# If everybody became like you **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 11, 2009, 10:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-everybody-became-like-you/520848 "2009-12-11T10:32:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f04885/32.png) [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2009, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-everybody-became-like-you/520848/61 "2009-12-12T18:23:17Z")
Not Utopia but a fairly good world. ---
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2009, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-everybody-became-like-you/520848/62 "2009-12-12T21:21:47Z")
> [@DianaG](#): > > It’d be a glorious few weeks of debauchery until the lights went out. Sounds interesting. Care to elaborate? 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![T.Slothrop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3e96dc/32.png) [@T.Slothrop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/T.Slothrop)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2009, 7:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-everybody-became-like-you/520848/63 "2009-12-13T07:29:11Z")
There would be no one to do the mathmatics. ---
**Author:** ![Martini\_Enfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/martini_enfield/32/11123_2.png) [@Martini\_Enfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martini_Enfield)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2009, 7:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-everybody-became-like-you/520848/64 "2009-12-13T07:41:45Z")
Actually, I think it would be pretty good. It would mean that only TV shows and movies I liked would get made, only books I liked would get published, and all in all I think it would be a net improvement for the most part. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2009, 7:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-everybody-became-like-you/520848/65 "2009-12-13T07:49:15Z")
> [@Martini\_Enfield](#): > > Actually, I think it would be pretty good. It would mean that only TV shows and movies I liked would get made, only books I liked would get published, and all in all I think it would be a net improvement for the most part. 🙂 But would YOU have the talent and ability to create them with the quality you like? 🙂 That alone prevents a lot of what I like from being made in a world of only mes. ---
**Author:** ![Martini\_Enfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/martini_enfield/32/11123_2.png) [@Martini\_Enfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martini_Enfield)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2009, 8:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-everybody-became-like-you/520848/66 "2009-12-13T08:22:29Z")
> [@Leaper](#): > > But would YOU have the talent and ability to create them with the quality you like? 🙂 > > That alone prevents a lot of what I like from being made in a world of only mes. Well, I am a writer, and I like to learn things… and my understanding is that the OP means people like the same things I do etc. I like TV and Film, so that means everyone else would, and people would want to know how to make it and in a way I’d like. 🙂 Maths would suffer though, so I think the Space Race would be over. But Australia has no real space programme anyway, so it’s not like I’d be any worse off in that respect. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![dragoncat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/6a8cbe/32.png) [@dragoncat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dragoncat)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2009, 8:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-everybody-became-like-you/520848/67 "2009-12-13T08:48:12Z")
It would be awesome! Everyone else is so annoying! How nice to imagine that all that could change. On the other hand, what would happen to my nearest and dearest? Would their personalities disappear? ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2009, 10:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-everybody-became-like-you/520848/68 "2009-12-13T10:03:37Z")
Suddenly, everyone in the world can speak Esperanto. ---
**Author:** ![flodnak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/838e76/32.png) [@flodnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flodnak)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2009, 10:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-everybody-became-like-you/520848/69 "2009-12-13T10:51:10Z")
We’d drive each other crazy within the week. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2009, 11:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-everybody-became-like-you/520848/70 "2009-12-13T11:11:38Z")
The world would collapse within seconds. ---
**Author:** ![umop\_ap\_sdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/dbc845/32.png) [@umop\_ap\_sdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/umop_ap_sdn)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2009, 11:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-everybody-became-like-you/520848/71 "2009-12-13T11:24:48Z")
Everyone would have my beliefs, morals, values, and ethics. Okay, so there would be no churches or meat industry, no war or violent crime, and no unjust laws. So that would be good. There’d also be no Buddhist temples. ☹ On the other hand, they’d also have my personality, my likes, and my dislikes. Carrots and celery would no longer be considered food. There would be good music and good fiction but travel and conversation would be boring. Besides, would we really want a world full of ENFPs with bipolar? :eek: > [@jjimm](#): > > every woman in the world would want to give me a handjob. :rolleyes: Well in my world there would be no men so there. Hah! ---
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2009, 11:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-everybody-became-like-you/520848/72 "2009-12-13T11:51:15Z")
> [@umop\_ap\_sdn](#): > > Besides, would we really want a world full of ENFPs with bipolar? :eek: First, nice to see you again, it’s been a while. Second, what’s a ENFP? ---
**Author:** ![Tristan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tristan/32/18058_2.png) [@Tristan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tristan)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2009, 12:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-everybody-became-like-you/520848/73 "2009-12-13T12:07:04Z")
> [@Nobody](#): > > First, nice to see you again, it’s been a while. > Second, what’s a ENFP? Myers-Briggs Personality scale rating. And yeah, my world would pretty much be like **DianaG** ’s. ---
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2009, 12:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-everybody-became-like-you/520848/74 "2009-12-13T12:09:00Z")
> [@Tristan](#): > > Myers-Briggs Personality scale rating. Thank you, but would you mind being a little more specific please? ---
**Author:** ![umop\_ap\_sdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/dbc845/32.png) [@umop\_ap\_sdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/umop_ap_sdn)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2009, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-everybody-became-like-you/520848/75 "2009-12-13T17:00:51Z")
> [@Nobody](#): > > Thank you, but would you mind being a little more specific please? Well not to hijack the thread but here’s a [link](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ENFP). 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2009, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-everybody-became-like-you/520848/76 "2009-12-13T19:57:50Z")
> [@umop\_ap\_sdn](#): > > Well not to hijack the thread but here’s a [link](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ENFP). 🙂 Thanks for the link. ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2009, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-everybody-became-like-you/520848/77 "2009-12-13T21:45:59Z")
> [@Martini\_Enfield](#): > > Well, I am a writer, and I like to learn things… and my understanding is that the OP means people like the same things I do etc. I like TV and Film, so that means everyone else would, and people would want to know how to make it and in a way I’d like. 🙂 Really? Could you write ALL books you like in the way you like? Draw comics? Compose music? Cook? We all enjoy many things that we know WHY we like, but can’t do ourselves. ---
**Author:** ![Martini\_Enfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/martini_enfield/32/11123_2.png) [@Martini\_Enfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martini_Enfield)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2009, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-everybody-became-like-you/520848/78 "2009-12-13T22:21:25Z")
> [@Leaper](#): > > Really? Could you write ALL books you like in the way you like? Draw comics? Compose music? Cook? > > We all enjoy many things that we know WHY we like, but can’t do ourselves. A lot of it is just lack of time. So I see no reason why someone with the same interests and opinions as any one poster here couldn’t still do things that poster can’t. For example, The Poster might love cats but not be able to paint to save themselves. Suddenly, Person B (who didn’t care for cats but was a world-class painter) suddenly discovers they can still paint- but now they love cats as much as The Poster and produces great works of art featuring cats. Perhaps the OP would like to clarify the situation they were referring to? I read it as people basically agreeing with and holding the same opinions as you as The Poster, not them becoming _exactly_ like you in skills and abilities. ---
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2009, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-everybody-became-like-you/520848/79 "2009-12-14T02:17:59Z")
> [@Martini\_Enfield](#): > > A lot of it is just lack of time. So I see no reason why someone with the same interests and opinions as any one poster here couldn’t still do things that poster can’t. For example, The Poster might love cats but not be able to paint to save themselves. Suddenly, Person B (who didn’t care for cats but was a world-class painter) suddenly discovers they can still paint- but now they love cats as much as The Poster and produces great works of art featuring cats. > > Perhaps the OP would like to clarify the situation they were referring to? I read it as people basically agreeing with and holding the same opinions as you as The Poster, not them becoming _exactly_ like you in skills and abilities. Yes, people keep their life experiences, skills, and knowledge. They just become like you in beliefs and personality. ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2009, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-everybody-became-like-you/520848/80 "2009-12-14T02:47:40Z")
Hmm. In that case, such folks might inevitably become LESS like me as time passed. That would make things a lot easier to handle, for sure. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-everybody-became-like-you/520848.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-everybody-became-like-you/520848.md?page=5)