Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Josephus]

I recently got into a conversation about what it would be like to be Kim-Jong-Il. Most of the people I talked to agreed that knowing in the back of your mind that no one will ever speak honestly to you about anything would make it horrible. So I ask of you, Bay 12: Would you accept absolute power with the knowlage that everyone will fear you too much to ever speak truthfuly to you again?

... so how absolute are we talking? Because with absolute power, you can redefine their pathetic honesty. Remember, whoever controls the past controls the present, and whoever controls the present controls the future.

FREEDOM IS SLAVERY

[MetalSlimeHunt]

We are talking beyond Ingsoc levels of control. You could do almost anything but redefine the minds of the people, who would fear you too much for them to do anything about it.

[Josephus]

Beyond? Hell, I'm all over that shit. I'm gonna go Miracleman on North America. Accept utopia or I'll tear you in half by spitting at you.

Utopia justifies the means. Absolute power would mean that you'd have to consider a path of morality distinct from the usual one, because the usual one assumes human means and ways. Full-on ubermensch, people*.

*In all honesty, though, I'd find such a course of action appalling.

[kuro_suna]

Can I order everyone in the world to continue on with their lives exactly as before I came to power except stop killing each other over differing religion and ethnicity?

[ein]

I'm too libertarian to be very authoritarian.

[MetalSlimeHunt]

Can I order everyone in the world to continue on with their lives exactly as before I came to power except stop killing each other over differing religion and ethnicity?

Indeed you could. And they would all say, "Yes, Great Leader.".

[dragnar]

Can I order everyone in the world to continue on with their lives exactly as before I came to power except stop killing each other over differing religion and ethnicity?

That's not the act of a dictator, but of an army of jedi!

I would hate it. Not because of all the lies, but because I would have no clue what to do with all that power and would give it up as soon as possible.

[MetalSlimeHunt]

I would hate it. Not because of all the lies, but because I would have no clue what to do with all that power and would give it up as soon as possible.

Oh no, you don't get to give it up. All attempts to remove yourself from power will be viewed as the Great Leader searching for poteintal dissadents. A suicide attempt will result in all the world's  best medical technlogy being used to try and save you. If you accept the power, it's yours forever.

[Josephus]

Can I order everyone in the world to continue on with their lives exactly as before I came to power except stop killing each other over differing religion and ethnicity?

That's not the act of a dictator, but of an army of jedi!

I would hate it. Not because of all the lies, but because I would have no clue what to do with all that power and would give it up as soon as possible.

Conquer the solar system.

Spread humanity throughout the galaxy.

Become nothing less than a God-Emperor.

[dragnar]

I would hate it. Not because of all the lies, but because I would have no clue what to do with all that power and would give it up as soon as possible.

Oh no, you don't get to give it up. All attempts to remove yourself from power will be viewed as the Great Leader searching for poteintal dissadents. A suicide attempt will result in all the world's  best medical technlogy being used to try and save you. If you accept the power, it's yours forever.

What if I built myself a bunker on the moon then ordered no one to ever follow me up there? Also, I'm leaving my cat in charge. Muahahahaha!

[Jackrabbit]

God no. I don't ever want to have that much power.

A huge amount of power, yes, but I value anonymity. A lot.

[dragnar]

Smae. If I ever succeed in creating the awesome games I want to and become famous(unlikely), I'll hire someone to represent me for  the press. No one shall know who I am, no matter what!

[Jackrabbit]

Smae. If I ever succeed in creating the awesome games I want to and become famous(unlikely), I'll hire someone to represent me for  the press. No one shall know who I am, no matter what!

Likewise, if I ever become a famous writer, it's pseudonyms all the way!

[AtomicPaperclip]

I struggle with an incredible lust for power.

It would kind of suck because you would never know if someone really loved you, or if they were afraid to act otherwise.

A difficult choice.

[Forumsdwarf]

Absolutely. I don't give a damn if people lie to me or whatever, with absolute power their lies don't matter. I daresay, they don't matter. If I could have anything I wanted, I don't think it'd be possible to be unhappy. I don't think it'd be 'horrible', rather, I think it'd be 'heaven'.

Absolute power, absolute control. Everything would be within your grasp.

Heh, for some weird reason your strategy -- "ignore the critics, I have absolute power so who cares?" -- makes me think of Michael Jackson hanging out at Neverland Ranch and never mind how weird it may seem.
The equal opposite of that would be Barbara Streisand suing everyone in sight.

I think Jackson had the better strategy, or at least wasted a lot less time being stressed out.

Heh, there's the rub, isn't it?  Even with absolute power time is still a scarce resource, the one thing you're guaranteed to waste worrying what people are saying about you.

Your strategy is definitely the wisest ... assuming your absolute power were never in danger of usurpation, of course.  I'm not sure Kim Jong-Il could afford it.