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[Armok]

This thread is pointless, you could just funnel some billion dollars into lie detectors, or get a new face then rule anonymously through some system.

[MetalSlimeHunt]

Armok insulted my thread. And yet, I am unshocked by this turn of events.

No lie detector is perfect, and simply vanishing with that level of power is next to impossible.

[Muz]

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?

Hell no.

There's no such thing as absolute power - a dictator or king still has to handle external forces. Even if you control the world, you still have to deal with aliens sooner or later. Even if aliens don't exist, you have God, or rebel forces. If you have Godlike power, then you'll know that people are lying to you. So, I assume you mean a very powerful position, above everyone around you, but not above the rest of the world.

In that case, no. When you're in a position of power, truth becomes valuable. A country built on lies won't last long. I certainly don't want people telling me my military is invincible when it's not. I want people telling me if my economic policy has actually increased unemployment. Even now, I strongly criticize people who suck up to me. If I had absolute power, I'd order the beheading of advisors who lie to suck up to me.

[Jackrabbit]

This thread is pointless, you could just funnel some billion dollars into lie detectors, or get a new face then rule anonymously through some system.

Assume that no matter who worked on your face, they would tell other people because you are their leader and they couldn't bear to let you go, even on pain of death.

Also assume that no matter how many billions of dollars you funnel lie detectors, they do not work with any real degree of accuracy. What then?

[Retro]

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!

Indeed. A fake lastname and two fake prefix initials are the way to go.

[HideousBeing]

Absolute power sounds like work...

[DeKaFu]

I mean, the point in having power is presumably as a means to an end, right? It's like money. Something you use to get what you want, which in turn makes you happy.

My picture of happiness includes relative anonymity and not having to be responsible for other people. If I had absolute power, I'd feel responsible for using it to better people's lives. You can argue that you don't have to, but to ignore everyone and just use it to gratify my own desires would require me to be a huge jerk, which I like to think I'm not. I don't think I could really handle ruling people without screwing it up either, so it's guarenteed misery either way. Either do nothing and feel terrible, or try to help and end up making things worse because of unintended consequences and feel terrible.

The dishonesty would make it even worse, because then even if things were somehow going smoothly I'd always suspect something horrible was happening and nobody was telling me.

So, that sounds like about the worst thing that could ever happen to me.

[MetalSlimeHunt]

^

That is how power corrupts the best of people. They try to use their power for the good of all, but it dosen't work out.  Sooner or later, they snap from the guilt and stress. They become apathetic, and only care about themselves due to the great burden they have. Power is only abused by plain bad people. It does far worse things to decent people.

[ChairmanPoo]

Why is honesty in the face of power so much of a concern? It's not like people are very honest to begin with, even WITHOUT absolute power. So yeah, I'd go for it. And then use common sense and reason to decide when people are being honest, when they're just brown-nosing, and so on. Just like we all do already in our daily lives.

[Itnetlolor]

^

That is how power corrupts the best of people. They try to use their power for the good of all, but it dosen't work out.  Sooner or later, they snap from the guilt and stress. They become apathetic, and only care about themselves due to the great burden they have. Power is only abused by plain bad people. It does far worse things to decent people.

Sounds much like a thought I once had. The only thing worse than an evil person is a good person who just crossed over into evil.

They're far worse because they know what good people do, they can manipulate good people, they have the convincing image of good, and can use it for bad. And if they're especially good at it, nobody would be suspicious of them.

[RAM]

Wrost people are those who still think they are doing good, you really can't win, just grab the absolute power and do your best...

[Forumsdwarf]

Absolute power sounds like work...

WIN!

[cowofdoom78963]

I would tell everyone to be honest to me or die.

[RedKing]

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.

This.

[RAM]

And then get slowly mauled to death by a bunch of weeds...