I guess it depends how far down it goes. Infinitely? Only enough for every person on the planet to be considered?
Theoretically, the correct option is to always switch down. Which, according to the original problem, would be doing nothing. So.. what if everyone just went home?
Also to consider; The people (and track) gets smaller every time. Maybe it ends?

[–] CaptainMinnette@lemmy.fmhy.ml 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Eventually it could come to a Joker guy who wants to kill as many people as possible, and you've given them the opportunity.

[–] CanadaPlus@lemmy.sdf.org 1 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Yep. There's so, so few of those people, but they exist, and here that's enough to make all the difference if it goes on for a very long time. If it doubles every time you run out of inhabitants of Earth around switch 32, though.

[–] androogee@midwest.social 1 points 1 year ago

Maybe eventually you're just killing lilliputians and borrowers, so... Win win.