Do you, or Don't you?

[Andy Moynihan]

Hmmmmm.

This business of having the power to kill a large group....

There is no question in my mind that there are more than enough people currently walking this planet that we would be better off without.

Some people just NEED to die.

But this idea of an entire group.....men, women, children, without regard to guilt or innocence.....

Well that's a bit of a problem, or at least to me it is, anyway.(There is a difference between merely being hard-hearted and being out-and-out heartless, after all).

But I have been given the power of a god, you say?

Fair enough

(waves hand over vial) *VORP*

I have now used my godlike power to alter the scenario.

This vial now no longer contains a virus causing instant death, but rather, instant, irreversible sterility.

The target group is the entire human population of Earth.

I will break the vial at my feet so that the first to suffer the effect is myself.

I'll not harm, or take, any innocent life, yet I WILL bring an end to the cycle of human uselessness, Forever.

(Like as if you needed any more proof of how far my faith in humanity has fallen........)

 

[The Master]

The answers herein have been an enjoyable read. I see that some have begun to think outside of the box. Very good.

 

[Bigshadow]

One of the few things I took away from my undergraduate courses in physical anthropology is that New Guinea pygmies and Copenhagen Danes share something like 99.9% of their genes. We are them and they are us.

Most of it is commented out. It is the small percentage that separates us from the earthworms.

How could anyone sane contemplate doing anything strictly on the basis of ethnicity??

My thoughts exactly.

 

[Sukerkin]

Well that's a bit of a problem, or at least to me it is, anyway.(There is a difference between merely being hard-hearted and being out-and-out heartless, after all).

(Like as if you needed any more proof of how far my faith in humanity has fallen........)

I quite agree, my friend.

Sadly, it seems that it will ever be the case that those in positions powerful enough to make decisions should never be allowed to be there.

It is almost tempting to further bend the 'rules' of this thought experiment to be such that you could remove all the population of the world, bar the minimal genetic requirement of 500 or so. Bringing the rest, compatable and mutually supportive, into one town from which we could start again and see if we can't get it right this time.

 

[Dagney Taggert]

okay, so I've been mulling over the question....

I have seen, up close, the horrible effects of sloth, the lack of education, passion, birth control, and moral standards. Our society has developed institutionalized compassion for people who CHOOSE to quit school, not work, have multiple children and not worry a bit over the subsequent string of tragedies that go along with ignorant behavior.

So, if I were Queen of the Forest, I would use the vial to eliminate those who do not contribute to, pardon the expression, the village, the greater good. And by "contribute", I mean the working people, from the clerk at the hamburger joint to the CEO of the company. Those on long-term public assistance, who have multiple kids with multiple people, no job, and no respect for their village, would be eliminated.

 

[Kembudo-Kai Kempoka]

This is an interesting question.

Yes. Unhesitatingly. I am of the opinion that natural selection has long taken a back seat to the cleverness of the human race, with the numbers getting farther apart every day. Thinking, as Joe suggests, god-wise and not man-wise and knowing I would likely be one of those to fall to the 'plague', 'flood', or other method of destruction, I would still say yes.

Think of it as thinning the herd.

As far as Hitler is concerned, now we're talking assassination. Whole different question.

I would in a heartbeat. Randomly reduce the world population back to the 1 billion point. Many issues related to pollution, world hunger, sheer numbers lost in religious and territorial conflit...A significant reduction in the number of people would be a great assistance to the overall future of mankinds ability to live in balance with it's environment.

D.

 

[Empty Hands]

Boy oh boy, am I glad none of you have this power. I wouldn't last a heartbeat.

 

[CoryKS]

Boy oh boy, am I glad none of you have this power. I wouldn't last a heartbeat.

Oh? You're a telemarketer? 'cuz they're definitely on my short list.

 

[Bob Hubbard]

Debt collectors, telemarketers, and a couple of government agencies here in NY would be the groups I'd target. Oh yeah, and that clueless dingding that was ahead of me at Wallimart tonight.

 

[Andy Moynihan]

Boy oh boy, am I glad none of you have this power. I wouldn't last a heartbeat.

(Actually in my case you and everyone currently existing you cared for would last as long as you otherwise would have lasted before me)