# How would you feel about someone developing full ESP psi powers? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 23, 2016, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-feel-about-someone-developing-full-esp-psi-powers/746891 "2016-02-23T17:30:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2016, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-feel-about-someone-developing-full-esp-psi-powers/746891/1 "2016-02-23T17:30:14Z")
Assume they have the ability to fully read someone else’s thoughts, memories, emotions, etc. Would you embrace someone else having this power? They could conceivably become the most powerful person in the world. - They would have the upper hand in any negotiation. - They could interrogate terrorist/criminal suspects with full disclosure. - They could know every dark secret of anyone else. How should society deal with such a person? ---
**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:** [February 23, 2016, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-feel-about-someone-developing-full-esp-psi-powers/746891/2 "2016-02-23T18:04:40Z")
Try to keep on their good side, I guess. If they turn bad, it’s really bad and stopping them could be tricky. I wonder if they might not actually stay sane. Full access to everyone else’s thoughts - that’s a scary playground. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2016, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-feel-about-someone-developing-full-esp-psi-powers/746891/3 "2016-02-23T18:12:12Z")
Excited for the future of the human race and deeply concerned about that person’s mental health. ---
**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:** [February 23, 2016, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-feel-about-someone-developing-full-esp-psi-powers/746891/4 "2016-02-23T18:23:58Z")
How could they possibly stay alive once the ability becomes known? ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2016, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-feel-about-someone-developing-full-esp-psi-powers/746891/5 "2016-02-23T18:27:11Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > How could they possibly stay alive once the ability becomes known? Killing them might be a bit tricky, but are you suggesting that they should be killed? ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2016, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-feel-about-someone-developing-full-esp-psi-powers/746891/6 "2016-02-23T18:39:57Z")
Why should killing that person be any trickier than killing anybody else? As described, he _can_ read someone’s thoughts, memories, and emotions. That is quite a different thing than him knowing _everybody’s_ thoughts, memories, and emotions. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2016, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-feel-about-someone-developing-full-esp-psi-powers/746891/7 "2016-02-23T18:43:35Z")
I agree that such a person would become the world’s immediate No. 1 target for assassination. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2016, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-feel-about-someone-developing-full-esp-psi-powers/746891/8 "2016-02-23T18:45:45Z")
> [@Scumpup](#): > > Why should killing that person be any trickier than killing anybody else? As described, he _can_ read someone’s thoughts, memories, and emotions. That is quite a different thing than him knowing _everybody’s_ thoughts, memories, and emotions. Plus, how could he prevent it? Dodging one assassin is one thing. Dodging 1,000 assassination attempts is just about impossible even if he knows how it’s going to happen. ---
**Author:** ![marshmallow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@marshmallow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/marshmallow)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2016, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-feel-about-someone-developing-full-esp-psi-powers/746891/9 "2016-02-23T18:53:37Z")
He’d be the perfect moderator for presidential debates. But how do we know he’s telling the truth? You need another person with ESP to keep him honest. But then how do you know he’s being honest? Then you need another… ---
**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:** [February 23, 2016, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-feel-about-someone-developing-full-esp-psi-powers/746891/10 "2016-02-23T18:56:54Z")
> [@Omar\_Little](#): > > Killing them might be a bit tricky, but are you suggesting that they should be killed? I’m saying that, in this world of secrets and lies, they most assuredly _would_ be. ---
**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:** [February 23, 2016, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-feel-about-someone-developing-full-esp-psi-powers/746891/11 "2016-02-23T18:59:09Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > Plus, how could he prevent it? Dodging one assassin is one thing. Dodging 1,000 assassination attempts is just about impossible even if he knows how it’s going to happen. You can’t read the mind of an assassin’s bullet, or the mind of the trap set hours before. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2016, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-feel-about-someone-developing-full-esp-psi-powers/746891/12 "2016-02-23T19:09:39Z")
But can you assassinate _all_ of them? ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2016, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-feel-about-someone-developing-full-esp-psi-powers/746891/13 "2016-02-23T19:14:22Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > But can you assassinate _all_ of them? All of whom? According to the OP, there is only one of these people. ---
**Author:** ![Pantastic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3bc359/32.png) [@Pantastic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pantastic)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2016, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-feel-about-someone-developing-full-esp-psi-powers/746891/14 "2016-02-23T19:14:51Z")
I agree that a single esper is going to have to keep his ability secret in order to survive. Aside from assassination risks, secrecy is also by far the best way for him to benefit from his power or to do good with it. There’s a lot of ways for the lone esper to profit, gain power, or expose wrongdoing if no one knows what he can do. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2016, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-feel-about-someone-developing-full-esp-psi-powers/746891/15 "2016-02-23T19:45:34Z")
For all we know, one or more such people already exist and they are smart enough to keep their mouths shut about it. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2016, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-feel-about-someone-developing-full-esp-psi-powers/746891/16 "2016-02-23T19:46:04Z")
> [@Scumpup](#): > > All of whom? According to the OP, there is only one of these people. If one person can “develop” this ability, then it’s highly likely that others can or will as well. ---
**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:** [February 23, 2016, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-feel-about-someone-developing-full-esp-psi-powers/746891/17 "2016-02-23T19:48:05Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > If one person can “develop” this ability, then it’s highly likely that others can or will as well. But the OP is about one, and one only. ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2016, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-feel-about-someone-developing-full-esp-psi-powers/746891/18 "2016-02-23T19:50:15Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > For all we know, one or more such people already exist and they are smart enough to keep their mouths shut about it. :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2016, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-feel-about-someone-developing-full-esp-psi-powers/746891/19 "2016-02-23T20:01:07Z")
I didn’t say it was likely. If I had that power (and I don’t I swear!) I’d wouldn’t even tell my own mom. Who’s dead now, BTW, so maybe it’s safe to tell her. ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2016, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-feel-about-someone-developing-full-esp-psi-powers/746891/20 "2016-02-23T20:01:55Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > I didn’t say it was likely. If I had that power (and I don’t I swear!) I’d wouldn’t even tell my own mom. Who’s dead now, BTW, so maybe it’s safe to tell her. Maybe she had it and the NSA took her out and made it look natural. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-feel-about-someone-developing-full-esp-psi-powers/746891.md?page=2)