This is a Torchwood themes discussion. Folk who have not seen the series and who want the surprises to be fresh may wish to turn away now.

This is the situation:
• A race of aliens have arrived and have demanded 10% of the world’s children to be given to them. We know that this will not be a joy run to the adventure playground. Bad things will happen to the children.

• Precedent has been set - 40 years ago, 12 children were freely given to the aliens by the British.

• Negotiations with the aliens have broken down. If the children are not presented, the human race will be wiped out. Possibly all life on the planet will be extinguished.

• There is now no choice but to meet the aliens’ demands.

Some points made in the programme to think about:
• Infant mortality on Earth is high. A child dies every 3 seconds anyway. That’s a massive figure, and we seem incapable of solving this problem.

• The planet can not sustain the human race at the speed it is growing. A cull of humans may help reduce our demands on the planet.

The aliens’ demands are to be met, so a selection process has to be decided. What criteria should be used to select the 10% of the world’s children?

It’s a tough one, and some options were mooted in the episode. They were from a British perspective as the scene was set in an emergency Cabinet/COBRA meeting to determine the selection process.

So, what is the most acceptable answer, given that there has to be an answer?

Unless you say no way bog off then, a random lottery seems the only realistic way with ALL children included. That includes the cabinet members children.

Ask Christians to give up theirs.

If they really believe what they say they do.....

Any children that show any tendency to want to be politicians when they grow up.

Those with a criminal record

Any spotted wearing a hoodie

Since there is no way that I would give my children to aliens, (or anyone else for that matter) I'm choosing to fight and die.

+1

yes but it wouldn't be your choice it would be the governments.......... hmmmmmm up the revolution !

Can we source them from the Chav/Chavette baby factories, designed to milk the system?

Failing that, I'm onboard with the fight and die option.

+ 1

fight or die trying. that way they would get nothing.
the ability to destroy a thing is the ability to control a thing …

+1 for fight and die.

I think we'll win in the end.

Sharks

Agreed.

The aliens have nothing to gain through war. Even if they don't sustain a single casualty in battle, you have to assume they need the children to survive. Denying them the children will of it's self harm them, and perhaps impair their ability to play pied piper on other civilisations.

As it turns out, not exactly. without spoilers if at all possible, humans in the same position as the 456 have been known to act very.. irrationally.

Jon

+1

If you give in, there's no reason why they won't come back and demand more.

Regardless of social class, to have a child taken away is gonna be a traumatic experience, both to the carers (if any) and to the child.

Even if we chose to fight and die, there's nothing stopping the aliens from wiping out all adults and running off with all of the world's children anyway.

I would rather stand and fight, but I would try to ensure the safety of children first, so that if the worse came to the worse and all the adults were dead, at least the kids would be okay.

You could ask if any children would want to go with the aliens. You always have some kids who would be happier to leave home.