The "What would you do?" thread

[nightwng2000]

We enter into this thread with one important bit of knowledge:
We don't truly know what we will do in any situation until it acutally happens. But it's fun to speculate.

This is a sort of "What if..." thread. Pose your own question and/or answer other people's questions.

When posing a question, offer a few positives and negatives, not merely the question.

I'll start.

Whether by intent or accident, you've discovered a way to view actual events of the past. You can't interfere in the past, but you can view any moment in time, in the past, that you wish.

Question:
Do you share this discovery with anyone else, whether the whole world or only select individuals, keep the discovery to yourself, or destroy the discovery?

Positives:
(1) Finally, history can be seen as it occured, not merely as it was recorded.
(2) Ability to use the discovery in the justice system, allowing actual events to be viewed and not limited to "hoping we got the right person", among other improvements to the justice system.
(3) You can find lost items by seeing where something was lost when you didn't realize it.

Negatives:
(1) Someone's going to be severely disappointed when major history events didn't occur how they believed or how the events were written. Religion and/or science could be in major turmoil after some results.
(2) Important figures could be just as easily seen at their worst, or even be found out to not be as "good" as previously believed.
(3) Misuse by unscrupulous attornies, among others, to misinform judges and juries about events (only events can be seen; thoughts cannot be heard so speculations can still be made).

[kurisu7885]

Hmm, in all honest,y I would share this ,but be very, VERY careful about with whom, and should I help with a police investigation or in correcting a historical text, that my name NOT under any circumstances be mentioned, lest my life would be in danger from those who seek revenge and don't want their views threatened in any shape way or form.

[Theory?]

I would say my first instinct would be to keep to myself, but knowing me I'd spill the beans to my friends or something.

I'll think of a good one, just give me some time.

[seductivpancakes]

I'd keep the discovery for myself. I personally would enjoy the near unlimited knowledge it can offer. I feel if I share this discovery it can result into abuse of the discovery. If I destroyed it, me being a history addict would be heart broken.

[Pelor]

I would put it to the same use as every other great advancement of mankind.

I would use it to watch people have sex.

and I would keep it to myself.

[BetaSword]

Ah, the ol' hypothetical question game... One of my favorites.

Now, onto the question. Is this ability to see the past granted through some strange device of some sort, or by some special power granted through whatever means? Cause my answer would vary a bit depending on which. So I'll answer for both.

If it was granted by some sort of device or object, then at first I'd use it, to find out the answers to all the questions I have about the past. Oh, and there are plenty. Then I'd probably let some people know that I could do that. And I'd likely demonstrate just to show them. But I'd never let them know how I did it. I'd try my absolute hardest to never let anyone know that there was an object that allowed me to do that. Otherwise people would be trying to kill me for said object. And that wouldn't be very good at all.

If it was some sort of ability, then I'd probably be a bit more liberal in my use of it. I probably would offer my services for important trials and the like, the kind where people's lives are at stake. You know, murders, rapes, the like. I'd probably also use it for some other things, too. Of course, I'd likely become very paranoid, as, like has already been said, there will undoubtedly be those that will be unhappy with this ability. I'm sure there would be those that would try to offer me money and other things to get me to say that so-and-so happened in the past, to back them up. I'm guessing political people and religious people would be the highest up on that list. And of course, I'd turn them down. Rewriting history for someone else's gain is horribly morally reprehensible. And of course, I'd have people trying to prove me wrong. Skeptics and the such. They exist for everything that doesn't have an easy explanation. They exist for some things that do have an easy explanation. But I digress.

Anyways, end of story, I'd probably end up dying at a young age, most likely of unnatural causes, due to this ability. So in the end, it probably would've been wiser for me to just either destroy the object or not use the ability, or whatever. But damn my curiosity.

Huh. Well. I'll likely have my own question to throw in later on. Oh, and might I suggest posing a new question every page or two. Something kinda like the chat thread, where if you find that your post is the first on a new page, or whatever, that you get to post a new question. Though I'd have to suggest every two pages, both to give time for more responses, and for those of use that view 40 posts per page. But either way works, really. Just gotta be careful about post count.

tl;dr I use ability, I end up dying, bad decision, new question every page or two.

[nightwng2000]

I think I know me too well.

I'm too cynical to want to spread it to anyone else. I don't really even have anyone to brag to about anything I've found. No one that I would say I saw the truth then actually show the proof of the truth.

But, I also know my curiosity would beat out my common sense. It would be one of those "I'll just look this up, then destroy it" deals. Then I'd think of something else to look up.

And, sorta like Pelor, to look at nekked women. :)
Of course, it would be women that I knew (like co-workers) or famous women who haven't done nudes.

But, more than anything, it would be curiosity about things that have happened in the past. Just to know. Big stuff and little stuff. I suspect that unless there is a Universal Translator added on, language would be a problem. But I could still witness events.

And the seeing nekked women of course. :)

Would I look at my own past? Just to see stuff I've forgotten? Especially the bad stuff I've done? (And to see old female school mates nekked.)
I don't like watching myself on video or hearing my voice. So it would be hard. But I might actually do it just to know some things.

[Demontestament]

Well I would share but in this form. Buy a video camera, go back in time and record it. Then post it on youtube.

In all seriousness I think I would share. I mean it would finally open people's eye up to what really happened, all the mysteries in the world would be answered. But then again I think there would be people calling this some sort of hoax if history someone disproved one thing or another they have always believed to be true. But why can't we interfear? I want to be able to claim in pure joy that I kicked Napolean in the balls :D. I mean he loses anyway the only difference is my foot just raised his voice by a few pitches. And who knows maybe the interfearence already happened in the past and that is what made the world how it is today. By not interfearing you could cause some harm to the future. Or you would just see yourself interfearing in history.

[crystalforged]

This reminds me of a science fiction story I read once. The big question I have about this machine is, can you view any event that happened anywhere on the globe as long as it happened in the past from your living room or do you actually have to go to the location where the event occured to watch it?

This is important because if its the former than you can tune the device to one second in the past and basically see whats happening anywhere in the world in real time. It would be the ultimate end to privacy since nothing could block it out. Anyone could be watching at any time.

Under those circumstance I think I might destroy it.

[nightwng2000]

This reminds me of a science fiction story I read once. The big question I have about this machine is, can you view any event that happened anywhere on the globe as long as it happened in the past from your living room or do you actually have to go to the location where the event occured to watch it?

This is important because if its the former than you can tune the device to one second in the past and basically see whats happening anywhere in the world in real time. It would be the ultimate end to privacy since nothing could block it out. Anyone could be watching at any time.

Under those circumstance I think I might destroy it.

The idea came from the Arthur C. Clarke I mention in the "What are you listening to" thread.

In that story, device uses microscopic wormholes to, initially, communicate over any distance with nearly no lag time. Eventually, the device allows one to see any point in space, and past time.

In that case, it would allow you to view through space and time.

But the H. G. Wells Time Machine, at least in movie versions, kept you in the same spot (which is a nit since Earth is always in motion and if the Time Machine stayed in one spacial spot, you should be floating in space when you move through time) while you traveled in time.

That, of course, creates a limiting factor.

Though, if released to the general public, the technology would vary from one version to the other for its usage.

Betasword's mention of a natural ability presents an interesting additional wrinkle. To "destroy" the "device", you'd have to kill yourself. Or simply not use the ability. But the urge to use it will still be there. And what if you released the ability? People, high up people, will want you captured and dissected to learn about the ability. Of course, being the only one with the ability, you could stand to become massively rich also.

And I left out the ability to interact/interfere with the past because that introduces additional issues as well. That can be saved for additional questions later. Besides, we see the problems that could come out just by the ability to VIEW the past, let alone interact with it.

[Garrett]

I would record every past event done by the pharmecutical companies, oil companies, government, religioius leaders, & questionable suspects and sell it to the highest bidder. Let's face it, you can make mondo bucks from this.

[Theory?]

A personal favorite of mine:

A University Pharmecutical Division discovers a vaccine that cures humans of all homosexual tendencies. However, in order to create the vaccine, stem cells must be used.

What! Do! You! Do?

[nightwng2000]

A personal favorite of mine:

A University Pharmecutical Division discovers a vaccine that cures humans of all homosexual tendencies. However, in order to create the vaccine, stem cells must be used.

What! Do! You! Do?

Argue publically that Homosexuality is neither a disease nor a disability to be "cured". State that if an individiual chooses to take such a vaccine, that they should do so without pressure as they should not feel in any way negative about their current orientation. If they take it, it should be because they merely wish to change their orientation from one "good" condition to another "good" condition.

I don't even need to bring up the stem cells. The University screwed themselves when they refer to it as a "cure". They, in effect, fell right into my opposing argument about homosexuality not being a "bad" thing just by doing that.


Now, speaking from the viewpoint of Nightwing, the Insane Palladin...
I'd find a way to have it made without stem cells. I'd drop the "negative" viewpoints about its purpose. Have a reverse version made to change someone to BE homosexual. Then offer them, first, as fad options, like hair color changes or clothes. "Fashion Sexuality". Yeah. Even better, push the ads to Bisexuals so they can limit themselves to one or the other, that way,t hey can focus on one gender at a time during a relationship. The "relationship saver". Or, even better, sell them to Asexuals who want to experience sexual feelings.

Or, hey! Mix them and offer people "True bisexual Experiences!"

:: Sniff sniff ::
Is that money I smell?

Yeah, it's kinda cheating taking away the stem cell aspect. But ya gotta understand, he is Insane. :)

Stick with the first part for my more serious answer. :)

[Hank the Tank]

First off, I would contact the heads of the US and give them information that would help us win the war in the Middle East for a price, but make them promise that they would keep it secret. As soon as I have enough money (or as soon as they give it to me as payment), I'd get an island (about the size of a single large city) with a nice big complex and hire a staff of personal bodygaurds and mercenaries to live there and protect me and the device .

From there, I would begin to offer my services to anyone who asked of them, and could pay whatever price I make. I would keep the device and my quarters deep within the complex and put up plenty of security. After making enough money, I would set up a seaport and a heliport (I don't trust airports). I would have to set up places for people to live while they wait in a line for whatever event they want to see. I'd take time off for a month every other month to relax.

I'd invite historians from all around the world during these monthes off for their own research (for a price of course) and let them use the device at their leisure (only for researching history though, no personal stuff). I'd also keep some blackmail against many leaders of different nations in order to make sure that no country would dare think about invading me.

The price of the readings would vary, I'd charge the rich more than I would a normal person, and maybe I'd give out free readings if a person's story really touched me. One would have to purchase time in 5-minute intervals, with an hour being the max amount of time a person could take up. I, or someone I trust, would oversee and greet each and every appointment, and whatever would be revealed in that room would be strictly confidential unless it should become a legal matter.

I'd set up hotels for my clients, and other place of businesses, including parks, restaurants, and places to keep my guests entertained.

It seems like the most dangerous part of my plan is near the beginning of it.