Which would you choose (inspired by the time machine thread)

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KCWM

KCWM

If you had a choice between one of the following, which would you choose:

a) The ability to go back in time and change history, without the ability to know how the change will affect the future, and with a high improbability of being able to fix it if the change ends up being negative. Want to stop WWII? Prevent the assassination of Lincoln or Kennedy? Prevent a loved one from dying due to something preventable?

or

b) The ability to see what "could have been" without the ability to make it happen. That break up that you never wished had happened? That girl at the <insert place here> that you wish you'd pursued. Not doing that embarrassing thing in middle school. What if Germany had won WWII?

Hopefully those make sense.

While I'm happy that my life choices ended up leading to the life I have now, I wonder what would have happened if I hadn't broken my arm my freshman year. I was a talented football (TE and punter) and baseball (CF and a helluva hitter) player. And, my broken arm is why I focused on guitar so much. I've always been curious about how far I could have gone in sports and whether or not music would be as important to me as it is.

I'm also curious about what my life would have been like had my uncle not died prematurely or had I moved with my aunt and uncle when my mother was in danger of losing custody of me.

Curious minds want to know.
 
Espy

Espy

I couldn't give up my life now so I wouldn't change anything but I'd sure be interested in what life would have been like had my dad lived.
 
phil

phil

I'd do the 2nd one and write alternate history books. That is until I find out what would happen if I had stayed with the cello and then drink myself to death trying to forget.

I never asked for this curse!
 
E

Element 117

I'd go back in time and randomly kill people. If I did it right, I would never have actually killed anyone. And then I'd start the loop all over again.
 
KCWM

KCWM

.Amy. said:
I'd go back in time and randomly kill people. If I did it right, I would never have actually killed anyone. And then I'd start the loop all over again.
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Dark, but interesting at the same time. It actually sounds like it could be a cool foundation for a story/movie, if told/written right.
 
Hylian

Hylian

On one hand as much as I would like to make changes to the past I don't think I alone should be entrusted to with that kind of power or responsibility. But on the other hand the ability to see how things might have been would be interesting but at the same time it could be a bit depressing to see how your life may have been if X event had/had not happened. But still between the two I think I would rather go with the 2nd option since I do not feel I have the right to make changes to everyone life who has ever existed.
 
TommiR

TommiR

I'd take the first choice. Maybe I'd use the power, maybe I wouldn't, but it seems like the better decision in my view. I can't really see much advantage in the second option, which is more like an extremely accurate version of hindsight, and is about as useful.

I have my share of 'what-ifs', but actually knowing for certain all the good things that I let pass me by, or all the things I could have done to prevent bad stuff from happening, would be kinda depressing and of little use in the present and future. And if it turned out I had made the right choices, it gives an ego boost but not really very much more.

Well, at least that's how I see this choice. Other people's priorities may well differ.
 
E

Element 117

Amorous Eyes said:
My choice should be pretty damn obvious.
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You know what sucks about these types of answers? It makes those of us who don't know you well enough feel stupid for being curious enough to wonder. So. Thanks.
 
Officer_Charon

Officer_Charon

Honestly, I feel that history shouldn't be tampered with, because everything we are today is as a result of actions and decisions that occurred in the past... which sounds redundant until you think about it... Would you still be the same person today if you hadn't had to live through the trials and hardships, if any, that brought you to this point in your life? This includes world events - society is shaped, both small and large, by global events as much as local.

Still, it is always interesting to see the "what-ifs" - I love reading Harry Turtledove for this reason... so I guess there you have my answer.
 
Math242

Math242

i'd probably take the power.

then go back and make myself so rich i'd end up overdosing on high end coke out of boredom?

oh and i'd fuck around with W's campaign just for fun.

then i would also probably try to prevent every major organized religion from hitting mainstream. <- yeah that first.
 
KCWM

KCWM

Officer_Charon said:
Honestly, I feel that history shouldn't be tampered with, because everything we are today is as a result of actions and decisions that occurred in the past... which sounds redundant until you think about it... Would you still be the same person today if you hadn't had to live through the trials and hardships, if any, that brought you to this point in your life? This includes world events - society is shaped, both small and large, by global events as much as local.

Still, it is always interesting to see the "what-ifs" - I love reading Harry Turtledove for this reason... so I guess there you have my answer.
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I think there was a thread on one of the incarnations of Halforums where we talked about what we'd be like in a mirror universe. I put a little thought into this and determined how I thought I'd be different and why. Very interesting. Almost reminds me of the whole Butterfly Effect movie...the ability to keep changing things in an attempt to get it right is tempting to consider. Maybe even going back as recent as a recent lottery, so that little is actually changed. I don't think money makes happiness, but it sure doesn't hurt to have.
 
Null

Null

Money does not necessarily make for happiness, but not having to sweat all your bills every month has got to make it easier to sleep at night.
 
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