If you were asked for one true wish. What would be your answer?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Willowz
  • Start date Start date
Click For Summary

Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the concept of making a single true wish, exploring a variety of personal desires, philosophical implications, and hypothetical scenarios. Participants share their thoughts on wishes ranging from the mundane to the profound, touching on themes of morality, human nature, and the consequences of wishes.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants express a desire to rewind time to prevent historical tragedies, such as the abortion of a controversial figure or the destruction of the library at Alexandria.
  • Several participants wish for the elimination of personal desires altogether, suggesting that having no wishes could lead to satisfaction.
  • There are multiple wishes related to human population control, with some participants proposing a reduction to around 3 billion people without catastrophic consequences.
  • Infinite wishes are a popular theme, with participants discussing the implications and responsibilities that come with such power.
  • Some participants express wishes for personal gains, such as wealth, attractiveness, or health, while others reflect on the potential negative outcomes of such wishes.
  • A participant humorously suggests wishing for a freshly ironed shirt, contrasting with more serious wishes.
  • Philosophical considerations arise regarding the nature of wishes, free will, and the potential for wishes to create paradoxes or unintended consequences.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express a wide range of individual wishes, with no consensus on what constitutes a desirable wish. Many competing views are present, particularly regarding the implications of wishes related to population control and the nature of infinite wishes.

Contextual Notes

Some participants acknowledge the complexity and potential consequences of their wishes, indicating that the outcomes of seemingly good intentions can lead to catastrophic results. There is also a recognition of the moral implications of wishing for the nullification of others' wishes.

Who May Find This Useful

This discussion may be of interest to those exploring philosophical questions about desire, morality, and the implications of wishes, as well as individuals curious about the diverse perspectives on personal aspirations and societal issues.

  • #31
DaveC426913 said:
Yes, the same thing has occurred to me.

We would have had our flying cars and personal jetpacks by now. :approve:

I was once commenting on this to a friend; IIRC, with specific references to the medical knowledge that seems to have been lost. I had seen something about the information believed to be lost and was struck by the implications.

"I really thought you would have gotten over it by now", he replied. :smile:
 
Physics news on Phys.org
  • #32
Ivan Seeking said:
I was once commenting on this to a friend; IIRC, with specific references to the medical knowledge that seems to have been lost. I had seen something about the information believed to be lost and was struck by the implications.

"I really thought you would have gotten over it by now", he replied. :smile:
How much history was lost when that library burned? Not just the science and mathematics of the Arabian/Persian societies and that of the early Greeks, but the historical records. I love history, and wonder how much was lost when all those scrolls went up in flames.
 
  • #33
I was going to wish for world peace, but after reading through the comments, I decided to gift my wish to Jack21222. Best of luck to your sister, with whatever is ailing her.
 
  • #34
Ms Music said:
I was going to wish for world peace, but after reading through the comments, I decided to gift my wish to Jack21222. Best of luck to your sister, with whatever is ailing her.
OK, you get my vote for Miss America!

(It's not a beauty pageant. It's a scholarship competition.)
 
  • #35
Awww, how sweet! But I would like to also gift that to someone else? My 16 year old daughter still has 2 years of high school left, but she is interning at the university in bioengineering. If anyone deserves it, that girl does! And she might even have the potential for finding the cure that Jack's sister needs. (as long as it doesn't require working with animals)
 
  • #36
Chi Meson said:
To have human population level off and descend back to about 3 billion (over a few decades, of course--don't want any horrible catastrophe; just want about half of everybody to go away)
My wish is that Chi gets his wish.
 
  • #37
Jack21222 said:
I'd wish for a breakthrough in stem cell research so my sister(and those in her position) can walk again, or at least use her arms.
I would wish that my youngest brother (and others like him) would live to see his (their) son (children) grow into adulthood. I'd gladly give 20 years of my life to him.
 
  • #38
drizzle said:
I wish that poverty is a man so I can kill him!To be honest, this's someone else's wish. And I don't mind to let go my fantasias wish [:biggrin:] just to make this wish come true...

I'd wish wealth was a man so I could kill him.
Then, we could get rid of a green-eyed monster as well, without using our wish on it. :smile:
 
  • #39
arildno said:
I'd wish wealth was a man so I could kill him.
Then, we could get rid of a green-eyed monster as well, without using our wish on it. :smile:

I know my wish sounds unreal, but think about it.. If you get rid of poorness, somehow wealthy people might die, by heart attack or something... :biggrin:
 
  • #40
drizzle said:
I know it sounds unreal, but think about it.. If you get rid of poorness, somehow wealthy people might die, by heart attack or something... :biggrin:

I don't follow that thought at all.
 
  • #41
I'd wish I was a little bit taller, wish I was a baller.

Oops, that's two.
 
  • #42
Mororvia said:
I'd wish I was a little bit taller, wish I was a baller.
a baller?

I do not sink zat means what you sink it means.
 
  • #43
I wish I could figure out how to change my attitude, how to straighten up.
 
  • #44
Newai said:
I wish I could figure out how to change my attitude, how to straighten up.
Put the pipe down.
 
  • #45
I haven't mentioned my wish. I wish that I knew what I should wish for.
 
  • #46
Willowz said:
Put the pipe down.

I don't smoke, do drugs, or drink. Anything else?
 
  • #47
Newai said:
I don't smoke, do drugs, or drink. Anything else?

Yeah. Lose the 'tude.

:smile:
 
  • #48
You misinterpreted my tone.
 
  • #49
Newai said:
I don't smoke, do drugs, or drink. Anything else?
Then, you sound straightened up to me.
 
  • #50
Ivan Seeking said:
Have you read the book or seen the PBS production of, The Lathe of Heaven?

To meet Ursula...

I went to an art show, with the book in hand, as I was a great fan of the production.
http://www.opb.org/programs/artbeat/segments/view/570" said Ursula would be there.

I missed her by 10 minutes. :cry:
 
Last edited by a moderator:
  • #51
OmCheeto said:
To meet Ursula...

I went to an art show, with the book in hand, as I was a great fan of the production.
http://www.opb.org/programs/artbeat/segments/view/570" said Ursula would be there.

I missed her by 10 minutes. :cry:

My two biggest heartbreakers when it comes to celebrities:

I barely missed a chance to hang out back stage with Stevie Wonder. A friend I worked with knew him but didn't get as many backstage passes as he was promised. Up until a few hours before we were supposed to leave for the concert, I thought it was a done deal! :cry:

Back when she was a super hotty, I barely missed a chance to hang out with Melanie Griffiths. A fellow student and my best friend at the time was renting a room with his sister, who in turn worked at NBC studios. Both Don Johnson and Griffiths stopped by after work one day and my idiot friend didn't think to call until it was too late. :mad: It was particulary annoying because I was usually over there anyway. He and I studied together almost every night.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
  • #52
Not real big on celebrities. Kevin Costner and a large entourage showed up at a Robben Ford concert at a very small venue in Portland, some years back. My friend and I had front-row tickets. During a short break, I had to hit the bathroom and noticed that every woman in the crowd was staring at Costner, like sunflowers facing the Sun. I had to wait for some women to clear the way so I could get out of there, and he just shook his head with a wry grin. He's probably an OK guy. He was filming a movie with Paul Newman at the time. The next day, my wife was asking "was Paul Newman there?" over and over. My wife could care less about modern celebrities, but would swoon over Paul Newman or Jimmy Stewart.
 
  • #53
Ivan Seeking said:
Back when she was a super hotty, I barely missed a chance to hang out with Melanie Griffiths.

Byzantine era?
 
  • #54
FlexGunship said:
Byzantine era?

:smile: Exactly what I was thinking.
 
  • #55
I wish I had some soy sauce for my rice. Yummy, would be nice!
 
  • #56
Willowz said:
I wish I had some soy sauce for my rice. Yummy, would be nice!

AND I WISH I DIDN'T HAVE SO MUCH SOY SAUCE!

Okay, this "wish thing" is starting to work out. How do we facilitate this transfer?
 

Similar threads

History Were Rahu and Ketu considered true planets in ancient times?
  • · Replies 13 ·
Replies
13
Views
4K
Undergrad What if there were no observers?
  • · Replies 31 ·
2
Replies
31
Views
3K
Books You Wish Were Available Back in the Day
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
2K
What would you memorize if you could?
  • · Replies 14 ·
Replies
14
Views
2K
Undergrad A variant of the Monty Hall problem
  • · Replies 9 ·
Replies
9
Views
4K
Suggestion Make inactive users visible by formatting username appearance
  • · Replies 13 ·
Replies
13
Views
2K
Asking for perspectives on my grade appeal
  • · Replies 10 ·
Replies
10
Views
2K
What is the true meaning of life?
  • · Replies 10 ·
Replies
10
Views
3K
High School What would happen if there were no inertia?
  • · Replies 23 ·
Replies
23
Views
3K
Undergrad Is the mass of a photon stationary in space?
  • · Replies 5 ·
Replies
5
Views
3K