What if's?

[SeaCat]

I had an interesting thought today, one that crystalised in my mind and may just become the basis of a story.

What if?

What would happen to our society if there was a sudden release of discoveries? Discoveries such as the discovery of a cure/vaccine for HIV/AIDS? The discovery of a cheap and pletniful source of power? The discovery of a cure for Cancer and last but not least the discovery of texts written by Jesus that are contrary to the teachings of the Christian Faith?

Cat

 

[cloudy]

I had an interesting thought today, one that crystalised in my mind and may just become the basis of a story.

What if?

What would happen to our society if there was a sudden release of discoveries? Discoveries such as the discovery of a cure/vaccine for HIV/AIDS? The discovery of a cheap and pletniful source of power? The discovery of a cure for Cancer and last but not least the discovery of texts written by Jesus that are contrary to the teachings of the Christian Faith?

Cat

Society would come grinding to a halt.

Most of my stories start out as what ifs.

 

[Goldie Munro]

I had an interesting thought today, one that crystalised in my mind and may just become the basis of a story.

What if?

What would happen to our society if there was a sudden release of discoveries? Discoveries such as the discovery of a cure/vaccine for HIV/AIDS? The discovery of a cheap and pletniful source of power? The discovery of a cure for Cancer and last but not least the discovery of texts written by Jesus that are contrary to the teachings of the Christian Faith?

Cat

We just might have a Utopia!

 

[starrkers]

Don't worry, cats. The major corporations would buy up the patents and hide them all anyway, like they do now.

 

[Christopher19]

That's pretty deep thinking. I personally believe it would be an exciting time. There could be some devestation amoung religious groups when it comes to the Jesus aspect, but none the less it's all very interesting. It's like plot advancment.

 

[CeriseNoire]

I had an interesting thought today, one that crystalised in my mind and may just become the basis of a story.

What if?

What would happen to our society if there was a sudden release of discoveries? Discoveries such as the discovery of a cure/vaccine for HIV/AIDS? The discovery of a cheap and pletniful source of power? The discovery of a cure for Cancer and last but not least the discovery of texts written by Jesus that are contrary to the teachings of the Christian Faith?

Cat

AIDS vaccine? Probably either the same debate that's going on with the HPV vaccine, or some greedy company would make it insanely expensive.

Cheap power? Oil lobbies would make sure it was discredited as soon as possible. Or they'd buy it all and set their price.

Texts from Jesus? They would be presented as a "test", just like dinosaur bones.

Sorry for the cynicism. I'm not feeling very positive today.

 

[drksideofthemoon]

I had an interesting thought today, one that crystalised in my mind and may just become the basis of a story.

What if?

What would happen to our society if there was a sudden release of discoveries? Discoveries such as the discovery of a cure/vaccine for HIV/AIDS? The discovery of a cheap and pletniful source of power? The discovery of a cure for Cancer and last but not least the discovery of texts written by Jesus that are contrary to the teachings of the Christian Faith?

Cat

Tele-evanglelists would have to find honest work?...

 

[starrkers]

AIDS vaccine? Probably either the same debate that's going on with the HPV vaccine, or some greedy company would make it insanely expensive.

Cheap power? Oil lobbies would make sure it was discredited as soon as possible. Or they'd buy it all and set their price.

Texts from Jesus? They would be presented as a "test", just like dinosaur bones.

Sorry for the cynicism. I'm not feeling very positive today.

You and me both.

 

[Liar]

Not much. The AIDS curee and cancer cure would improve the lives of some. Other who can't afford it would be where they are now. But on the whole it would make the world a little better. Until the next epidemia comes along. There's always something. We have cured major diseases before, the world still spins and human nature will be human nature.

As for the Jesus thing. Would the discovery be believed? Nobody seems to give much zing to the James Cameron documentary on Jesus' tomb. That won't change christianity, whether it's true or not. I doubt anything else will. Except a truly spectacular Second Coming where Jesus denies all that's written about him in person.

 

[Guest]

Tele-evanglelists would have to find honest work?...

It'll never happen.

 

[elsol]

I had an interesting thought today, one that crystalised in my mind and may just become the basis of a story.

What if?

What would happen to our society if there was a sudden release of discoveries? Discoveries such as the discovery of a cure/vaccine for HIV/AIDS? The discovery of a cheap and pletniful source of power? The discovery of a cure for Cancer and last but not least the discovery of texts written by Jesus that are contrary to the teachings of the Christian Faith?

Cat

Discovery of cure/vaccine for HIV/AIDS... the religious right would protest it as promoting sex, the pharmaceutical company that discovered it would charge up the ass for it... Come on, that's a DUH one!

Cheap and plentiful source of power... no idea.

the discovery of a a cure for cancer... again, most of us couldn't afford it.

Texts written by Jesus... their authenticity would be denied by everyone in religious power.

 

[R. Richard]

What if?

What would happen to our society if there was a sudden release of discoveries? Discoveries such as the discovery of a cure/vaccine for HIV/AIDS? The discovery of a cheap and pletniful source of power? The discovery of a cure for Cancer and last but not least the discovery of texts written by Jesus that are contrary to the teachings of the Christian Faith?

Cat

In general, the solution of an existing major problem causes a new problem(s) to appear.

If you cure HIV/AIDS, there are several other diseases that would now become the major medical problem.

I have discovered a free source of unlimited power [the Force.] I now become the most powerful man on the face of the Earth. I have a list of things that you who must have the power to live/remain competitive/etc. have to do before I give you the power.

There are cures for cancer. Howrever, there are cancers for which there is, as yet no cure. If I cure a specific type of cancer, chances are there is another disease lurking behind the cancer which disease will now suddenly become life threatening for millions.

Let me just ask you this. Jesus was supposed to be Jewish. It is generally agreed that he was born to those of the Jewish faith. So, how come he has Puerto Rican name?

 

[Jubal_Harshaw]

Written texts by Jesus?

Well first let's ignore the fact that he was a carpenter and likely illiterate. Let's say he dictated to a scribe, fairly expensive for someone with no money or worldly possessions aside from the robes on his back.

Constantine would have found those with the thousands of texts he pared down and edited to make the bible and buried them or destroyed them (more likely) as they did not fit with the religion he was creating. He sure wouldn't want the truth getting out and destroying the peace he was creating by unifying the religious sects of the vast Roman empire.

Assuming he simply hid them and they were found, the Christians would scoff at them as a hoax and go on believing anyway. Let's face it, over the past 4 decades there have been numerous pieces of the Christian mystery that have been pulled into the light and most people don't even know about them let alone believe them. How many people know the Shroud of Turin has been positively proven a fake?

I often wonder how many protestants still believe, and preach, that hell is a pit of burning brimstone and Heaven is a city with streets of gold?

Most Christians don't even know the basic origins of their religion, the believe what they are told to believe. And they would rather believe that lie than be left with nothing to believe in.

As for Cheap plentiful power, that's been done. It's just to inconvenient for people to deal with.

Diseases? That's nature's way of culling the herd. Eliminate cancer or HIV and something just as bad will pop up to take its place.

Want one to really bake your noodle? What if all the power sources we have suddenly disappeared? What if all the machines just stopped. What if people had to actually do things again? Or how about this; What if politicians were suddenly overwhelmed with a need to be honest and trustworthy and actually did something for the country instead of trying to milk it for all they could get? What if there was no more greed?

 

[cloudy]

Want one to really bake your noodle? What if all the power sources we have suddenly disappeared? What if all the machines just stopped. What if people had to actually do things again?

We would be the ones rewriting history next time.

(we haven't forgotten)

 

[SeaCat]

Written texts by Jesus?

Well first let's ignore the fact that he was a carpenter and likely illiterate. Let's say he dictated to a scribe, fairly expensive for someone with no money or worldly possessions aside from the robes on his back.

Constantine would have found those with the thousands of texts he pared down and edited to make the bible and buried them or destroyed them (more likely) as they did not fit with the religion he was creating. He sure wouldn't want the truth getting out and destroying the peace he was creating by unifying the religious sects of the vast Roman empire.

Assuming he simply hid them and they were found, the Christians would scoff at them as a hoax and go on believing anyway. Let's face it, over the past 4 decades there have been numerous pieces of the Christian mystery that have been pulled into the light and most people don't even know about them let alone believe them. How many people know the Shroud of Turin has been positively proven a fake?

I often wonder how many protestants still believe, and preach, that hell is a pit of burning brimstone and Heaven is a city with streets of gold?

Most Christians don't even know the basic origins of their religion, the believe what they are told to believe. And they would rather believe that lie than be left with nothing to believe in.

As for Cheap plentiful power, that's been done. It's just to inconvenient for people to deal with.

Diseases? That's nature's way of culling the herd. Eliminate cancer or HIV and something just as bad will pop up to take its place.

Want one to really bake your noodle? What if all the power sources we have suddenly disappeared? What if all the machines just stopped. What if people had to actually do things again? Or how about this; What if politicians were suddenly overwhelmed with a need to be honest and trustworthy and actually did something for the country instead of trying to milk it for all they could get? What if there was no more greed?

Jubal,

What would happen if all the power sources we have suddenly stopped. Do you mean all power sources that send power to distant needs or all power sources such as generators and fire? (No I am not being an as about this. It is an interesting question.)

Now if there was a situation where power was lost for an extended period of time, (Say a year or more) for any reason then our society would rapidly break down. Many people would die of starvation and/or violence. (Yes there would be violence as people started starving to death.)

There would be people who survived though, people who remembered how to live in the old ways. People who remembered not only how to plant and hunt but how to protect themselves. In other words, how to survive.

Cat

Oh and I love the moniker by the way. I wonder how many people know where it comes from.

 

[Jubal_Harshaw]

Jubal,

What would happen if all the power sources we have suddenly stopped. Do you mean all power sources that send power to distant needs or all power sources such as generators and fire? (No I am not being an as about this. It is an interesting question.)

Now if there was a situation where power was lost for an extended period of time, (Say a year or more) for any reason then our society would rapidly break down. Many people would die of starvation and/or violence. (Yes there would be violence as people started starving to death.)

There would be people who survived though, people who remembered how to live in the old ways. People who remembered not only how to plant and hunt but how to protect themselves. In other words, how to survive.

Cat

Oh and I love the moniker by the way. I wonder how many people know where it comes from.

You're not being an ass, I can see that. You're asking for a clarification. That was the reason for the next question in that series. "What if all the machines just stopped?"

Violence? You better believe it. But how? If nothing mechanical worked anymore guns would be defunct. Clubs and swords would rule and rule they would. There will be those who will work for what they need to survive, and there will be just as many who would steal it, in one way or another, to avoid having to do the work.

Machines were created because people are inherently lazy, we spend lifetimes developing machines to do our work for us then we get fat from not working. We force ourselves to execise because we don't like ourselves fat. Then laziness kicks in again and we invent machines to execise for us and drugs to "melt" away the fat.

As my namesake once said, "God gave man just enough brains to tie a rock to a stick and make a better club. The rest was all our doing."

 

[elsol]

Let me just ask you this. Jesus was supposed to be Jewish. It is generally agreed that he was born to those of the Jewish faith. So, how come he has Puerto Rican name?

Jews came before Puerto Ricans... I have an Arab middle name.

 

[rgraham666]

My own take is that any of these things would threaten the power of many powerful people.

And so they would do anything to make sure these discoveries would not come to light.

 

[glynndah]

Those do have the knowledge to build, grow, make, and repair things would suddenly be much more valued members of society.

"Now if there was a situation where power was lost for an extended period of time, (Say a year or more) for any reason then our society would rapidly break down. Many people would die of starvation and/or violence. (Yes there would be violence as people started starving to death.)

There would be people who survived though, people who remembered how to live in the old ways. People who remembered not only how to plant and hunt but how to protect themselves. In other words, how to survive." Quote from SeaCat

 

[rgraham666]

Those do have the knowledge to build, grow, make, and repair things would suddenly be much more valued members of society.

Unless most people decided it was these knowledgeable ones responsible for the disaster.

Human beings do really strange things when they're terrified.

 

[elsol]

Why didn't we pick good what if's?

What if --- Karl Rove got a case of God and decided to come clean about... EVERYTHING?

What if --- an alien ship set down on the white house lawn and ET came out holding a copy of the [pick your religious text].

What if --- they found out fucking was the cure to everything.

What if --- everyone stopped blaming the past for the present and just got their head out of their ass to deal with shit?

 

[rgraham666]

Hey, let's keep it with in the bounds of possibility here.

Especially that last one.

 

[elsol]

Hey, let's keep it with in the bounds of possibility here.

Especially that last one.

Really... you think a majority of us getting our heads out of our asses is LESS likely than the Anti-Christ singing a Hallelujah?

Hmm... I say it's pretty close.

 

[slyc_willie]

Really... you think a majority of us getting our heads out of our asses is LESS likely than the Anti-Christ singing a Hallelujah?

Hmm... I say it's pretty close.

I'm flipping a coin . . . .

 

[WarLordwrites]

I had an interesting thought today, one that crystalised in my mind and may just become the basis of a story.

What if?

What would happen to our society if there was a sudden release of discoveries? Discoveries such as the discovery of a cure/vaccine for HIV/AIDS? The discovery of a cheap and pletniful source of power? The discovery of a cure for Cancer and last but not least the discovery of texts written by Jesus that are contrary to the teachings of the Christian Faith?

Cat

Greetings

I like them but how about a reversal of one-

"What if"

A big company is designing a microbe to eat up oil spills and whoops make a mistake and pretty soon its multiplying out of control and eating up every bit of oil on earth?

I'm guessing it would be survivalist time...

Enjoy the journey

WarLord