Let's play God...what would you do?

[BrewMasterJeb]

So, let’s go with a hypothetical here. Suppose you suddenly have the power of life and death over anyone and everyone in your current, mortal body. There are no consequences via the law or other people’s attempts at retribution. The only thing you have to battle with is your conscience and morality. Personally, I’ve pondered this question more than a healthy person probably should. Some days I feel I’d destroy the world without a second thought, others less extreme. I think this is a good question to ask yourself for a few reasons. First, it brings to light your true character since punishment is thrown out the window. Granted, it’s hard to be absolute about what you’d do unless it actually happened. Still, if you are honest, it will tell you where you stand with your own morality. Not a morality that you’ve picked up through religion or the like, but your OWN personal morality. Another reason being that it begs the fundamental question of whether or not right and wrong even exist, if only in an indirect way. When “all is permitted” –The Brothers Karamazov, can right and wrong be defined? Lastly, it begs the question “is man inherently good or evil”? I realize that could be a discussion in and of itself, but let’s continue. Yes, your answer may help shed light on the kind of person you are and the label you might be given.

Now, for my answer to my own question. Like I said, there are times when I’d like to destroy the world. It being the most extreme of my thoughts, I’ll expand on it. There are days when everyone I meet just aggravates me in everything they say, every facial expression they make, etc. A character flaw on my part perhaps. But, at times I lose hope in humanity because it is dwarfed by the proverbial “big picture” the cosmos provides us with. I can’t help but think “would it change a thing if everyone ceased to exist?” This thought usually followed by, “Well, by this logic life is meaningless, so I might as well be self serving and enjoy it.” So, I can’t help but think “Jeb, destroyer of world’s” might have a nice ring to it in the cosmic scale. Perhaps there a hundreds, thousands, maybe trillions of other civilizations with the ability to observe us. I like the idea of making a name for myself on the cosmic scale instead of not even making a bleep in the radar.

Well, that’s my answer in short…for now. So, let’s hear what you would do and why!

 

When “all is permitted” –The Brothers Karamazov, can right and wrong be defined?

Yes. It is only when nothing is permitted, when no choice is allowed, is there no difference between right and wrong -- because there is no capacity to choose either.

Lastly, it begs the question “is man inherently good or evil”? I realize that could be a discussion in and of itself, but let’s continue. Yes, your answer may help shed light on the kind of person you are and the label you might be given.

If you define good as being those interpersonal behaviours which promote general human welfare, then, empirically, most men are inherently good.

Now, for my answer to my own question. Like I said, there are times when I’d like to destroy the world. It being the most extreme of my thoughts, I’ll expand on it. There are days when everyone I meet just aggravates me in everything they say, every facial expression they make, etc. A character flaw on my part perhaps. But, at times I lose hope in humanity because it is dwarfed by the proverbial “big picture” the cosmos provides us with. I can’t help but think “would it change a thing if everyone ceased to exist?” This thought usually followed by, “Well, by this logic life is meaningless, so I might as well be self serving and enjoy it.” So, I can’t help but think “Jeb, destroyer of world’s” might have a nice ring to it in the cosmic scale. Perhaps there a hundreds, thousands, maybe trillions of other civilizations with the ability to observe us. I like the idea of making a name for myself on the cosmic scale instead of not even making a bleep in the radar.

The only way forward is down (i.e. self analysis); The unexamined life is not worth living. -- It's not people you hate, but aspects of yourself.

 

[BrewMasterJeb]

Ok, you thoroughly dissected my thread. You even managed to point out that I’m projecting my self loathing. I may very well do that and I don’t disagree with you saying most men are inherently good. The fact that society is running smoothly, relatively speaking, seems proof enough that the “good” outweighs the evil…so to speak. But, the reverse might be that man is inherently self serving and it so happens that forming groups (i.e. society itself) serves him the best. Those who benefit society are “good” others are “evil”. If there was some opposite law where man would be better off murdering his neighbor, then I suspect that is what would take place. Then again, the definitions of good and evil in said culture might be reversed or nonexistent. Hmm, I feel like I’m rambling and getting abstract.

Anyway, I was going to say that you didn’t actually say what you’d do in my hypothetical world. No fun.

 

[Rsaccounttrader]

If I were god, I would let nature take its course. Trying to fix things, like mortality, is extremely risky.

Actually, I'd just kill zezima and take over the account

 

[Vitek]

i'de probably stick with accounttrader on this one and try and let nature run it's course, as divine intervention never really seems to follow the path specified

 

I'd make myself awesome. i'd be a rockstar and i'd make pot legal.

 

[took.too.long]

I read like the first part up until you said you thought about more than you should, and i can tell you i have no problem in my consience with killing someone or multiple people, im sorry to say lol

 

[Arya]

Destroyer of Worlds was never my calling.

Given the powers of life and death, I would surely retrace the steps of humanity, and resurrect those choice beings whom I believe to have the mind capacity to stand under myself in an ultimate reign to make this world a true utopia.

For hundreds of thousands of years, we would council in secret, making the world, drastically, a better world. Not only for human, but for all animal. Then, when all is well on the home front, space exploration would become the number one priority.

Our world would go from Earth-bound to galaxy-bound, to universe-bound, and then, instead of the title, "Destroyer of Worlds", I'll have achieved, "Creator of Worlds".

 

But, the reverse might be that man is inherently self serving and it so happens that forming groups (i.e. society itself) serves him the best.

That is exactly the case. Self-interest is the good in society, because it is the biological self-interest of each individual which produces the effect known as society, man being a rational and social animal.

Look up: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rational_egoism

The concepts of self-interest and the good -- and likewise self-abasement and the bad -- are one and the same, it just takes a keen eye and a well operating mind to spot it. That which harms the individual harms society, that which harms society, harms the individual. Society only describes the voluntary relations of freely interacting autonomous individuals.

If there was some opposite law where man would be better off murdering his neighbor, then I suspect that is what would take place. Then again, the definitions of good and evil in said culture might be reversed or nonexistent. Hmm, I feel like I’m rambling and getting abstract.

If it were human nature to murder other humans rather than trading with them, then the concept of society would not exist. We would live like lions, in strictly defined territories and the concepts of good and evil would not need to be countenanced. It is only because this is exactly not our nature (i.e. it is only because humans are social, ethically minded, empathic animals) that this is even a question to be posed to begin with.

Anyway, I was going to say that you didn’t actually say what you’d do in my hypothetical world. No fun.

The hypothetical is actually not worth exploring. Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. If you produce an absolute power hypothetical, then you just reproduce the Stanford prison experiment, but 100,000 times worse. Power is a drug, it takes over the personality and short circuits empathy and reason in the human psyche. This is not a guess, it has been proven over and over again in behavioral studies.

 

[BrewMasterJeb]

The hypothetical is actually not worth exploring. Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. If you produce an absolute power hypothetical, then you just reproduce the Stanford prison experiment, but 100,000 times worse. Power is a drug, it takes over the personality and short circuits empathy and reason in the human psyche. This is not a guess, it has been proven over and over again in behavioral studies.

Yes, I won’t argue that power corrupts. Police are a good example and so are Zimbardo's experiments you pointed out. But doesn't this contradict what you said earlier about men being inherently good, by in large? I realize it's a seesaw argument, but "give a man power to test his character" seems to suggest that he is evil. But, looking out for his well being and power coming to a select few, man is good. So, is it that each man posses the capacity for real evil, but is good out of self interest? And this gets into, "is it actions that define a personality or do the underlying thoughts a factor too"? And round and round it goes.

edit: Upon reading through the link on ration egoism, "seeks always the greatest attainable surplus of pleasure over pain". Yea, I suppose that fits into what I was saying. With power, it's more pleasurable to do what you please. Etc. Good link, thanks.

 

[djweasel]

If I could play god, first I'd fix the oil spill by BP.
Prolly torment my ex for a while.
Cause peace on earth where theres no such thing as crazy people.

 

Yes, I won’t argue that power corrupts. Police are a good example and so are Zimbardo's experiments you pointed out. But doesn't this contradict what you said earlier about men being inherently good, by in large? I realize it's a seesaw argument, but "give a man power to test his character" seems to suggest that he is evil. But, looking out for his well being and power coming to a select few, man is good. So, is it that each man posses the capacity for real evil, but is good out of self interest? And this gets into, "is it actions that define a personality or do the underlying thoughts a factor too"? And round and round it goes.

If you abuse a dog you will condition it to bite strangers. This is not because the dog has an inherent disposition to bite people, it is because the conditioning it has received prompts it constantly to do so.

As I said earlier, physically, literally, neuro-scientifically, power is a drug. When you think of power, think of injections of heroin + speed + ecstasy + alcohol speedballed into the pleasure centers of the brain. Ever heard the expression 'drunk on power'? It's not just a figure of speech.

As soon as a system or structure of power over others is created, you will create an equivalent amount of corruption, as certainly as night follows day. It is not anyone's fault, it is just how man is. Therefore, the only way not to have corruption is to not have a system of authority. Hence anarcho-capitalism / voluntaryism.

This nature IIRC stems from the override capacity of old reptilian brain. Humans have essentially two brains in the skull, the old animal brain which deals with all the direct physical stuff: fight or flight, sex, food, sleeping, pleasure, and the rational brain which deals with cognition general. When given the chance or brought to the opportunity, the old brain will completely override the thought centers of the new brain. Humans have no choice about it -- and you will see it if you ever see someone do something stupid in a panic, like throwing water on an oil fire. The only way to avoid the activation of the old reptilian brain is to avoid situations which we know will activate it.


I'm no neuroscientist, but you can find more info here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reptilian_Brain
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amygdala_hijack

And here:
http://www.freedomainradio.com/Videos/FreedomainRadioTheBombintheBrain.aspx

 

[babiijay]

I would do something like Jurrasic park. Let about 1.500 velociraptors loose and see what happens

 

[Upfired]

I would also let nature do it's part.
&
Everyone lives happily.

 

[Fang Z]

If I had that amount of power, I doubt I would do much with it, other than simply acknowledging that I have it.

I would prefer to have people know of me, however not as a being with malicious intent. My conscience would stop me from being the cause of suffering to anyone.

However, If I may for a moment go Kira/Lelouch, I would attempt to recreate the world. That does not necessarily mean achieving it by destroying everything that is here already, this means I would perhaps enforce things, however not to the point where people would fear me.

In short, I would attempt to alter the minds of every human in this world. Comparatively, we are a quite deformed race.

Actually, in general the world is a pretty messed up place...

 

[babiijay]

I still say velociraptors.............

 

[SetYourGoals]

Well, since I'm atheist, I would prefer to be called "He who has the power" . Anyway, I probably wouldn't change a whole lot. First off, every scammer from any videogame would burn a slow, terrible, painful death. After that, I'd probably just continue life on a regular basis, but only knowing I have the power to change things if I really wanted to. I'd probably make money obsolete. I'd shoot right for communism. Granted, people who work hard for things deserve to have them, but who says a homeless man doesn't have the same intentions, but a bad start because he can't get a job because he's homeless? Oh yea. I'm bringin back fuckin dinosaurs man. I wanna ride me a velociraptor.

 

[BrewMasterJeb]

So, the general consensus is bring back velociraptor's, kill 12 yr olds who scam people, and implement some sort of "everyone play nice" mind control.

Sounds fun.

 

[I_Shine]

Ill make the whole world a pokemon world!

 

[goku usa]

if there's one thing i would change then it would be violence. nothing good comes out of it. sure we control the earth's population by killing innocent people but i think it will be far more helpful if the amount of money we spend on war would be spent on helping the poor and needie. everyone deserves to die natural death