We all make choise, but few of us think of how much of an impact they actually have.
Isaac Newton stated that every action has an equal and opposite reaction.
With both of these in mind, here is your burdening gift:
You have the power to stop the suffering and problems of others, no matter how big or small, nor how minor or major or how many people it effects.
If someone is sick, you can make them healthy. If someone is poor and homeless, you can give them money and a home. If someone is afflicted with a disease, you can cure them. Better yet, you can eliminate the whole disease. You can stop wars at the snap of your fingers. You even have the power to revive someone who has died.
But, with Isaac Newton as the maker of these rules, every action has an equal and opposite reaction.
That means if you make someone healthy, somone else gets sick. That homless man you gave a home and money to? Someone else loses everything. Cure a diseased person, someone else becomes afflicted. Cure the whole disease and a new one will take its place. Stop a war and a new one will begin somewhere else on the Earth. And if your parent or significant other dies, even the love of your life, and you bring them back to life, someone fitting that same role dies and takes their place.
These choices and their reactions are represented by Newton. Your morality and actions are the compass.
With this power at your fingertips, you are guided by this moral Newtonian compass alone. Which way will your compass point?
I'm enjoying this hardcore version of would-you-rather.
ReplyDeleteIn some cases, this is hard, because you have to be careful with the person you choose to help/disease you destroy/etc. because the problem will just come slamming back to a different person like an evil boomerang. You might choose to help a certain person with your power because they're a dear family member, close friend, or the president of the US. But in turn, you're destroying somebody else's sweet old grammy, best friend since the third grade, or even the next Jesus. Even though you're not there to see it, you're afecting a whole different group of people, now crying over their deceased/dying loved ones, suffering through a hellish new form of cancer, or wallowing in the depths of poverty.
Am I really taking the pain and suffering away from the world? No.
Ergo, I would never use this power.
I love that you called it an evil boomerang
DeleteI would chose to never use this power because this would mean you wouldn't be making a difference in the world, you would only be adding more hurt and devastation to it. I would much rather let fate take away the people in this world that are ready to go and to keep the ones that need to make a difference in this world now. If I were to try to save someone I loved or cared about I would only being selfish and I would also be destroying someone else's life in place of them. Taking away a disease would only add more destruction to this world. So really the world would never change even if I switch out who dies and what disease is taking over the world.
ReplyDeleteI would never use the power.
ReplyDeleteIf someone else had the power and then used it to save a dying loved one, what if it was your loved one that had to take their place? I would furious, destroyed, and broken because it wasn't even their time to go. Someone just decided that someone else was better and that they had more of a reason to live. On a similar note, I would never be able to live the guilt ether, knowing that I had caused someone that kind of pain selfishly. And what if who you saved found out how you did that? You'd be giving them the same guilt, even if it is unintentional.
It's better off left unused.
I agree with everyone else I wouldn't use that power however you did just give me an awesome idea for a character in my book :D (this is Kaitie G by the way it won't let me sign in right now) thanks fr the inspiration!
ReplyDeleteI also agree with everyone but I also dont agree becausae if I had that power I would want to use it to make others feel good and to help people that are in pain or suffering.
ReplyDeleteWhat about the people that you make suffer because of the people you helped?
DeleteI would never use this power. I am only mortal, human like everyone else on earth, I don't believe that I have the right to decide if a person lives or dies. If someone I care about is dying then I would not want to save them if ment pushing their fate onto someone else. With great power, comes great responsibility, and I feel with this power the responsibility would be even more important. If it is used It could easily be used too much so the best thing to do would be not to use it at all.
ReplyDeletewhat if i gave you an "Immortality Potion" would your answer change?
DeleteIf I were given an immortality potion? No, my would not change. In fact I wouldn't even take the potion because I don't have right to tamper with life and death, especially my own.
Deletei understand that. the potion would only make you well, immortal, duh, and then, you live with the repercussions for an indefinite amount of time. Ahh, that would kill me...
DeleteI would never use this power to tamper with death. However, if I was able to make a wealthy person who had absolutely no good morals, and only cared about himself/herself and their millions. (I'm talking like super rich people that don't tip their waiters/waitresses a dime when they are easily capable of a generous tip). If I could make such a selfish person, lose their wealth to benefit a good hardworking human being, to benefit orphans, the homeless, single parents, schools, churches, communities all across the world--AND teach a couple undeserving scumbags a thing or two.. I'd use this power.
ReplyDeleteThat's a good point, I would probably do that as well.
DeleteBut, you could sleep soundly knowing you took from a person, made them penniless and unimportant, and likely cut them out for life of nothing special? but, then, Id want to squash the twat who was selfish. But is our first inclination always the best?
DeleteThis To Me Seems More Like A Reality Over A Fantasy. We Live This Reality^ Everyday Of Our Lives. Everyday Innocent People Die. Everyday The Most Generous People Loose Everything They Withhold. Everyday People Experience Heartbreak. I Agree With Sir Isaac Newton, But I Think It Is Entirely Selfish To Want Something So Bad That We Would Endure Our Suffering Upon Another Human Being. It Always Ponders My Head Why It Rains The Hardest On The People Who Deserve The Sun... Just Take A Moment To Put Yourself In Another Ones Mindset..What If I Had Your Heart? What If You Wore My Scars? What If You Told My Lies? What If I Cried With Your Eyes? "WHAT IF YOU WERE ME; WHAT IF I WERE YOU?" I Believe The Song "What If By Five For Fighting" Shows A Strong Connection To This Post.
ReplyDeleteBottom Line...We Are Selfish Not For Pursuing Our Own Good, But For Neglecting Our Neighbors.
This would make the BEST poem! .... just saying :)
DeleteOmg....c; Thank You Shayla...;*
Deletewell i would want to help people but i wouldn't want to harm someone just to help thos i care about. so my compass would remain untouched in my closet. it would collect dust as i deal with what ever happens. i believe that everyone has their own fate and you shouldn't mess with it.
ReplyDeleteI would not use this power for it would only destroy the holder of it. This power is a gift and a curse in one. I would not want to harm anyone, whether I know them or not. But the guilt of knowing I could possibly help others yet I sit here and do nothing would kill me in the process. Everyday there is someone else becoming homeless, poor, or rich. There are diseases that are affecting more and more people each and everyday. Having this power would not change how we live today. Having this power would only change the people who it affects.
ReplyDeleteThis is the kind of question that usually leads me into a deep thought and possibly an overpowering rant onto which I compare this twisted twist on a game of 'would you rather' or 'push the button' to my own real life experiences. But I'll make this short and be blank by saying I would not use this power. As an individual who has lost people she was close to before, I believe that the power would not do good but harm, because in the perspective of losing family or friends, it is painful in the light of just losing one family member or friend. But to lose two, even if one was to come back to life, how would that benefit you in any way? In the end there is still the sorrow of a losing someone who was cared for. The last thing a person needs is to feel that pain over again.
ReplyDeleteI praise the author for this excellent idea for our class's first blog homework response.
Would you rather push the button? I realize,i keep responding with questions. think i should stop that?
DeleteI agree with everyone, I would not use this power. Using this power would not heal the world, but only be creating more hurt. Also, the world has hurt for a reason. Its an opportunity for people to learn lessons from mistakes and such. So in a way having hurt in the world brings out the good in people.
ReplyDeleteI don't think that, even if I had the power, I could bring myself to use it. Yes, you relieve someone's pain for a little while, but you inflict it upon someone else. But, we're all human. The person you helped is going to get sick or die again, and you'll be hurting more than helping. And I don't like thinking I could be the reason someone died. The guilt would overwhelm me. Is it really worth it to kill someone to save another? A life is still taken and it would only come back at the expense of another life. I wouldn't use the power because, in all honesty, who am I to decide who gets to live for another year and who doesn't? It seems like it would be a huge burden that comes with a lot of guilt.
ReplyDeleteI agree with everyone else, it would be something good for others but also bad at the same time for someone else. We shouldn't mess with things we have no control over. To me I would feel like a murderer because even though I'm helping someone who's dear to my heart or even someone who I know has a good heart it wouldn't matter because all those horrible things that happened to these people who I care about would just find someone else to afflict pain on and that isn't right in my eyes. Life has a way of making things happening for a reason and we shouldn't interfere with it no matter how much we want to. it just wouldn't end good for anyone.
ReplyDeleteThis is deep . I dont think i would be able to even bare such a significant power. Knowing that by helping one will only cause another to lose everything is backwards. Even if i wanted to do right i would still be doing wrongso how would there be any happiness in the world if every happy moment came with a tragedy for someone else ?
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't use this power and like some people said, I wouldn't mess up fate and everyone dies sooner or later. Even your loved ones. In my opinion, life is a cycle or pattern of positive,negative, and a positive following after it. (The pattern goes on and on over time. Examples: war, peace, war; death, birth, death; happiness, sadness, happiness. I hope you get the point I'm trying to make.) We just have accept it.
ReplyDeleteEver wonder what fate is? of course when we say it to another, we assume. but, describe the indescribable, please.
DeleteHonestly, this would probably be the worse thing to have to decide. If I save this person, someone is else is going to die, what do I do? In my opinion, I would not use this power because it is one of those that can be a gift but it also a curse. Even though, you are helping someone live longer, in the process someone is going to die. Many people die everyday and that's something we can't exactly stop. We can't save everyone. Eventually we will die and it is all we can do to help slow down that process.
ReplyDeleteI'm on the same ground as everyone else, i probably would never use this power. I would never push my problems to someone else just because I'm suffering or someone i love is suffering. I would probably struggle with this a lot though, it's easy to just lean towards fixing your problems if you have the power to. It would be hard to watch people I love die when i know that i have the power to fix everything.
ReplyDeleteYeah, you're right. Everyone's character has a tendency to one evil. Everyone has a major and minor character defect. The situations above, detailed in Zack's thought-provoking paragraphs, could touch every aspect of any personality. We need to wonder what evil or defect would corrupt us the most in our decisions.
DeleteUsing this power would make the world more difficult than it already is. Us as people would be creating more difficulties for people, but maybe it could be a good thing. I good thing as such as people learn lessons, learn from there mistakes. I agree with Anna, in a way having to hurt the world could bring out good people within it.
ReplyDeleteI could not bring myself to use this in any situation. In every way it is just a lose-lose situation. If I was to save someone I know's life, I'm just ending another. It is a complete guilt trip for someone like I, and I see it's use having so many karmic consequences it's not even worth it. And let's say you did save that person's life; you've now not only indirectly murdered some innocent human, but you've also prolonged the enviable for the person you saved. Everyone's story must come to a close (or at least a high point in the case of wealth), but by extending that one person's story, you've just forced another few chapters down the person's throat and forcibly ceased writing of another's. Sometimes a story was meant to end when it does, and other times they were meant to continue on. Nothing good could ever truly come out of using this accursed power.
ReplyDeletePersonally, I wouldn't want to use this power because I believe EVERYTHING happens for a reason. I also believe if you use this power you would be kind of selfish and self - centered. And it's not fair to hurt an innocent person just so you don't lose a loved one. But, let's be honest, if we were put in this situation I think we'd all use this power. It's kind of like saying you won't pay $100 for a pair of jeans when you can buy a $20 pair at Wal-Mart that look the same, but if you were in the situation of picking, you'd pick the $100 because they're a special brand or something. I'm just saying that we all probably say we wouldn't use it but if you had to, you would.
ReplyDeleteThat was quiet a powerful story. Every reaction has a chain reaction, som bad, some good. If you actually open your eyes, that reaction maybe false. I give money to the homeless, that ma gains a meal. He still remains homeless just as before I'm just lending them a hand is all. Even thought this message was quiet powerful it is not always true. I believe you can never stop a war. It carries on thought your thoughts, history, rivals still exist too., Cancer cannot be cured but treated. The truth behind this story is very deep in all, and to a sense very realistic. This reminds me of a show I once use to watch called pushing daises. Very real with the touch or death and touch of life. This was a wonderful read I very much enjoyed.
ReplyDeleteDid anyone else lay eggs when they read this post? I'm still not computing...
ReplyDeleteBut anyway, I don't think I would allow to Issac Newton dictate my actions. if i were to replenish the food supply and savings of a starving man would not his gratitude amount to my dealings? If i were to revive a dead loved one, would not our mutual love for each other cover the resurrection "bill"? If i were to resolve the conflicting interests of two world powers, would not the sheer relief of families to broken apart and cast aside as liabilities add up for their livelihoods given back to them? This "power" is to volatile a thing for one human to keep secret. Or to exist. my subconscious would not allow such a thing, even to ponder on in dreams.
But, if i were to use this "power" and wipe away tears, and open up the darkened, desolate, desperate corners of the earth, it would be perfect. If i may ask, what's your definition of perfect? Or ruly? Or rather, unruly? If we were "perfect", we would have no use for a ruler, correct?
Depending on the type of person you are, you can look at it 2 ways.
ReplyDelete1. you could use the power, help someone you love and care about, and make not only their life better by saving it, but making your life better by having those whom you love healthy and happy. You would still have to live with the fact that you hurt someone else's life.
2. You could never use this power and let life take it's natural course on those you love, but you would also know you never inflicted pain on a stranger.
the type of person you are depends on what choice you make. I don't think either choice makes you a better person, and I don't think either choice makes you a bad person. I personally wouldn't know what to choose and I can only hope I'm never in the position to choose.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThis is a very thought-provoking concept and I will answer it from the perspective of a devout Catholic: this is not a power I should ever want to posses, although in a way, each of us do which is very humbling. My take on the issue is that everything happens for a reason; I do not believe in coincidence by any means. Not just our highs, but our lows make us who we are. I would rather allow a loved one to die because that was God's plan for them. There is no use tampering with life and death. Therefore this power belongs to God and God only.
ReplyDeleteNow regarding the portion of helping someone, I believe that if you have the power to help someone, you should. If it means someone else will suffer as a result then at least you eased one person's. If you think about it, each of us suffer numerous times within our lifespan, so really, we are all just taking turns easing and suffering. By suffering we help someone, by easing we help another. So really, both are "good".
It is not fair to just watch someone sit and suffer when you have the power to help. Wouldn't you want someone to cure your disease? Wipe your tears? Make you laugh? Ease your fears? Take your pain? Which brings me to a final question:
Would you be willing to accept a life time of suffering so that a complete stranger would never have to?
This Is Perfect.
DeleteWell thank you!
DeleteI wouldn't use this power even if it meant switching a good person who has a hard life with a bad person who has an easy life. They are probably used to the life they live. If we switched those two people, they'd be completely lost and wouldn't know what to do. The power wouldn't really help anyways because there would still be the same amount of homeless or sick people.
ReplyDeleteBesides, everything happens for a reason.
There is a good and bad to everything. The good in this power is you'll be saving people but then people would use you and your power. You might even be killed because there will always be some person or people that are jealous of the power that you have.
ReplyDelete