Gabby]

+1000
I was reading all of these discussions with the thought that here are two different groups. One group has children and another group is not. Guys, when you will have your own child, you will truly understand that the child - parent bond is unique and not comparable with any other feelings. Until that moment it doesn't make any sense trying to prove a point that it is OK to give your daughter for prostitution. I have no doubts that you will not. Before I had a child, I was thinking about children as something not real and not much important compare to people whom I loved. However, after my child was born, things changed. Don't get me wrong on this part, but the truly loving parent would better die than would allow to hurt his or her child. Hold down on time and try to remember this discussion in 10 years 😀

In addition, no one paid attention to the phrase "Surely, one of your two children will die within the year of malnutrition." Common! I would catch that interviewer on these words. If you know in front that death is possible and you have the whole year, you will force yourself to prevent it with the best of your abilities. Move to different place, change your life, or do something else to save your family! There is always the right solution can be found, you just have to search for it. Create some sombreros from dry grass and sell it to tourists! 😉

And remember, interviewers would ask your own opinion and you do not have to be someone else on the interview. Just be honest with yourself and I believe that it is more important with tricky questions and answers.

Couldn't have said it better! Thank you!

 

[Excelsius]

That prostitution question turned out to be the best so far - more than half a thread devoted to it now. There are parts of the question that make its reality suspicious. The original post did not contain anything about the death of the entire family. The follow up about the ox said that the entire family will die, yet somehow the child was supposed to survive for an entire year. So then what really happens? A child dies first within a year and then the family? How come there is this separation? Just doesn't make too much sense. Also the fact that the child has exactly a year, yet the rest of the family is unaffected by this deadline. This question must have been made up or modified from the truth because of the loopholes, unless the poster didn't paraphrase it correctly.

And for those who still suggest underage prostitution, the question could be rephrased: would you rather have your daughter die by rape and infection or die yourself? As a male head of household who cannot make enough money to support a family, the father has no function really. On top of that, he is likely the largest consumer. He could need as much nutrition as both of his children and the wife combined. So there - another solution is suicide, as I mentioned before. The wife can remarry or just survive while she figures out a way out before the children grow up.

Since giving your underage child away can mean brutal death, this is equivalent to killing your child. In that case, why not kill the child yourself? Not only it is the same, but I would argue that it is far better than likely death by rape. It's about money and your own survival again, hence the sale.

Again, if anyone is suggesting underage prostitution, here is a follow up question: every day many children die around the world due to lack of nutrition. Africa comes to mind. If you agree to the sale here, then what do you think about putting all these children whose families will face certain death on Craigslist to be bought by anyone for any purpose? I mean what's the worst that can happen - pedophilia? Well, that's already the choice. So, how do you feel about that? If you support this one case, you must support all the other cases as well. It makes no difference whether the starving family is in Indonesia or Sudan. It just doesn't work this way. The simplest solution is still the best solution - if you can't afford to look after your family DO NOT beget children. If you willingly did so, then it is better for you and your spouse to succumb than sell your child to survive. This will create natural selection and make sure that those who wish to survive do NOT have children. What you do not realize is that by condoning underage sales you are actually creating a culture where families can have one, two, three, or more "extra" children so that they can sell them and survive. This is not unlike some families in the USA who pop one child after another because the payments by the government increase with each child.

Anyway, the sale of the child has so many loopholes that in this case I'd say that the odds are heavily against that option, even though ethical questions are usually more ambiguous than this. If you were my interviewee and voted for sale without some excellent explanation, you'd be grilled.

I really like this question. It reminds me of a philosophical debate we had in one of my courses where you're trapped in a cave and the tide is rising. An obese person is stuck in the only exit and within minutes the cave is going to fill up with water and everyone will drown (10 people). You have the option of either letting everyone die or blowing up the obese person and getting out.

Don't you love humanities? Hahahaha

 

[WholeLottaGame7]

I really like this question. It reminds me of a philosophical debate we had in one of my courses where you're trapped in a cave and the tide is rising. An obese person is stuck in the only exit and within minutes the cave is going to fill up with water and everyone will drown (10 people). You have the option of either letting everyone die or blowing up the obese person and getting out.

Don't you love humanities? Hahahaha

My favorite is a train is coming down the tracks. Tied to the tracks in front of it are 10 people. However, you can flip the switch to divert the train to a set of tracks with 1 person on it. Which do you choose?

Anyway, thankfully the odds are that none of us will be faced with such horrendous scenarios, making it a moot point. In the end, I think most people make the decision that will allow them to live with themselves (or not live, depending on the scenario).

 

[Cleavername]

Wow, I'm surprised how some people actually think we are cold blooded monsters who will sell their children for money.

I have two stories, true and fictional.

First is my own grandfather's experience who survived a war. (I won't mention which one, but I come from a foreign country) He was on a small boat that fit less than ten people and they were trying to flee in the dead of the night. If they were caught, everyone would be shot. A baby suddenly started crying. Of course, the mom tried to calm him down but he wouldn't stop. Eventually, she drowned the baby and nobody said a thing. This is a true story.

Second one is from The Kite Runner. This is in Afghanistan. A man runs an orphanage in the time of war and every month a child is taken away (for prostitution) by Taliban in exchange for a small sum of money. An American starts to judge the man who runs the orphanage, but the caretaker confesses that if he doesn't do so, there is no way for the other children to live. This is from a book, but I don't doubt it has happened.

My point is none of them are really doing the right thing. But in times of extreme conditions, you never know what people are capable of. You're not just sacrificing yourself but other people's lives. Nobody would feel content and think they did a good thing when they do that.

Don't judge. Understand.

i like stoped breathing for the 10 secs i spend reading the drowned baby comment. but then i understood why the mother did it. hardcore stuff dude lol.