# 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:** 6
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2022, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-defeat-the-evil-genie/976903/101 "2022-12-21T21:38:27Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > Does the media report on that sort of thing? When the prize pool gets sufficiently high, yes, I’ve seen such reports. I expect there’s also some site where you can track how many tickets are sold. I know our provincial lottery officials have a site like that for tracking how many scratch and win tickets have been cashed in. ---
**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, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-defeat-the-evil-genie/976903/102 "2022-12-21T21:38:41Z")
> [@Horatius](#): > > See? Now that’s a legitimate twist I didn’t anticipate! > > Now, I just wait until I see media stories about how “millions of people” are buying tickets for this draw. That’s why I specified it must be a ticket that _ **I** _ buy _ **for myself** _. No twist of someone else buying a ticket for a $10 raffle and then giving it to me as a gift. I control the timing. ‘Millions of people’ are reported as buying tickets for the draw. You buy your ticket and it is the sole winning ticket for the draw. Unfortunately, every single one of the millions of other tickets is for the same set of 7 numbers. Sure there was still a rollover prize and you technically won it, but this event is so very unusual and suspicious that you are investigated for fraud, endlessly. The prize payout is suspended until the investigations conclude, but the investigations cannot conclude because nobody knows why all of the millions of tickets were the same, except for one ticket - your ticket - you are ruined by the diligence and tenacity of the fraud investigators. ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2022, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-defeat-the-evil-genie/976903/103 "2022-12-21T21:43:27Z")
I cite “The genie did it!” defense once more. No rule against a dog playing basketball a genie affecting the lottery. ---
**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, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-defeat-the-evil-genie/976903/104 "2022-12-21T21:44:16Z")
You are committed to a psychiatric unit for treatment. ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2022, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-defeat-the-evil-genie/976903/105 "2022-12-21T21:49:12Z")
At that point, I think we’re outside the bounds of the wish. I act in an otherwise perfectly normal manner, and the defense of, “Well, okay, then you explain how that happened” is pretty strong. Since we know that lots of people play the same numbers every week (and in our province at least, you can sign up for a recurring ticket that uses the same numbers for every draw), it would be a trivial exercise for me to parade a few dozen people through the court who will testify that the numbers on their ticket weren’t the numbers they chose. So clearly it required some intervention beyond human understanding to accomplish that. ---
**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, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-defeat-the-evil-genie/976903/106 "2022-12-21T21:52:29Z")
> [@Horatius](#): > > So clearly it required some intervention beyond human understanding to accomplish that. Yes, it would require a genie, except nobody believes in genies, so that can’t be the truth; the investigations continue at a leisurely pace (which is code for nobody bothers to work on it much, now that you are locked up). ---
**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, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-defeat-the-evil-genie/976903/107 "2022-12-21T21:55:29Z")
> [@Horatius](#): > > it would be a trivial exercise for me to parade a few dozen people through the court who will testify that the numbers on their ticket weren’t the numbers they chose. It would, except that’s not what they say. They chose those numbers. For some of them it was their first time playing; for others, they changed their regular numbers on a whim, or chose new numbers by rolling dice or whatnot. They all, apparently independently, chose the same 7 numbers. Nobody can explain it (not actually true; _you_ can explain it, but nobody wants to hear your explanation, since you are also the one person who won). ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2022, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-defeat-the-evil-genie/976903/108 "2022-12-21T21:59:26Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > Yes, it would require a genie, except nobody believes in genies, so that can’t be the truth; the investigations continue at a leisurely pace (which is code for nobody bothers to work on it much, now that you are locked up). I find someone who won the lottery after praying to God to win. I then argue that my belief in genies is legally indistinguishable from his belief in God, and in fact, the fact that the genie tried to screw me over in such a blatant fashion is quite strong evidence that genies actually exist, since this is exactly what those bastards would do. Alternatively, I bribe the next guy who finds the genie to wish that the genie appear in court to testify on my behalf. Even if the genie finds a way to screw with that, the simple fact of a genie being on the stand in court proves my case beyond a reasonable doubt. ---
**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, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-defeat-the-evil-genie/976903/109 "2022-12-21T21:59:59Z")
Kind of hard to do any of that from within the secure psychiatric facility. ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2022, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-defeat-the-evil-genie/976903/110 "2022-12-21T22:01:24Z")
Even crazy people can hire lawyers, and if Donald Trump has proven anything, it’s that you can always find a willing lawyer. > You’ve replied to @Mangetout 6 times, did you know you could send them a personal message instead? Yes, yes, computer, but that’s not nearly so fun! ---
**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, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-defeat-the-evil-genie/976903/111 "2022-12-21T22:02:12Z")
Nah, they’re giving you the full Sarah Connor routine, except you’re not Sarah Connor, so you just have to suck it up. ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2022, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-defeat-the-evil-genie/976903/112 "2022-12-21T22:03:42Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > you’re not Sarah Connor Well now you’re just being mean! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2022, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-defeat-the-evil-genie/976903/113 "2022-12-21T22:53:46Z")
> [@Lumpy](#): > > Well if that’s the case no possible wish could have a good outcome for you. “Okay, your wish to win the lottery is granted; and then you will die of monkeypox”. I don’t feel it’s the same. If you wish for a trillion dollars, you are implicitly asking to have that amount of money delivered to you. But you didn’t specify the means of delivery. So the genie is free to choose a malicious means of delivery like dropping the money on your head. The same is true about the post where somebody said you’d get the trillion dollars from a settlement after your entire family was killed. You didn’t specify how the trillion dollars was to be obtained so the genie was free to choose a malicious means Obtaining the money and delivering the money are elements in wishing for the money. Contracting monkeypox is not an element in wishing for a trillion dollars. ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2022, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-defeat-the-evil-genie/976903/114 "2022-12-21T23:00:20Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > Obtaining the money and delivering the money are elements in wishing for the money. Contracting monkeypox is not an element in wishing for a trillion dollars. Yeah, this, the twist really needs to be of the, “That’s what I _said_, but that’s not what I _meant!_” variety. They did this in the X-files. Mulder wishes for world peace, so the genie causes every other human on the planet to vanish. ---
**Author:** ![Pardel-Lux](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pardel-lux/32/20182_2.png) [@Pardel-Lux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pardel-Lux)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2022, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-defeat-the-evil-genie/976903/115 "2022-12-21T23:16:37Z")
I would go with the only part of the Old Testament that I ever found convincing: “I want wisdom.” ---
**Author:** ![SmartAleq](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smartaleq/32/163_2.png) [@SmartAleq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmartAleq)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2022, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-defeat-the-evil-genie/976903/116 "2022-12-21T23:17:27Z")
Let’s see–if I’m in a good mood when I meet the genie, “I wish that no human child can be conceived without the clear intention of conception of both parents and both parents must orgasm to make it happen.” If I’m in a bad mood, “I wish for every person on earth to get what they deserve.” Should make for an interesting few years at least. ---
**Author:** ![Pardel-Lux](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pardel-lux/32/20182_2.png) [@Pardel-Lux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pardel-Lux)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2022, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-defeat-the-evil-genie/976903/117 "2022-12-21T23:19:43Z")
I fear that nobody deserves anything, deserving is a moral category that depends entirely on whatever you happen to believe, there is no absolute truth in that. So nothing would happen. Disappointing. ---
**Author:** ![SmartAleq](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smartaleq/32/163_2.png) [@SmartAleq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmartAleq)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2022, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-defeat-the-evil-genie/976903/118 "2022-12-21T23:20:44Z")
Or the genie really IS evil AF and decides to take out his animus against humans by using his own definition of “deserving.” Fun is back on the menu! ---
**Author:** ![Pardel-Lux](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pardel-lux/32/20182_2.png) [@Pardel-Lux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pardel-Lux)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2022, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-defeat-the-evil-genie/976903/119 "2022-12-21T23:21:39Z")
OK, ask me again after my previous wish is granted. (See four posts up) ---
**Author:** ![SmartAleq](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smartaleq/32/163_2.png) [@SmartAleq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmartAleq)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2022, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-defeat-the-evil-genie/976903/120 "2022-12-21T23:24:58Z")
But if I get my wish in first do you get yours? 😉 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-defeat-the-evil-genie/976903.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-defeat-the-evil-genie/976903.md?page=7)