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  • There are a lot of godlike beings who would be objectively the best choice.

    • Lucy (2018) - some mild insanity, remorselessness

      Genie from Aladdin (1992) ‐ everything is a joke

      Bruce Almighty (2003) - can't actually control himself

      I'm going to go off on a comic-book tangent here:

      Wielder of Infinity Gauntlet (1991, 2018) - potential insanity, later radiation scarring

      Phoenix Force (1976) ‐ heavy insanity, desire to consume planets (see: Dark Phoenix Saga (1980), (X-Men '92, S03E11), Avengers vs. X-men (2012))

      Omega-Level mutants - tendency toward megalomania (see: Jean Grey, Magneto, Kid Omega, 4 horsemen of Apocalypse... even Ororo Munroe (goddess), though Iceman seems well-adjusted)

      Beyond - remorselessness, destruction of universes (see: Secret Wars (1984), Time Runs Out Event (2014))

      • You're getting their powers, not their personality. Of course, the old "absolute power corrupts absolutely" chestnut applies.

        • My preferred quote on this line:

          "Power attracts pathological personalities. It is not that power corrupts but that it is magnetic to the corruptible. Such people have a tendency to become drunk on violence, a condition to which they are quickly addicted." ~ Frank Herbert, Chapterhouse: Dune

          It takes the will of a saint to be incorruptible — to not become addicted to the exercise of power. Those who do not desire power, like saints, may have it thrust upon them.

          Even when left to own devices, a person can only exercise power within a society that has desires, wants, and fears. The whole society would need to be incorruptible. This is improbable. In the unlikely case of such a pure society, it would also need to be incorruptible when in contact with "the other" — peoples, species, events, and ideas. This is exceedingly improbable. So, the whole of existence would need to be incorruptible.

          Power corrupts.

          QED (using the slippery slope, I know)

          • Agreed. The original quote assumes that all humans are ultimately selfish assholes. While a good deal are, there are plenty of us who are not.

129 comments