# Paranormal Poll **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 9, 2010, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paranormal-poll/524251 "2010-01-09T04:41:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Noone\_Special](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/noone_special/32/2863_2.png) [@Noone\_Special](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Noone_Special)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2010, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paranormal-poll/524251/41 "2010-01-10T19:34:13Z")
Telepathy, assuming I get to read people’s minds without having to broadcast my thoughts as well. ---
**Author:** ![Taomist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/53a042/32.png) [@Taomist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Taomist)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2010, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paranormal-poll/524251/42 "2010-01-10T20:00:23Z")
> [@Jragon](#): > > “See”? You don’t need to see anything, “screw with the paranormal investigators” is its own reward. Well, I guess technically it’s still paranormal, but hey, if they still think it’s ghosts it’s still funny. You know…that would be fun! ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2010, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paranormal-poll/524251/43 "2010-01-10T20:29:07Z")
Teleportation is _damn_ tempting; on a good clear night out in the desert or in the mountains I can see several galaxies. Then… a) One would not _really_ wish to land on that Class B star of the Andromeda galaxy. One would wish instead to land on the [Star Trek]Class M[/Star Trek] planet _orbiting_ it. But one cannot see the freaking planet. b) Stretching a point, I would perhaps have a “line of sight” opportunity to land on some of the planets recently discovered here within our own galaxy, with the aid of a helluva good telescope. (Hey, it doesn’t _say_ unaided). But one would not _really_ want to land on that planet of unknown characteristics recently discerned by Hubble, not unless it is a Class M planet, which is something we do not know. c) I can see Mars just fine and we know a good amount about it. Unfortunately what we know about it doesn’t make it sound like an appealing place to wander around in. I opted for telepathy. I’d get a lot more out of it even if it was less flashy. ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2010, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paranormal-poll/524251/44 "2010-01-10T20:47:51Z")
> [@AHunter3](#): > > c) I can see Mars just fine and we know a good amount about it. Unfortunately what we know about it doesn’t make it sound like an appealing place to wander around in. Just think if you were open about it though. The governments of the world would probably pay you big bucks to put on a spacesuit and teleport back and forth carry little bits and pieces of equipment that would then be assembled into larger things. You could probably build a fully functioning Mars base, given enough time. Returning with samples would probably be pretty lucrative too. I’m going to assume teleportation is immune to relative velocity complications. ---
**Author:** ![thirdwarning](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecccb3/32.png) [@thirdwarning](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thirdwarning)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2010, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paranormal-poll/524251/45 "2010-01-10T20:52:41Z")
Telepathy, as I’ve read about it and imagined it, was always a two way thing, where you could both “hear” and “talk”. So I chose that one. I could have conversations with anyone without bothering the people I was with, or without people being able to hear it. If you’re describing it as just mindreading, without the other party being aware, then I don’t need it. That’s no fun. ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2010, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paranormal-poll/524251/46 "2010-01-10T21:00:16Z")
> [@thirdwarning](#): > > Telepathy, as I’ve read about it and imagined it, was always a two way thing, where you could both “hear” and “talk”. So I chose that one. I could have conversations with anyone without bothering the people I was with, or without people being able to hear it. > > If you’re describing it as just mindreading, without the other party being aware, then I don’t need it. That’s no fun. Huh? So you’d take telepathy if it meant you could have a conversation with someone? What’s wrong with, you know, using your mouth and ears? The point of telepathy is that it would be a skill only you would have. And if only you have it it would work to your advantage. If, your version of telepathy were applied to everyone _except_ me I might take it. It would make for a much more peaceful life. ---
**Author:** ![Grumman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/43a26b/32.png) [@Grumman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grumman)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2010, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paranormal-poll/524251/47 "2010-01-10T21:07:41Z")
I’d go for teleportation. It has obvious, legitimate uses and doesn’t carry the risk that I’ll learn about something depressing in my future that I can’t avoid. ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2010, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paranormal-poll/524251/48 "2010-01-10T21:10:16Z")
> [@Grumman](#): > > I’d go for teleportation. It has obvious, legitimate uses and doesn’t carry the risk that I’ll learn about something depressing in my future that I can’t avoid. But would you be tempted to use your teleportation to avoid excercise? Can you guarantee yourself that you wouldn’t? ---
**Author:** ![Grumman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/43a26b/32.png) [@Grumman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grumman)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2010, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paranormal-poll/524251/49 "2010-01-10T21:46:41Z")
> [@Lobsang](#): > > But would you be tempted to use your teleportation to avoid excercise? Can you guarantee yourself that you wouldn’t? Yes, I can. I might spend less time on exercise simply because of the options that teleportation would open up, but I already prefer to walk instead of driving or taking public transport, if time permits. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2010, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paranormal-poll/524251/50 "2010-01-10T21:50:08Z")
Prediction. Then I’d have Spider-Sense. ---
**Author:** ![mecaenas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/91b2a8/32.png) [@mecaenas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mecaenas)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2010, 7:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paranormal-poll/524251/51 "2010-01-11T07:50:20Z")
Line-of-sight Teleportation would be cool, but maybe I lack imagination because I can’t think of enough benefits beyond the “cool” factor and the ability to get around quickly and have really cool holidays. I assume that Prediction goes hand in hand with the ability to change the outcome, see the change, and decide whether to change further? I can see the downsides though, particularly with Prediction spiralling out of control into an obsession, particularly when there are unavoidable outcomes. I was considering Invisibility but I would be wracked with guilt over abusing the power and probably would either become an emotional wreck or a completely immoral bastard. I think I’d go for Telepathy since I’m not strong on social intelligence and there are a number of personal and professional situations where it would be invaluable. Besides, if you want to make some money with Telepathy in a slightly less immoral fashion than the other powers, you can play poker. Simply take advantage of the financially better-off players until you make it to the high-rollers table where you can clean them out. ---
**Author:** ![Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sleeps_With_Butterflies)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2010, 7:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paranormal-poll/524251/52 "2010-01-11T07:51:59Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > You & I both know that’s only because of the World Series thing. It worked out great for me, didn’t it? ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2010, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paranormal-poll/524251/53 "2010-01-13T03:53:09Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > I choose prediction. You can ask people what they are thinking, you can pick up or travel by mundane means; seeing the future gives you something you can’t really do in mundane fashion. As for invisibility, self-prediction gives you a limited version of invisibility; you can predict if you will be caught. Better yet, you can run every possible scenario you can come up with, and see which ones get you caught and how. However, it’s still sort of a sucky power IMHO. I feel like I’d spend my entire life running zillions of things through my precog and never actually \*doing \*anything. Teleportation over short distances I’ve already got : it’s called “walking”. Invisibility… well, I’d only use it to hear the gossip and classified info, and telepathy does that better. It also doubles as a limited precognition (i.e. you know you’re gonna get fired, or your lover’s thinking of leaving you long before the hatchet drops), and if it’s a two-way telepathy it can also do literal invisibility as you flood the poor sucker’s head with visions. So, yeah, I’ll order the Sookie Special, plz. ---
**Author:** ![Mojo\_Pin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Mojo\_Pin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mojo_Pin)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2010, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paranormal-poll/524251/54 "2010-01-13T04:35:34Z")
I actually don’t think prediction would work the way you think **Der Trihs** and **Kobal2**. You would be able to see one future, the future which you _will_ eventually experience. You at the present may be deciding between two paths, but should you consult your future, you would see the exact chain of events that would influence you to make a certain decision, eventually leading to that very same chain of events. It doesn’t make sense that you should be able to say “well what if I do this? Or this?” and see different possible futures, because logically at the end of your deliberation, you will choose only one course of action, and the resulting future from that decision is the only future you will ever see. Foresight is really kind of a useless ability, I think. I pick LOS teleportation, with one caveat: I will not only be able to translocate, but orient myself (and keep momentum, like Portal) in any direction I wish. Of course always travelling naked will be a pain, but I think it would be worth it for the awesome skydiving sessions alone. On second thought, falling through the air for any distance naked would be really cold, so I would just use my portal powers in such a way as to just perpetually float way up in the air somewhere warm. ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2010, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paranormal-poll/524251/55 "2010-01-13T04:41:17Z")
I wouldn’t say useless. If I tell myself I am going to study the winning lotto number everyday, then there is every reason I should be able to see the winning lotto numbers from a week in the future. In that case, my precog will accurately show me winning, because I will. Nope, not useless. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Mojo\_Pin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Mojo\_Pin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mojo_Pin)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2010, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paranormal-poll/524251/56 "2010-01-13T05:08:00Z")
> [@levdrakon](#): > > I wouldn’t say useless. If I tell myself I am going to study the winning lotto number everyday, then there is every reason I should be able to see the winning lotto numbers from a week in the future. In that case, my precog will accurately show me winning, because I will. Nope, not useless. 🙂 Now there’s a more interesting use of that ability! I was just disputing what Der Trihs was saying, but your idea makes much more sense. ---
**Author:** ![thirdwarning](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecccb3/32.png) [@thirdwarning](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thirdwarning)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2010, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paranormal-poll/524251/57 "2010-01-17T22:23:32Z")
> [@Lobsang](#): > > Huh? So you’d take telepathy if it meant you could have a conversation with someone? What’s wrong with, you know, using your mouth and ears? The point of telepathy is that it would be a skill only you would have. And if only you have it it would work to your advantage. > > If, your version of telepathy were applied to everyone _except_ me I might take it. It would make for a much more peaceful life. I could talk to anyone, without anyone else knowing it. Which would mean I could have a private conversation in a room full of people. I could talk to someone I wasn’t with. If I wanted to be mean about it I could talk to someone about everyone else who was there. The way telepathy usually works in books I read, I could talk to people a world away, instantly, any time of the day. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paranormal-poll/524251.md?page=2)