For 20mil would you go back in time 40yrs?
Here’s the twist tho’.
Your friends, family loved ones still stay in tact and play there respective roles towards you. All people involved take this time warp with you. The catch is you’re the only one that’s aware that anything strange took place.
Do you do it?
I’m not sure how that would work, but 20 mil( sterling, not dollars)would motivate me to give it a try.
Now what happens?
Not enough information.
I can assume that for the purposes of this, you have to be over 40 years old, that you go back as (Current Age - 40) (thus I’d be six), knowing what you know now. Which would really be messed up. But this is not spelled out in the OP.
Secondly, how do you get the money? $20 mil in 1968 is a heckuva lot of money, but my 6 year old self (even 46 in a six year old body) has no legal access or use for this money.
Please be more specific about the terms of the OP. How would an 18 year old, with say, a 39 year old parent do this?
Yes.
Oh, there was an end to that question? 
I took it to mean I would stay my same age, as would everyone around me in my bubble that is time traveling. Yes, yes I would. I would get a chance to see history first hand in a very comfortable position and invest enough in what I knew to set my children and grandchildren up for a productive future.
OK sorry.
You stay the same age. Everybody stays the same age. The one and ONLY thing that has changed is the year. And of course any new technology, that you own, that has been invented in the past 40yrs would be gone now.
So, no cell phones, computers or stuff like that.
One thing I’d like for people to consider is if you have children; would you trust 40yr old medical pratices or medicine to your children or yourself?
I’m over 40 and I lived. Sure I’d do it for that kind of money.
No. I’m not going back to the procedures in health care that existed then. Plus there’s the draft. I also have waited forty years for technology to get were I wanted it. To much crap happened back then to have to live through it again.
Hey, I was in my senior year of high school 40 years ago, and we weren’t that primitive. In fact I had already learned how to program. And we had running water and fire and all kinds of stuff. 
Do you get to keep your degree with the dates changed? Do you remember what has happened in the past 40 years?
In a heartbeat.
40 years ago, Nixon and Agnew were about to be inaugurated.
Since I was born almost 40 years ago to this day, I’d say yes. The medical practices of those days have kept me alive until today.
Well, I’d have enough money to go see a shit-load of great concerts for one. The Beatles had stopped touring by then, but I would have previous knowledge about the rooftop show and would have dropped in.
So, let’s see, January 1969 eh? I would be very well prepared to go to Woodstock, and would have brought food. (And maybe some non-brown acid. ;))
The Doors and The Who were touring, as was Hendrix. The Toronto Maple Leafs vs. the Montreal Canadiens of the day would be fantastic to see.
The TV and telephone of the day would have suited me fine.
Gals were gals, and men were men.
Taxes were a mere portion of what they are now and surviving on a single income was not only possible, but entirely the norm.
Yeah. Give me 1969 anytime, man.
Let’s see. 43. Single. Morally ambiguous.
Twenty million clams. 1969.
Where do I sign?
Actually, looking at the base percentage rates, taxes in 1969 were much higher.
1969:
<=$25k: 24.2%
>25k: 52.8%
2008:
I haven’t accounted for inflation, but I doubt it’ll make much difference.
Sure, seems like a no-brainer. Now, same deal, but 100 years back? I don’t think so. I’m not sure what my breaking point would be, though. Probably around 1960 or so. I’m not sure I could deal with the social crap of the 50’s and before–women’s rights and whatnot. But maybe. With that kind of money, you can basically do what you want.
No. I wouldn’t. Live thru all that history all over again? Not be able to keep up with my kids (no cell phones)? Drive those old unsafe cars? Do all these engineering calculations with a SLIDE RULE??!
Hell no.
No. You’re getting my assistive tech, medicine, and broadband when you pry them from my cold, dead fingers. All of those require extensive infrastructure.
Besides, a lot has happened in the arenas of rights in 40 years. Even though it feels like we have a lot of ignorance today, it’s still less bias and discrimination than was the norm at that time.
Do I go back 40 years for a visit (a pre-determined length of time) or deo I go back and live my life over from that point, except with all the knowledge I acquired over the next 40 years?
Do I get the $20 million up front? If so, can I take it back in time with me, or do I have to put it in the bank?
What happens if I screw up the timeline? I mean, knowing what I know now, would I have married my first wife? Or maybe I would decide just to live off the $20 million for the rest of my life. And if I screw up the timeline enough, does history change enough that the $20 million offer wouldn’t have taken place?
My head hurts now.
I would take some time to think about it, but I doubt it.
I want to know the future. And with you’re proposal, I would live again through all the period I already experienced and then die (I’m 43).
I don’t think being rich makes it worthwhile.
(Plus I would have to wait forever for a decent internet access.)
No Straight Dope Message Board. And I’d have to live through hard core civil rights struggles. No…I’m going to have to pass.
Sure. I’ll buy a little stock in Xerox and purchase land in strategic places with some of that $20,000,000. I’ll tell my best friend about AIDS prior to 1975. Then late at night on 9/10/01, I’ve got a couple of friends I’ll call to help me with an “emergency” to keep them out of the WTC.