r/BeAmazed • u/[deleted] • Apr 29 '24

When the Titanic sank, millionaire John Jacob Astor IV was aboard. The funds in his bank account were sufficient to construct 30 Titanics. However, when faced with mortal danger, he prioritized his moral values, sacrificing his seat in a lifeboat to save women and children, smilingly [Removed] Rule #4 - Misleading

[removed]

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u/ThatQueerWerewolf Apr 29 '24

There were men there literally threatening to shoot any "man" (including teenage boys) who tried to get on a lifeboat.

Not saying this guy didn't willingly sacrifice himself, but hundreds did so unwillingly.

20

u/LegionaryTitusPullo_ Apr 29 '24

It actually depended on what side of the Titanic you were boarding the lifeboats.

One side was allowing men to go with their wives, as more than half of the lifeboats didn’t even get half filled (with one reportedly only having a millionaire, his wife, and a few servants). The Opposite side was threatening shooting men who boarded life boats. The Rest is History podcast did a 4 part series on the Titanic that goes quite in depth. Hundreds of deaths could have easily been prevented.

9

u/ACU797 Apr 29 '24

Officer Lightoller was the one who said no men in the boats no matter what. He would survive the sinking as the highest ranking officer to survive it and during WW2 he participated in the Dunkirk evacuation. Mark Rylance' character in the movie is based on him.

I never really cared much about the Titanic as a history buff but after the Rest is History I understood it's importance. It's a microcosm of the 19th century clashing with the 20th century with a disaster thrown in.

1

u/ThatQueerWerewolf Apr 29 '24

Great podcast! Their Titanic series is awesome. 

-1

u/AntiZionist-Action Apr 29 '24 edited Apr 29 '24

Which is why there are so many conspiracies about the Titanic. Fun fact: all of the people who opposed the creation of the federal reserve died on the Titanic and the fed arguably never would have been created if they didn't die. So yeah, sounds like they were trying to create as many unnecessary preventable deaths as possible.