What if?

[colddiesel]

Tilt, I'm afraid. I don't come to sites like this seeking answers to "What if." I do my own "what if" thinking/research before I come here. I come here (to the story file) for an outlet for what I've already spun out of the question "what if."

Six I's in the first 3 lines Pilot!

Actually yours is an interesting case; 23,000+ posts but no comments that I have observed on the writing of your fellow litsters, indeed, your only literary comments appear to be those in your sig line.

So. What if SR71plt never, ever posted again?. Lovecraft would miss your fatherly advice of course. TE999 might eventually have fond memories of a kindly old gentleman. Trysail might start quoting you - at length!

 

[oggbashan]

What if you lived at a time when the stars were all going out?

In parts of SE Asia the stars already appear to be going out because of atmospheric pollution.

What if the American Revolution had been crushed in its infancy?

If many politicians in the UK at the time had been able to change the UK government's course and allow the American Colonists either substantial self-government and/or significant representation in Westminster, the American Revolution would have been unnecessary. The US would have become independent sometime, as Canada has, but with less acrimony and no loss of life. The Revolution wouldn't have needed to be 'crushed' if UK government politicians had been more reasonable. But 'reasonable' and 'politician' are often incompatible.

What if Canada had kept and used the Avro Arrow?

It would have become obsolete.

What if the earliest human civilizations had all been run by women?

Some of them were. Whether they were any better? Whether they could defend themselves against other competing civilisations? If civilisations had consistently used the best intellectual resources, whether male or female, would they have succeeded better?

Who knows?

 

[nicecthulhu]

For the stars going out, I meant what if you lived at the end of the universe when you know nothing new is coming and you're facing the lifeless void filled only with cooling matter and dissipating energy?

As for the American Revolution, maybe England needed a bloody nose to change its policies? And without a US born out of revolution and violence perhaps the Americans would not have had quite the spirit that they have shown throughout history. In some cases that would be better, and in some cases that would have been worse. Without American support Napoleon might have been less of a problem. Britain may have been more belligerent leading up to and during WWI. The world would have been very, very different. Imagine an England that viewed the colonies as unimportant enough that there was no westward drive, and the natives kept their land.

The Avro would have become obsolete, true. In the meantime, possibly the greatest fighter jet of its time would have been in the hands of a peaceful nation who was chummy with its southern neighbour. But how long would that have lasted? The US would have wanted Canada to share the Arrow. Keeping the Arrow might have meant a different political landscape up here, one that may have decided to not go along with American policy as much as we have.

I found all of oggbashan's points interesting reading. What if can be fun because no one has the right answer.

 

[TxRad]

What if there was another ice age suddenly?

What if 90% of the worlds population died out all at once?

What if sherbert ice cream was brown?

 

[TinyBeth]

There are even deeper implications if the American Revolution had not happened. Guerrilla warfare was essentially invented by Francis Marion and his swamp dodgers in South Carolina throwing off the British regulars. The entirety of history could be different without that element or if it had been developed differently or later.

 

[Bramblethorn]

Six I's in the first 3 lines Pilot!

Actually yours is an interesting case; 23,000+ posts but no comments that I have observed on the writing of your fellow litsters, indeed, your only literary comments appear to be those in your sig line.

I've seen SR comment on others' writing here and there. Looking at his "find all posts by..." link brings up a few recent ones.

 

[CharleyH]

What if you lived at a time when the stars were all going out?
What if the American Revolution had been crushed in its infancy?
What if Canada had kept and used the Avro Arrow?
What if the earliest human civilizations had all been run by women?

Some very good questions for story.

 

[nicecthulhu]

Some very good questions for story.

You're welcome to them. I've got about 30 plots waiting to be written and no time for any of these "what if"s in the near future.

 

[nicecthulhu]

What if there was another ice age suddenly?

Canadians would move to Florida...wait a minute, make that Texas. You wouldn't mind; we're polite and like to keep the place clean. But, zed would stay the last letter in our alphabet!

What if 90% of the worlds population died out all at once?

Shortly thereafter there'd be a massive population explosion. Look at all the room! We'll never overpopulate!

What if sherbert ice cream was brown?

I still wouldn't touch it. But I think I'm the only one who cares about that...

 

[nicecthulhu]

What if I had a little spare time tonight and enjoyed these "what if"s?

What if Erich Von Daniken was right?

What if Rene Descartes was right and one of us is just a brain in a jar being fed information about this imaginary world?

What if a rogue planet or dead star has already passed through the Oort Cloud and thousands of comets are now falling into the inner solar system?

What if the Americans ever figure out what we Canadians are really up to?

 

[BuckyDuckman]

What if we stayed the fuck out people's bedrooms and allowed gays to marry? Would gay divorce rates eventually equal heterosexual divorce rates? (My guess is "yes." That people of any sexual persuasion would continue to make the same dumb choices for a partner.)

What if divorce was rule illegal, but all marriages had a mandatory expiration of seven years?

 

[SweetMaj]

What if we stayed the fuck out people's bedrooms and allowed gays to marry? Would gay divorce rates eventually equal heterosexual divorce rates? (My guess is "yes." That people of any sexual persuasion would continue to make the same dumb choices for a partner.)

What if divorce was rule illegal, but all marriages had a mandatory expiration of seven years?

In Denmark gay mirages are legal.

What if all the leaders and politicians all over the world were gone, and
mankind could decide for themselves?

 

[oggbashan]

In Denmark gay mirages are legal.

What if all the leaders and politicians all over the world were gone, and
mankind could decide for themselves?

What is a gay mirage? Is it a rainbow-coloured mirage, as if seen through a prism?

If all the leaders and politicians were gone, more would emerge from the remaining population. Like assholes, leaders and politicians are a universal plague, in every country, in every period of time.

 

[TimothyM]

In Denmark gay mirages are legal.

and also gay marriages ;-)

and as of recently they can even get married in church - if they can find someone willing to perform the ceremony (which is fairly easy here, but vicars are allowed to decline if against their personal faith). But finally gays have absolutely equal rights in choosing how to marry.

Makes me proud to be a Dane....

Oh and the what if:

What if people stopped pretending that climate change is the main issue in the world, and everybody agreed that most of our problems (wars, hunger, destruction of nature, lack of resources, overcrowding, people having to live in areas prone to natural disasters etc) stems from ONE common cause:

We are too many humans on this planet. UN dare not say it for fear of offending all those religions and cultures who are against contraception and family planning. But IMO overpopulation by humans is the main curse of planet Earth.

(ducks under the table to avoid getting shot by anti-abortion terrorists etc.)

 

[Brandie69]

What if you woke up one day and discovered that you could change gender at will? There would seem to be endless questions to be answered. In fact, thanks entirely to this thread, I've started writing a story with that as the central idea.

Don't you think it would be interesting if a number of authors took on one "what if" question and we could see different ways of imagining it?

Anyway, I think it's a perfectly excellent thread for the AH.

 

[nicecthulhu]

There are even deeper implications if the American Revolution had not happened. Guerrilla warfare was essentially invented by Francis Marion and his swamp dodgers in South Carolina throwing off the British regulars. The entirety of history could be different without that element or if it had been developed differently or later.

Although, I think the North American natives and others around the world might argue your point.
Still, despite the fact the the U.S. has done some pretty terrible things at home and around the world, this planet of ours would be a much worse place without the Americans. Nothing to balance the Soviets. Imperial Japan might have conquered and kept much of the Pacific and the lands around it. No trip to the Moon. Even if we did get to the Moon, would the Soviets have said it belongs to everyone like the U.S. did? What about all the innovations and inventions from the U.S.? Would Canada still have been Canada? What about Mexico and the rest of Central America?
There are immense implications to the world if the American Revolution was squashed.

 

[nicecthulhu]

What if we stayed the fuck out people's bedrooms and allowed gays to marry? Would gay divorce rates eventually equal heterosexual divorce rates? (My guess is "yes." That people of any sexual persuasion would continue to make the same dumb choices for a partner.)

What if divorce was rule illegal, but all marriages had a mandatory expiration of seven years?

Canada has gay marriage. They does seem to break apart just as much as hetero marriages. Some seem to last forever, just like some hetero marriages. Our country hasn't fallen apart because of it.

If all marriages had a mandatory expiration of seven years, then many couples would just live common law until they died. My wife and I would become fugitives rather than let the government tell us we had to be apart.
That also could be a plot bunny I suppose. And I don't mean two Great Old Ones on the run from the law...

 

[TimothyM]

What if you woke up one day and discovered that you could change gender at will? There would seem to be endless questions to be answered. In fact, thanks entirely to this thread, I've started writing a story with that as the central idea.

Don't you think it would be interesting if a number of authors took on one "what if" question and we could see different ways of imagining it?

Hey, I might take you up on that challenge - great plot bunny. Though I think I have come across someone using it recently.

Are you putting a limit on how often it can happen ? And stipulating what it takes to do it ?

 

[oggbashan]

What if you woke up one day and discovered that you could change gender at will? There would seem to be endless questions to be answered. In fact, thanks entirely to this thread, I've started writing a story with that as the central idea.

Don't you think it would be interesting if a number of authors took on one "what if" question and we could see different ways of imagining it?

Anyway, I think it's a perfectly excellent thread for the AH.

In 1931 Thorne Smith wrote a gender-changing novel Turnabout, although the gender-changing was uncontrolled.

 

[nicecthulhu]

What if you woke up one day and discovered that you could change gender at will? There would seem to be endless questions to be answered. In fact, thanks entirely to this thread, I've started writing a story with that as the central idea.

Don't you think it would be interesting if a number of authors took on one "what if" question and we could see different ways of imagining it?

Anyway, I think it's a perfectly excellent thread for the AH.

Robert Heinlein's "I Will Fear No Evil" might provide you with some interesting ideas about the differences between a male and female mind. Supposedly his wife gave him a lot of ideas on how women think. Of course it is dated and involves a one-time, not at will gender switch.

Personally, I'd hate the idea of switching genders. I'm a guy. I'm comfortable being a guy. I'm not even curious about what it would be like to be a woman for a day.
A more interesting story might be: what if you automatically switched genders? No control over it and some people would like the idea, some would prefer it, but others (like me) would hate it.

 

[loquere]

What if I could fly?

 

[TxRad]

What if I could fly?

Flying isn't the hard part. Landing is the bitch.

 

[Karenas]

What if you could get anything and everything you wanted?
What if you could go back in time and re-live your life?
What if you were richer than Croesus?
What if you could save time in a bottle?

 

[Brandie69]

Timothy M

Sorry I missed your reply until now. I would say no limits on your own imagination.

I've already started writing. Keep me posted on your progress. Maybe we can submit it as a chain.

 

[MatthewVett]

There are even deeper implications if the American Revolution had not happened. Guerrilla warfare was essentially invented by Francis Marion and his swamp dodgers in South Carolina throwing off the British regulars. The entirety of history could be different without that element or if it had been developed differently or later.

I think the Spaniards would have still ended up using it during the French occupation during the Napoleonic Wars.