Angelina Jolie was applauded all round on TrendIn this week. The first thing that came to my mind when I saw the title was “Sophie’s Choice“. Was it a coincidence? The TrendIn article talked about how Jolie decided to go ahead with the double mastectomy based on a “higher probability” that she would have breast cancer. In the film “Sophie’s Choice”, Sophie is told to choose which one of her two children would be sent to the gas chamber while the other was sent to the children’s camp. Sophie chose her daughter to be sent to the gas chamber so that she could avoid the risk of having both her children killed.

It turns out that Jolie was probably lied to. I believe so. An article by Natural News asserts that an 87% probability of contracting breast cancer doesn’t mean a giant crab holds out 100 straws in front of you, 87 of which say you have breast cancer, and forcing you to choose one. It’s based on statistics which may or may not include lifestyle choices. it’s similar to some obstetricians always insisting on c-sections whether or not you actually need it, and treating c-sections as natural, while natural birth becomes something strange and frightening. Yes, Jolie was lied to.

Sophie? Do you think she had to make a choice? Why or why not? I say she did not have to comply with the demands of those running Auschwitz. True, both her children might have been killed, but then she would not have the guilt of participating in a wholly unrighteous choice. Could she have offered herself in place of her children? Perhaps. I hope none of you reading this has to make that sort of choice, but if you do, it helps to think about it beforehand. Something like listverse’ moral dilemmas might be useful there.

So, like to have choices? Make them well!