Blue Pill vs. Red Pill (v.2)

Post by ArgentSun

I actually grew to like the discussion in the original thread. It's an interesting thing, to see how different people think, what they value, what their ambitions are. However there was one little problem with the premise - the question opposed "body enhancing" against "mind enhancing", over time. So the thing evolved into "body/material vs. mind/intellectual" thing. Which is not necessarily bad, but in that case I felt like it was... lacking unity. So here is another proposal:

Red Pill: Shortens your lifespan by half, but grants you the opportunity to develop an idea that will change to world, to some extent. It won't turn the entire universe upside down, but it will be more than enough to make you world-famous person.

Blue Pill: Doubles your lifespan, but prohibits you from any form of human interaction on a greater scale. You might be able to develop a new idea (but it's guaranteed as with the red pill), but it will be absolutely impossible to popularize it. No way to cheat the system.

In essence, the question is - would you rather be an active figure in the world development, but knowing that you won't live long enough to see the results of it; or would you rather stay in the world for a lot more, but knowing that you are only an observer?

P.S. I have another X vs. Y question, but I think I'll hold on to it for a little while, see if we can get a discussion going with this thread - after all it's very similar to something else we had just recently.

Post by Queggy

The question is, "Is it a good or bad world changing decision?" I mean, Hitler changed the world, but not for the better.

Post by ArgentSun

For the better. Obvious improvement (you don't know if somebody 300 from now won't twist it though. I am looking at you, nuclear energy!).

Post by Queggy

I'd say Red Pill then. I'll steal Zefram Cochrane's idea!

Post by TheMediator

I wouldn't say that the threat of nuclear annihilation is a bad thing. For the most part, it scared the world into not wanting to fight large scale wars with each other. I imagine without the bomb we'd probably have gotten into World War 3 by now.

Anyways, with this question, I'd probably not take either pill. Not being able to live long enough to really see my idea carried out and implemented how I had imagined it would suck, since as you say it could be twisted around. The blue pill though, I don't know if I'd just want to flat out live twice as long. Might make things sort of awkward when I'm 150 or so.