# Everybody gets one wish: What's yours? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 11, 2006, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/everybody-gets-one-wish-whats-yours/368231 "2006-08-11T00:48:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2006, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/everybody-gets-one-wish-whats-yours/368231/21 "2006-08-11T15:21:11Z")
[QUOTE=Anaamika] In that case, I would like to wish for serendipity. And someone else can tell me what the downsides are. [/QUOTE] Well, it’s out on DVD. The only downside I see is the lack of depth of characterization we saw in the tv series, but what are ya gonna do? I wish that my wife was healthy enough to get a paying job. The downside would be that I would have to do more cleaning around the house. ---
**Author:** ![D\_Odds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/d_odds/32/2882_2.png) [@D\_Odds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Odds)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2006, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/everybody-gets-one-wish-whats-yours/368231/22 "2006-08-11T15:31:50Z")
I would like U.S. $50,000,000 (adjusted to inflation in the wishiverse) free, clear, legal and post any tax. I wish for most (80-90%) to be invested in a variety of income-producing AAA investments, with the remainder of my portfolio invested for future capital gains to offset inflation. ---
**Author:** ![Nic2004](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/4491bb/32.png) [@Nic2004](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nic2004)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2006, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/everybody-gets-one-wish-whats-yours/368231/23 "2006-08-11T15:38:44Z")
The power to heal, at will, at a distance, without any ill affects to any person that is living, has lived or will live at some point in the future, myself included. The power would make cure of diseases of any kind and injuries of any sort possible without the necessity to reveal who is causing these changes. It would not include the power to raise someone from the dead. It could be administered individually or with a "blanket’ effect as in “All the children in the Shriner’s Hospital are free of disease, injury and the disfigurements resulting from injuries.” ---
**Author:** ![FilmGeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@FilmGeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FilmGeek)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2006, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/everybody-gets-one-wish-whats-yours/368231/24 "2006-08-11T15:42:02Z")
[QUOTE=Ethilrist] Well, it’s out on DVD. The only downside I see is the lack of depth of characterization we saw in the tv series, but what are ya gonna do? I wish that my wife was healthy enough to get a paying job. The downside would be that I would have to do more cleaning around the house. [/QUOTE] Do you mean “Serenity”? Cause “Seredipity” is on DVD too, but I don’t think it was a TV show. ---
**Author:** ![Crazy\_Canuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crazy_canuck/32/5282_2.png) [@Crazy\_Canuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crazy_Canuck)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2006, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/everybody-gets-one-wish-whats-yours/368231/25 "2006-08-11T15:59:56Z")
I’d wish for the ability to read and control other people’s minds through telepathy. That way, I can just take what I want from everyone else’s wishes. I know, I’m a bit evil … [QUOTE=FilmGeek] Do you mean “Serenity”? Cause “Seredipity” is on DVD too, but I don’t think it was a TV show. [/QUOTE] [Minor Hijack] Yes, it was a TV series first, though the TV show was called Firefly. Ran a single season, then cancelled. You can get the DVD box set on Amazon. Great series, too bad it was cancelled so soon. [/Minor Hijack] ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2006, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/everybody-gets-one-wish-whats-yours/368231/26 "2006-08-11T16:53:16Z")
My wish : “I wish for whatever I would wish for, if I knew all the consequences of this wish.” I have no idea what I’d get; maybe nothing; but at least I wouldn’t get hurt. [QUOTE=silenus] See **Yumblie** ’s answer. Every tale about this in human history has said **wishes = boobytrap**. The only way out is to negate everybody’s ability to make wishes. [/QUOTE] Not _all_. recall one story where the Devil would rule hell until one person made the “Ultimate Wish”, which he thought would never happen. Then : “I wish that with no change in myself, I become the poorest, sickest, stupidest, lonliest, most miserable person on Earth.” The Devil screamed. ---
**Author:** ![Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac8455/32.png) [@Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bippy_the_Beardless)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2006, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/everybody-gets-one-wish-whats-yours/368231/27 "2006-08-11T16:57:35Z")
“I wish that noone can use their wish to cause harm to others” ---
**Author:** ![Baine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Baine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baine)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2006, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/everybody-gets-one-wish-whats-yours/368231/28 "2006-08-11T17:46:04Z")
sideburns. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2006, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/everybody-gets-one-wish-whats-yours/368231/29 "2006-08-11T19:35:16Z")
Actually, if you think about it, even if my wish for serendipity got me only a DVD, the downsides are really minor compared to some others! I mean, hey, I got a free DVD, right? ---
**Author:** ![Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/96bed5/32.png) [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patty_O_Furniture)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2006, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/everybody-gets-one-wish-whats-yours/368231/30 "2006-08-11T19:52:26Z")
[QUOTE=Lissa] I would wish that people would stop being so damn mean to one another. [/quote] Lissa that’s very selfish of you!! [QUOTE=Bippy the Beardless] “I wish that noone can use their wish to cause harm to others” [/QUOTE] Bippy, meet Jack Noone. Go get’em, Jack. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2006, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/everybody-gets-one-wish-whats-yours/368231/31 "2006-08-11T20:10:34Z")
My wish is for world peace. If I get a second wish, it would be to be crowned Miss America. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2006, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/everybody-gets-one-wish-whats-yours/368231/32 "2006-08-11T20:14:41Z")
[QUOTE=Der Trihs] - recall one story where the Devil would rule hell until one person made the “Ultimate Wish”, which he thought would never happen. Then : “I wish that with no change in myself, I become the poorest, sickest, stupidest, lonliest, most miserable person on Earth.” The Devil screamed. [/QUOTE] Author, please? That sounds interesting. ---
**Author:** ![Ghanima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Ghanima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ghanima)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2006, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/everybody-gets-one-wish-whats-yours/368231/33 "2006-08-11T20:22:09Z")
I’d wish for God to appear to every person on the planet simultaneously and prove his existence while clarifying the whole meaning of life/what happens after you die/any other applicable rules. That way we could all be on the same page. If God does not exist, then my wish is to abolish all religion. ---
**Author:** ![Nic2004](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/4491bb/32.png) [@Nic2004](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nic2004)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2006, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/everybody-gets-one-wish-whats-yours/368231/34 "2006-08-11T20:55:16Z")
[QUOTE=Der Trihs] My wish : “I wish for whatever I would wish for, if I knew all the consequences of this wish.” I have no idea what I’d get; maybe nothing; but at least I wouldn’t get hurt. Not _all_. recall one story where the Devil would rule hell until one person made the “Ultimate Wish”, which he thought would never happen. Then : “I wish that with no change in myself, I become the poorest, sickest, stupidest, lonliest, most miserable person on Earth.” The Devil screamed. [/QUOTE] I really like that one. Even if you’d end up at the bottom of this new order, what a world it would be. ---
**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:** [August 11, 2006, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/everybody-gets-one-wish-whats-yours/368231/35 "2006-08-11T21:33:20Z")
[QUOTE=Kalhoun] My wish is for world peace. If I get a second wish, it would be to be crowned Miss America. [/QUOTE] And to work with animals and children? ---
**Author:** ![D\_Odds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/d_odds/32/2882_2.png) [@D\_Odds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Odds)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2006, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/everybody-gets-one-wish-whats-yours/368231/36 "2006-08-11T21:44:38Z")
[QUOTE=Lissa] I would wish that people would stop being so damn mean to one another. [/QUOTE] Why don’t you just put a bullet in me now. Forcing me not to be mean to anyone would be mean to me. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2006, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/everybody-gets-one-wish-whats-yours/368231/37 "2006-08-11T21:57:11Z")
[QUOTE=Mangetout] And to work with animals and children? [/QUOTE] Yes. And did I tell you I can twirl the baton?? ---
**Author:** ![purpler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/cab0a1/32.png) [@purpler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purpler)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2006, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/everybody-gets-one-wish-whats-yours/368231/38 "2006-08-11T22:28:55Z")
[QUOTE=Anaamika] Actually, if you think about it, even if my wish for serendipity got me only a DVD, the downsides are really minor compared to some others! I mean, hey, I got a free DVD, right? [/QUOTE] You would _not_ be saying that if you’d actually watched the “free” movie you received. _::shudder::_ I wish i had those two hours of my life back. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2006, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/everybody-gets-one-wish-whats-yours/368231/39 "2006-08-11T22:41:36Z")
[QUOTE=silenus] Author, please? That sounds interesting. [/QUOTE] I don’t recall, but I believe it one of the short stories from \*[Deals with the Devil](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0886776236/102-3091865-4472162?v=glance&n=283155). \* And if I’m wrong it’s a good book anyway. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2006, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/everybody-gets-one-wish-whats-yours/368231/40 "2006-08-12T00:07:17Z")
I wish I had a shiny quarter. Can’t wait to see how _that_ gets twisted. 😉 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/everybody-gets-one-wish-whats-yours/368231.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/everybody-gets-one-wish-whats-yours/368231.md?page=3)