# Can you defeat the evil genie? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 21, 2022, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-defeat-the-evil-genie/976903 "2022-12-21T14:02:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![StarvingButStrong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/starvingbutstrong/32/335_2.png) [@StarvingButStrong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StarvingButStrong)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2022, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-defeat-the-evil-genie/976903/21 "2022-12-21T14:57:17Z")
> [@Railer13](#): > > I wish to purchase the only winning ticket of the Mega Millions jackpot on December 23, 2022. Sorry, Railer! I promise not to buy a ticket for that particular Mega Millions, okay? ---
**Author:** ![FrenchDunadan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frenchdunadan/32/5449_2.png) [@FrenchDunadan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FrenchDunadan)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2022, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-defeat-the-evil-genie/976903/22 "2022-12-21T14:57:44Z")
is “I wish to find each morning a new lamp with a new friendly genie that grant me a wish without restrictions” a loophole or not? ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2022, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-defeat-the-evil-genie/976903/23 "2022-12-21T15:01:07Z")
> [@StarvingButStrong](#): > > Give me incredibly good luck, so I win any raffle, lottery, or any such contest I choose to enter but cannot be forced to enter any such against my will. > > (Ha. Exactly 20.) - The genie will arrange for every entrant to win. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2022, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-defeat-the-evil-genie/976903/24 "2022-12-21T15:02:18Z")
I once encountered a genie who offered me two wishes. For my first wish, I asked for a perpetual joint of the finest cannabis. _ **POOF** _ I had that joint. I lit it and took one big hit and I was stoned. And the joint was just as long as when I first lit it. So of course for my second wish I asked for another. ---
**Author:** ![colinfred](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colinfred/32/21338_2.png) [@colinfred](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/colinfred)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2022, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-defeat-the-evil-genie/976903/25 "2022-12-21T15:12:44Z")
> [@FrenchDunadan](#): > > Is “I wish to find each morning a new lamp with a new friendly genie that grant me a wish without restrictions” a loophole or not? Of course it is. No extra wishes and no loopholes. One thing I was thinking but didn’t really make clear in the OP: You will be saying it not writing it. The “he cannot misunderstand” was supposed to protect against things like the 12 inch pianist, which is completely different to a 12 inch penis. He cannot make words mean something that sounds slightly similar or break the language in a way that has no genuine basis, however he can misconstrue AIDS for another word like aides as it’s being said aloud. 100% is three words “one hundred percent” ---
**Author:** ![Kropotkin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kropotkin/32/18045_2.png) [@Kropotkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kropotkin)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2022, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-defeat-the-evil-genie/976903/26 "2022-12-21T15:13:10Z")
How would “I wish you and other genies would only do good works for humanity” work? Otherwise, “I’m not playing, you stupid-ass genie” ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2022, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-defeat-the-evil-genie/976903/27 "2022-12-21T15:21:50Z")
> [@colinfred](#): > > The “he cannot misunderstand” was supposed to protect against things like the 12 inch pianist, which is completely different to a 12 inch penis. - In the original joke, the genie was hard of hearing. The jackass genie could pretend to mis-hear. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2022, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-defeat-the-evil-genie/976903/28 "2022-12-21T15:23:49Z")
1 trillion dollars appear in a securely wrapped package, about 10 meters above your head. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2022, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-defeat-the-evil-genie/976903/29 "2022-12-21T15:25:51Z")
> [@colinfred](#): > > The genie will be bound by your wish, he has to follow it to the letter and he cannot misunderstand. However he will actively try to misconstrue any clause which has any ambiguity at all in order to screw you over as badly as possible. I sure wish everyone would give me the benefit of the doubt, including construing any ambiguous clauses in my favor, with no desire to badly screw me over… ---
**Author:** ![dirtball](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dirtball/32/18772_2.png) [@dirtball](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dirtball)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2022, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-defeat-the-evil-genie/976903/30 "2022-12-21T15:27:27Z")
I’ve read too many of those stories and seen too many of those movies to think even for the briefest split second that I could outsmart a genie who’s actively looking for a way to screw me over. So no wish. The only winning move is not to play. ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2022, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-defeat-the-evil-genie/976903/31 "2022-12-21T15:27:57Z")
> [@Kropotkin](#): > > How would “I wish you and other genies would only do good works for humanity” work? What if the genie is religious, and believes that the afterlife is preferable to this life? ---
**Author:** ![dirtball](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dirtball/32/18772_2.png) [@dirtball](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dirtball)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2022, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-defeat-the-evil-genie/976903/32 "2022-12-21T15:46:38Z")
And another thing that occurs to me is that even if I manage to formulate a wish that seems to go according to my intentions, I’ll probably spend the rest of my life waiting for the other shoe to drop. So no thanks. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2022, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-defeat-the-evil-genie/976903/33 "2022-12-21T15:55:04Z")
> [@dirtball](#): > > And another thing that occurs to me is that even if I manage to formulate a wish that seems to go according to my intentions, I’ll probably spend the rest of my life waiting for the other shoe to drop. So no thanks. - Just wish for one shoe. (You’ll likely lose a leg) ---
**Author:** ![Briny\_Deep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/briny_deep/32/17188_2.png) [@Briny\_Deep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Briny_Deep)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2022, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-defeat-the-evil-genie/976903/34 "2022-12-21T15:57:20Z")
Another vote for no, not smarter than the devil. No matter what, evil genie will make you regret the wish. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/O139LsZscL8/maxresdefault.jpg "Homer Simpson I'm Smarter Than The Devil") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O139LsZscL8) ---
**Author:** ![Kropotkin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kropotkin/32/18045_2.png) [@Kropotkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kropotkin)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2022, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-defeat-the-evil-genie/976903/35 "2022-12-21T16:00:20Z")
Okay, Plan B it is! ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2022, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-defeat-the-evil-genie/976903/36 "2022-12-21T16:49:23Z")
Just say _" ’al-lāhu lā ’ilāha ’il-lā hu / ’al-ḥay-yu l-qay-yūm / Lā ta’khudhuhū sinatun w-walā nawm / Lahū mā fi s-samāwāti wamā fi l-’arḍ / Man dha l-ladhī yashfa‘u ‘indahū ’illā bi’idhnih / Ya‘lamu mā bayna ’aydīhim wamā khalfahum / Walā yuḥītūna bishy’i m-min ‘ilmihī ’il-lā bimā shā’ / Wasi‘a kursiy-yuhu s-samāwāti wal’arḍ / Walā ya’ūduhū ḥifẓuhumā / Wahuwa l-‘aliy-yu l-‘aẓīm. "_ Problem solved! ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2022, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-defeat-the-evil-genie/976903/37 "2022-12-21T16:49:44Z")
“I wish for everything written here to be true.” (shows paper with long and detailed list of requirements) Hey, it’s not wishing for more wishes. ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2022, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-defeat-the-evil-genie/976903/38 "2022-12-21T16:52:56Z")
All the ice cream in the world. And maybe a spoon. oh wait - damn - that’s two wishes. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2022, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-defeat-the-evil-genie/976903/39 "2022-12-21T16:55:44Z")
> [@Guest-starring\_Id](#): > > All the ice cream in the world. > > And maybe a spoon. > > oh wait - damn - that’s two wishes. - There’s no ice cream _in_ the world. It’s not mined, it’s manufactured and placed in containers. ---
**Author:** ![Knowed\_Out](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/knowed_out/32/7380_2.png) [@Knowed\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knowed_Out)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2022, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-defeat-the-evil-genie/976903/40 "2022-12-21T17:00:47Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > Sounds fairly easy. How could “I want a trillion dollars, with no depreciation/inflation of currency” possibly be construed in any wrong way? A trillion dollars, all bound up in crates, falls on top of you. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-defeat-the-evil-genie/976903.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-defeat-the-evil-genie/976903.md?page=3)