# If you had God like powers, do you think you'd eventually quit caring about people? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 5, 2018, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-god-like-powers-do-you-think-youd-eventually-quit-caring-about-people/811876 "2018-04-05T16:14:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2018, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-god-like-powers-do-you-think-youd-eventually-quit-caring-about-people/811876/1 "2018-04-05T16:14:21Z")
Pondering the psychological effects of suddenly being given God Like powers. I think, with the passage of time, it would be really difficult to have empathy for one’s fellow human beings. Because the more time passes by, the more reality would seem like a simulation. And how can one have any genuine feelings for a computer simulation? Wife dies? No problem, just snap your fingers and she comes back to life. Wrong President gets elected? No problem, just snap your fingers. Pizza Hut closes too early? Again, no problem. I think, eventually, this game would get old. ---
**Author:** ![Slash1972](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slash1972/32/6461_2.png) [@Slash1972](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slash1972)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2018, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-god-like-powers-do-you-think-youd-eventually-quit-caring-about-people/811876/2 "2018-04-05T16:15:42Z")
Sure, but you could amuse yourself endlessly by trying to create a rock that you couldn’t lift. ---
**Author:** ![Tired\_and\_Cranky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a87d85/32.png) [@Tired\_and\_Cranky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tired_and_Cranky)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2018, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-god-like-powers-do-you-think-youd-eventually-quit-caring-about-people/811876/3 "2018-04-05T16:21:44Z")
Why should I even start caring about them? ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2018, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-god-like-powers-do-you-think-youd-eventually-quit-caring-about-people/811876/4 "2018-04-05T16:23:15Z")
If I had god-like powers, the first thing I’d do is make everyone not believe in gods or other superstitions. For my next trick, I’d make precise duplicates of Stonehenge and bury them all over Africa and the Americas, just to fuck with people. Stranger ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2018, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-god-like-powers-do-you-think-youd-eventually-quit-caring-about-people/811876/5 "2018-04-05T16:31:29Z")
I might care enough about people to maintain a special cornfield for them. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2018, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-god-like-powers-do-you-think-youd-eventually-quit-caring-about-people/811876/6 "2018-04-05T16:34:26Z")
I barely care right now. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2018, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-god-like-powers-do-you-think-youd-eventually-quit-caring-about-people/811876/7 "2018-04-05T16:41:35Z")
I think it would become inevitable that one would distance oneself from humans in that circumstance. There’d just be too great a gulf between humans and a being with god-like powers. Or, when you get to this stage: “Human life is interesting. I believe I shall go create some.” You’re disconnected. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2018, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-god-like-powers-do-you-think-youd-eventually-quit-caring-about-people/811876/8 "2018-04-05T16:41:57Z")
I can’t decide between two options; Terraform a couple of worlds exactly like Earth elsewhere in the galaxy or beyond (range doesn’t matter for God, right), then; A. Move all of the stupid and sociopathic to those worlds, or B. Move the good people and most remaining Earth animal species to those worlds and let the stupid and evil inherit the Earth, which will be placed under quarantine. I mean, theoretically as God, I could heal all the stupid and evil people, right? But would that be tampering too much with who and what they are? I guess I’d know the answers to those if I was omniscient, right? ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2018, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-god-like-powers-do-you-think-youd-eventually-quit-caring-about-people/811876/9 "2018-04-05T16:43:43Z")
If I had godlike powers, I’d change the rules of the universe so that sentient creatures are incapable of suffering. After that I’d probably lose interest. ---
**Author:** ![Crazy\_Canuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crazy_canuck/32/5282_2.png) [@Crazy\_Canuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crazy_Canuck)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2018, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-god-like-powers-do-you-think-youd-eventually-quit-caring-about-people/811876/10 "2018-04-05T16:53:07Z")
> [@Tired\_and\_Cranky](#): > > Why should I even start caring about them? I have to agree with the best user name / post combo ever. Did someone just read Watchmen for the first time? ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2018, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-god-like-powers-do-you-think-youd-eventually-quit-caring-about-people/811876/11 "2018-04-05T17:00:15Z")
Also an issue - and, frankly, better explored - in the Lucifer comic. ---
**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:** [April 5, 2018, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-god-like-powers-do-you-think-youd-eventually-quit-caring-about-people/811876/12 "2018-04-05T17:13:11Z")
If I could snap my fingers and create something that wouldn’t last longer than the blink of my eye, how much emotional involvement would I have in it? Look at this new color I invented…I’m sorry, what was that question, again? ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2018, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-god-like-powers-do-you-think-youd-eventually-quit-caring-about-people/811876/13 "2018-04-05T17:15:58Z")
> [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](#): > > If I had god-like powers, the first thing I’d do is make everyone not believe in gods or other superstitions. > > For my next trick, I’d make precise duplicates of Stonehenge and bury them all over Africa and the Americas, just to fuck with people. > > Stranger Brennan, is that you? ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2018, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-god-like-powers-do-you-think-youd-eventually-quit-caring-about-people/811876/14 "2018-04-05T17:18:55Z")
Not having them right now, it’s hard to say how they would affect my view of humanity. Once gifted, I’d have to check out the sitch with other intelligent life throughout the universe and the rest of creation within the scope of my powers. Maybe we’re doing better than average, maybe worse or on par. Whatever the case, I’m pretty sure I’d still be disappointed with all the meanness and I’d still be disinclined to do much about it. People wanna be jerks to each other, who am I to say them nay? Just the knowledge that I could turn some random asshat into a newt would be enough to allow me to endure them with a smile, without actually having to turn them into anything. ---
**Author:** ![Bumbazine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bumbazine/32/362_2.png) [@Bumbazine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bumbazine)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2018, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-god-like-powers-do-you-think-youd-eventually-quit-caring-about-people/811876/15 "2018-04-05T17:21:45Z")
> [@Chimera](#): > > I can’t decide between two options; > > Terraform a couple of worlds exactly like Earth elsewhere in the galaxy or beyond (range doesn’t matter for God, right), then; > > _snip_ > > B. Move the good people and most remaining Earth animal species to those worlds and let the stupid and evil inherit the Earth, which will be placed under quarantine. This may have already happened. ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2018, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-god-like-powers-do-you-think-youd-eventually-quit-caring-about-people/811876/16 "2018-04-05T17:25:24Z")
Man! That other earth must be a shithole! ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2018, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-god-like-powers-do-you-think-youd-eventually-quit-caring-about-people/811876/17 "2018-04-05T17:45:15Z")
> [@beowulff](#): > > Brennan, is that you? I still have my gonads, so, no. Stranger ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2018, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-god-like-powers-do-you-think-youd-eventually-quit-caring-about-people/811876/18 "2018-04-05T17:53:46Z")
I wouldn’t give a crap about people for, oh, IDK more than 2 minutes. But, I would go see Cecil real quick-like. He would know what to do with this new power of mine. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2018, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-god-like-powers-do-you-think-youd-eventually-quit-caring-about-people/811876/19 "2018-04-05T18:09:28Z")
If we’re willing to posit a God whose powers are so unlike ours, why should we posit that His/Her/Its mentality would be like ours? Maybe God’s Dunbar number is a billion, or a trillion, or a googol, or infinite. Maybe God’s mind is so unlike ours that E is capable of deeply caring about every person, or every living creature, or every atom, more deeply than we can even care about ourselves. The relevant question isn’t what we would do with godlike powers; it’s what God would do with godlike powers. ---
**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:** [April 5, 2018, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-god-like-powers-do-you-think-youd-eventually-quit-caring-about-people/811876/20 "2018-04-05T18:12:50Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > If we’re willing to posit a God whose powers are so unlike ours, why should we posit that His/Her/Its mentality would be like ours? Maybe God’s Dunbar number is a billion, or a trillion, or a googol, or infinite. Maybe God’s mind is so unlike ours that E is capable of deeply caring about every person, or every living creature, or every atom, more deeply than we can even care about ourselves. The relevant question isn’t what we would do with godlike powers; it’s what God would do with godlike powers. And since the only being possible of answering that question is “God”, are we supposed to wait until he registers for this board? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-god-like-powers-do-you-think-youd-eventually-quit-caring-about-people/811876.md?page=2)