The Balboa Wife

NEW -> Contingent Buyer Assistance Program
R

roundcorners_IHB

New member
This is an exercise that I did in college, I forgot for which class but it?s a great quick look into what your social values are. I'm super busy today, but I'll to explain later what each character represents... Here is the story:



There once was a couple who lived on Balboa Island. The husband is highly driven executive who always travels for business. He is almost never home. He makes a great living, hence the large Balboa home and the wife doesn?t have to work. Although she has a good friend she is often quite bored. After years of neglect from her husband, the wife was starving for attention and affection. She turns to an affair with a boyfriend across the harbor on the peninsula. The wife?s good friend didn?t like the boyfriend; she warned the wife that she will eventually get caught and strongly advise her to cut off the relationship and reconcile with her husband. The wife shrugged off the advice.



One morning, after spending the night at the boyfriends; the wife suddenly realizes that the husband will be home anytime. She needed to get home as soon as possible. She rushes out the door; however as she came to the bridge there stood a mad-man that threatening to kill anyone who comes near. She turns back, she thought about using the ferry boat. However as she got to the ferry terminal, she realizes that she doesn?t have enough money for the fare; she pleas with the ferry captain but he refuses let her on. She goes to her good friend house; the friend refuses to help with the fare citing the numerous warning she has given the wife. She went back to the boyfriend?s house but he also refuses to help. Left with no other option she took her chances with the mad-man. She approached him on the bridge, and he kills her.
 
the poll instruction was cut off; after you poll who is most responsible; list the remaining characters from most to least responsible for her death, and why you think that is...
 
Wife, hands down.



1) She wasn't happy but didn't have the balls to ask for a separation or divorce. This is especially true if there were no children.

2) The dude she picked to be her boyfriend was such a jerk that he didn't care if she got caught. Shows further poor judgement.

3) She knew the parameters under which she could get away with it, and she didn't follow through. She forgot the schedule or slept in. Her own fault.

4) She knew the danger of the mad man, and she made the choice that she would rather die than get caught. Pretty stupid in a community property state.

5) Take a walk until the police arrest the mad man. Walk home. "Where were you?" "I was so angry at you for not being home I couldn't sleep so I took a walk. We need to talk..." The end.
 
Nothing can relieve the mad man's responsibility for killing the woman. Her behavior and the choices she made were not the cause of her death; he was.
 
1. Wife - Though she had defensible reasons to look to another guy for affection, that has no bearing on her going to the bridge. She understood the chances and made the decision to risk her life instead of getting caught.

2. Mad Man - Assuming mad-man == insane == not in total control of his own actions. I almost equate him w/ an out of control truck. The wife sees this danger clearly yet decides to step in front of it anyway.

3. Husband - He explicitly made himself responsible for their relationship in marrying her. He didn't follow through on his commitment to her.

4/5/6. Good Friend/Boyfriend/Ferry Captain - They have no responsibility to aid her in getting away with something she shouldn't have been doing.



what's the prognosis dr. RC?
 
IR is correct - its the mad man, what the hell do her actions have to do with the the mad man deciding to kill her? Its like if i got killed because i was hungry at midnite and went to Mcdonalds and the Mcdonalds was being held up and I got shot. Is it really my fault that i got killed because i was hungry and went to McDonalds? Doubt it. its the dumbasses fault holding up the restaurant.



You guys are just blaming the wife because she was engaging in something that you, and probably most of society deems immoral. What if she was in the area collecting clothes for the needy and ended up in the same situation and getting killed? It would not be her fault right? Because she was there for a good cause? But she is having an affair so its her fault right?
 
Roundcorners, I enjoyed reading your threads and polls, its like church for IHB. There's a new human moral/dilemma everyday.



Go Pastor Roundcorners
 
Balboa Wife Explanation



The story is not meant to have one correct answer. The situation merely solicits a response to your personal beliefs of personal/social values and how you see the world. Different people depending on their experiences and history will answer the question differently. As with myself, I certainly have changed a few answers since being married. It?s been a few years, and my memory is a little fuzzy but here is the gist of what each of the characters represent, correct me if you have a better answer; I?ll put each character on a different post so you can respond to each separately if you like.
 
Wife



On a Personal level: The people who picked the wife as the person mainly responsible feel a strong sense of personal responsibility. Although other circumstances were against her, she takes the bulk of the responsibility for her own actions. On the flip side, the wives of the world are typically extremely hard on themselves. They are idealistic and tend to over promise and under deliver. They often over-commit and when things don?t work out they readily accept the blame even though it might not all be their fault.



In a Housing level: These are the people who say the subprime home debtors (owners) are the people to blame for the mortgage crisis.



In a Social level: These are the people on the outskirts of society. They might be people living under the poverty level. They could be in poverty under their own circumstances or not; we as a society however automatically see it as their fault.
 
Husband



On a Personal level: The husbands are the spouses or parents who take a lot of blame on themselves for not properly raising their children or nurturing their relationships. They might feel guilty for their own actions that might or might not have directly resulted in the tragedy. These are people who after retirement find themselves devoted to volunteerism or a cause greater than themselves. Unfortunately they should have realized that a lot of precious time and opportunities has already passed. Husbands are often seen as reactive instead of being proactive; if they take responsibility at all they see their guilt of inactivity and try to make-up grounds.



On a Housing level: They are probably the non-profit lawyers or credit counselors who are trying to help struggling homeowners stay in their houses.



On a Social level: The husbands are the non-profits aid organizations that are trying to bring help to war torn countries; or humanitarian aid to underprivileged nations. They are people who have great skills, resources and talent to help other people; however the need is often too great and there are always too few to help.
 
Good Friend



Personal level: People, who picked the good friend, usually have high expectations of their trusted friends and close relationships. They need to know that they can depend on their help in times of need, regardless of their own decisions. Once a friend has let this person down; they are often seen as never to be trusted again. The people, who pick the good friend, might have been betrayed in the past. They have a hard time forgiving and letting go; they also often overlook their own responsibilities.



Housing level: They are probably the economists, professors and reporters that told us about the housing bubble but the general greed and frenzy of the bubble made their voices unheard. They are also probably the neighbor who was trying to tell the HELOC abuser to refi into a fix rate before it was too late.



Social level: The friends are peer groups who are seemingly on the same boat. They might look the same, act the same, talk the same; however if you dig a little deeper there are fundamental differences in belief, faith and values. They often offer timely wise advice; we however are usually too proud or stubborn to follow. It is almost always too late when we realize the friend?s importance.
 
Boyfriend



Personal level: People who blame the boyfriend see a deep flagrant sense of betrayal. They were suppose to be partners in crime, they were great fun in the good times but when the chips are down, the boyfriend is not where to be found. People who have deep hurts from being used by others often chose the boyfriend. They realize their part in the tragedy but blame the other person for seducing them in the first place.



Housing level: I guess you can consider these people the culprits of the housing crisis. They are the executives who bundle the mortgage back securities. They are the realtors, the mortgage brokers, anyone who actively participated or deceived buyers to take on more debt then they can handle. They profited directed from other misfortunes and ill considered decisions.



Social level: This groups are truly the parasites of society. They benefit no one except for their own self interests. They generally are not interested in any affairs where they don?t benefit personally. The only useful function they have in society is they often con the crooks.
 
Ferry Captain



Personal level: People who chose the captain have a personal distaste for bureaucracy. They generally see a sense of injustice about the system; whether it is the government, an organization, a company or a specific group. Again, they take little or no responsibilities of their own. It is always someone else?s fault, generally not one person in particular.



Housing level: You can sum up all the other industries or companies that have nothing to do with housing; that are however suffering due to the economic downturn caused by the housing crisis.



Social level: There are for profit organizations that often try to do the right things, however they are often targeted for not being socially responsible enough. Although they don?t have to deviate from core competencies, they are often seen as uncompassionate, irresponsible and unemotional.
 
Mad-Man



Personal level: People who blame the mad-man are often victims of circumstances that are out of their control. It is true that you can?t control people, places and things; but what can go wrong usually does. These people are always on the border of chaos. In most of their activities and decisions they don?t have enough margins built-in for uncontrollables.



Housing level: The economy in general could be considered uncontrollable. The way the markets irrationally move; and the ways the herd reacts to certain news are often unexpected. If you are mad if you?re a knife-catcher.



Social level: Society in general is irrational, unpredictable and unstable. Public sentiments come and go like the wind. The mad-man is the aspect of human nature that is sinful. It is also the condition of this fallen world, this world was never designed to harm, hurt or kills us; but it does.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top