# 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:** 14\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Amaranta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Amaranta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amaranta)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2006, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/everybody-gets-one-wish-whats-yours/368231/41 "2006-08-12T00:25:54Z")
“World peace” always sounds so glurgy, and I don’t see it happening anyway. Someone will always come along to fuck it up. But along those lines, I would wish that everyone in the world had access to a full education. Knowledge is power. Not that everyone would use it to do good, of course. But I think things would be much better off. ---
**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 12, 2006, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/everybody-gets-one-wish-whats-yours/368231/42 "2006-08-12T01:37:57Z")
[QUOTE=rjung] I wish I had a shiny quarter. Can’t wait to see how _that_ gets twisted. 😉 [/QUOTE] “ **rjung** screamed in agony as his eyes melted while the magic quarter shone like a million suns.” ---
**Author:** ![Regallag\_The\_Axe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/regallag_the_axe/32/445_2.png) [@Regallag\_The\_Axe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Regallag_The_Axe)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2006, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/everybody-gets-one-wish-whats-yours/368231/43 "2006-08-12T02:01:11Z")
[QUOTE=rjung] I wish I had a shiny quarter. Can’t wait to see how _that_ gets twisted. 😉 [/QUOTE] Well it’ll either be so shiny that it blinds you, or it will fall out of the sky and hit you in the head. How’s that twist for ya? ---
**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 12, 2006, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/everybody-gets-one-wish-whats-yours/368231/44 "2006-08-12T02:39:59Z")
Another possibility; your shiny quarter shows up, but with [Two-Face](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Two_Face) flipping it. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2006, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/everybody-gets-one-wish-whats-yours/368231/45 "2006-08-12T02:50:38Z")
[QUOTE=Kalhoun] My wish is for world peace. If I get a second wish, it would be to be crowned Miss America. [/QUOTE] I’ve seen the results of that wish before. It leads to all life being exterminated or at least all humans. Optionally a Omnipotent Totalitarian government runs every aspect of everyones life. Remember the golden rule, be careful what you wish for. I would wish for myself, my family and friends to be healthy, wealthy and wise. Jim ---
**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 12, 2006, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/everybody-gets-one-wish-whats-yours/368231/46 "2006-08-12T03:23:38Z")
[QUOTE=What Exit?] I would wish for myself, my family and friends to be healthy, wealthy and wise. [/QUOTE] You all get assimilated by the Borg. 😃 You’ll be healthy, what with all your shiny new replacement organs, you’ll be wealthy considering how many resources the Borg have, and you’ll be wise with all the knowledge of the Collective. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2006, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/everybody-gets-one-wish-whats-yours/368231/47 "2006-08-12T03:32:05Z")
[QUOTE=Der Trihs] You all get assimilated by the Borg. 😃 You’ll be healthy, what with all your shiny new replacement organs, you’ll be wealthy considering how many resources the Borg have, and you’ll be wise with all the knowledge of the Collective. [/QUOTE] Yep, there is always a catch. But I do not think the Borg is quite right. Are the individual drones(?) wise or just have access to look up knowledge? Aren’t the Borg a collective and therefore basically without wealth? Surely oh demonic twister of wishes you can due better than a this? 😉 Jim ---
**Author:** ![Monstre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e274bd/32.png) [@Monstre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monstre)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2006, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/everybody-gets-one-wish-whats-yours/368231/48 "2006-08-12T03:53:26Z")
[QUOTE=Regallag\_The\_Axe] Shapeshifting. Definitely shapeshifting. As for unintended consequences… I guess I might forget what shape I originally had? And maybe I would become so attached to some kind of terrible demon shape that I would be shunned from society? [/QUOTE] Your shapes would not be completely under control – you would shift unexpectedly at awkward times. [This could even be the result](http://thailand.blogs.com/photos/uncategorized/michael_jackson.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Amaranta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Amaranta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amaranta)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2006, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/everybody-gets-one-wish-whats-yours/368231/49 "2006-08-12T03:58:55Z")
[QUOTE=What Exit?] I’ve seen the results of that wish before. It leads to all life being exterminated or at least all humans. Optionally a Omnipotent Totalitarian government runs every aspect of everyones life. [/quote] My lord, I had no idea Miss America was so powerful! > [@](#): > > Remember the golden rule, be careful what you wish for. Um, since when is that the Golden Rule? ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2006, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/everybody-gets-one-wish-whats-yours/368231/50 "2006-08-12T04:03:02Z")
[QUOTE=Amaranta] My lord, I had no idea Miss America was so powerful! [/QUOTE] 😃 Beware the wratch of Miss America. She might smite you. [QUOTE=Amaranta] Um, since when is that the Golden Rule? [/QUOTE] I’m not sure, but usually any discussion of wishes or stories of wishes are cautionary tales to “be careful what you wish for”. So let me rephrase that as the Golden Rule of Wishing. ---
**Author:** ![LiveOnAPlane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3d9bf3/32.png) [@LiveOnAPlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LiveOnAPlane)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2006, 7:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/everybody-gets-one-wish-whats-yours/368231/51 "2006-08-12T07:24:36Z")
Nice question, and after giving it some thought here is mine…others will have to edumacate me about possible downside effects: “To enjoy perfect happiness as long as I live.” ---
**Author:** ![Monstre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e274bd/32.png) [@Monstre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monstre)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2006, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/everybody-gets-one-wish-whats-yours/368231/52 "2006-08-12T15:32:50Z")
[QUOTE=LiveOnAPlane] Nice question, and after giving it some thought here is mine…others will have to edumacate me about **possible downside effects** : “To enjoy perfect happiness **as long as I live**.” [/QUOTE] This will begin effective immediately. It will last all the way through tomorrow… 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Kythereia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e8c25b/32.png) [@Kythereia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kythereia)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2006, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/everybody-gets-one-wish-whats-yours/368231/53 "2006-08-12T15:34:30Z")
To have a thousand dollars right about now so I can go to school in the fall. ---
**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 12, 2006, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/everybody-gets-one-wish-whats-yours/368231/54 "2006-08-12T16:34:48Z")
[QUOTE=LiveOnAPlane] Nice question, and after giving it some thought here is mine…others will have to edumacate me about possible downside effects: “To enjoy perfect happiness as long as I live.” [/QUOTE] I take it you never read _With Folded Hands_, about the robots who were programmed to maximize human happiness. They’d make you happy all right - with brain surgery, if necessary. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/everybody-gets-one-wish-whats-yours/368231.md?page=2)