# Genie Wish #3-Resurrection! **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 5, 2013, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/genie-wish-3-resurrection/668085 "2013-09-05T16:11:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2013, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/genie-wish-3-resurrection/668085/1 "2013-09-05T16:11:38Z")
Last in a series. The premise is that you’ve found and rubbed the right magic lamp, and a genie pops out and grants you 3 wishes. You wish to resurrect someone at the prime of their life. Who do you resurrect? How do hide the fact…or do you? ---
**Author:** ![want2befree](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/3e96dc/32.png) [@want2befree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/want2befree)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2013, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/genie-wish-3-resurrection/668085/2 "2013-09-05T16:13:27Z")
Why would you need to hide? ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2013, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/genie-wish-3-resurrection/668085/3 "2013-09-05T16:23:13Z")
> [@want2befree](#): > > Why would you need to hide? Bringing back a loved one could raise questions from friends, family the government etc. Bringing back a famous historical figure might raise even more questions. ---
**Author:** ![Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/prof.pepperwinkle/32/13627_2.png) [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prof.Pepperwinkle)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2013, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/genie-wish-3-resurrection/668085/4 "2013-09-05T16:26:44Z")
I’d bring back H. L. Mencken to come and give talks about the afterlife, or lack of it. It might not change anybody’s actual thinking, but it would be entertaining. ---
**Author:** ![panaccione](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/94ad74/32.png) [@panaccione](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panaccione)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2013, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/genie-wish-3-resurrection/668085/5 "2013-09-05T16:30:11Z")
I haven’t had anyone very close to me die yet so I would likely hold on to this wish for a while. If I had to pick – Einstein. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2013, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/genie-wish-3-resurrection/668085/6 "2013-09-05T16:41:48Z")
Unlike immortality, I could have some fun with this one if I could repeat the trick multiple times. Occasionally, I’d resurrect some evil bastard just to show him how miserably he failed to achieve his plans (eg. Hitler, Stalin, etc…) and then kill him again just for my own personal satisfaction. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2013, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/genie-wish-3-resurrection/668085/7 "2013-09-05T16:42:46Z")
I’d bring back Andy Kaufman. People might buy that his “death” was just another bit of performance art. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2013, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/genie-wish-3-resurrection/668085/8 "2013-09-05T16:43:52Z")
> [@QuickSilver](#): > > Unlike immortality, I could have some fun with this one if I could repeat the trick multiple times. > > Occasionally, I’d resurrect some evil bastard just to show him how miserably he failed to achieve his plans (eg. Hitler, Stalin, etc…) and then kill him again just for my own personal satisfaction. Only one resurrection allowed…but I do like the way you handled the “exposure to the public” problem. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Rushgeekgirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rushgeekgirl/32/3715_2.png) [@Rushgeekgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rushgeekgirl)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2013, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/genie-wish-3-resurrection/668085/9 "2013-09-05T16:55:10Z")
My mom! Because I think she’d be perfectly happy hanging out all day in the house with me, and few people would know or care who she is outside the house anyway so we could still go out if we wanted. She’d be my daughter’s age if she’s at the prime of her life, still healthy and vibrant. I think she’d love the internet and all the new-fangled toys out there…and it would be awesome to have her there for my girls. They don’t even have to know it’s her. We could just tell everyone she’s our new roommate. It’s nice to dream. ---
**Author:** ![Rachellelogram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rachellelogram/32/8689_2.png) [@Rachellelogram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachellelogram)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2013, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/genie-wish-3-resurrection/668085/10 "2013-09-05T17:01:52Z")
A friend I went to college with who died far, far too young. ---
**Author:** ![destineal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/5f9b8f/32.png) [@destineal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/destineal)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2013, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/genie-wish-3-resurrection/668085/11 "2013-09-05T17:08:16Z")
My mom. If not her, then Phil Hartman. ---
**Author:** ![Rhiannon8404](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhiannon8404/32/17929_2.png) [@Rhiannon8404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhiannon8404)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2013, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/genie-wish-3-resurrection/668085/12 "2013-09-05T17:14:17Z")
My dad. He was 70 when he died, so if he was brought back “in the prime of his life” I could probably pass him off as a long lost cousin. No one would suspect he was my dad because he would be so much younger than my dad was when he died. ---
**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:** [September 5, 2013, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/genie-wish-3-resurrection/668085/13 "2013-09-05T18:30:44Z")
Elvis. The world needs The King. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Kobayashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4af34b/32.png) [@Mr.Kobayashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Kobayashi)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2013, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/genie-wish-3-resurrection/668085/14 "2013-09-05T18:49:33Z")
Only one? Hmmm… Well, I’ve always felt sorry for Henry Moseley, killed at Gallipoli aged 27 and one of the most promising physicists Britain had produced, cut down before he could expand the field. After reading up on what he’s missed I imagine he’d jump right back into it. Hell, he could probably eventually explain the metaphysics of resurrection. Although - do they remember the trauma of being killed, or are aware of time passed ‘being dead’? ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2013, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/genie-wish-3-resurrection/668085/15 "2013-09-05T19:23:16Z")
Tesla, and let him figure out how this “magic lamp” really works! ---
**Author:** ![dracoi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/90db22/32.png) [@dracoi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dracoi)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2013, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/genie-wish-3-resurrection/668085/16 "2013-09-05T21:01:39Z")
I don’t think resurrecting someone is all that big of a challenge, especially if you have $100 million to buy fake papers with. If you brought back a close family member, you’d have to decide whether your other family members could handle the truth or not. The real question for me is whether this resurrected person is immortal like you are. What a lousy wish if all that happens is getting to watch them die all over again. > [@Munch](#): > > Tesla, and let him figure out how this “magic lamp” really works! Unfortunately, he’ll be too busy obsessively counting steps. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2013, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/genie-wish-3-resurrection/668085/17 "2013-09-05T21:09:36Z")
Isaac Asimov and chain him to a typewriter in a basement. Serious answer: no. Wouldn’t touch it. Same with personal immortality. Not interested. If the Genie might, please, increase my reading speed somewhat, I would be very grateful. ---
**Author:** ![Sudden\_Kestrel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecd19e/32.png) [@Sudden\_Kestrel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sudden_Kestrel)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2013, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/genie-wish-3-resurrection/668085/18 "2013-09-06T03:08:28Z")
The only people I might be tempted to resurrect would not wish to be resurrected (having had rather miserable existences), so I’ll pass on wish #3 also. Just give me my $100,000,000 and I’ll go on my way :D. ---
**Author:** ![Alan\_Smithee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/2acd7d/32.png) [@Alan\_Smithee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alan_Smithee)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2013, 10:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/genie-wish-3-resurrection/668085/19 "2013-09-06T10:20:46Z")
Wait, the third wish isn’t for a big, orange head? ---
**Author:** ![stui\_magpie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stui_magpie/32/11010_2.png) [@stui\_magpie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stui_magpie)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2013, 10:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/genie-wish-3-resurrection/668085/20 "2013-09-06T10:29:12Z")
No one. Let em rest. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/genie-wish-3-resurrection/668085.md?page=2)