# "With great power comes great responsibility"--but when?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/with-great-power-comes-great-responsibility-but-when/322542>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [September 20, 2005, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/with-great-power-comes-great-responsibility-but-when/322542 "2005-09-20T15:30:02Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\
**Post date:** [September 26, 2005, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/with-great-power-comes-great-responsibility-but-when/322542/21 "2005-09-26T17:25:24Z")

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> [@Madd Maxx](#):
>
> I would want to have The Flash’s power of speed. I would totally be the best football/track & field athlete EVAR! Traffic would never be a problem again.

Mini-hijack:  
Nerd that I am, I always wonder why people would choose to do this. Wouldn’t competing as the only super-powered player on the field be horribly boring? Forget ethical considerations: if you knew the other contestants or players or whatever couldn’t possibly beat you, that you could win at will and at whim, what would be the point?

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**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\
**Post date:** [September 26, 2005, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/with-great-power-comes-great-responsibility-but-when/322542/22 "2005-09-26T17:30:18Z")

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> [@Fabulous Creature](#):
>
> Mini-hijack:  
> Nerd that I am, I always wonder why people would choose to do this. Wouldn’t competing as the only super-powered player on the field be horribly boring? Forget ethical considerations: if you knew the other contestants or players or whatever couldn’t possibly beat you, that you could win at will and at whim, what would be the point?

Well, I’m a huge Yankee Fan, so if I could help my team win almost every game, I could definately do this for a year. Maybe I would keep it cycled down and just do enough to ensure victory. Lots of clutch hits and spectacular defensive play. Plus as a ball player I would have a lot of down time to help elsewhere. I could even stake the team to a large lead in the pennant race and go on the DL for 15 days.

I could even try for 2 sport player and help my poor Giants. I’m guess a nearly unstoppable runningback would be fun helpful.

I wouldn’t see much point in competing in individual sports. It would be a bit boring.

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**Author:** ![eleanorigby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@eleanorigby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eleanorigby)\
**Post date:** [September 26, 2005, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/with-great-power-comes-great-responsibility-but-when/322542/23 "2005-09-26T18:02:31Z")

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This approach to life is not limited to Spiderman–IMS, Cinderella (well, Drew Barrymore) says as much to Prince Charming. It’s a variant on noblesse oblige etc.

I would like to think that I would do great good.

but I would also like to have fun with it.

Most likely I would do some good, have some fun and do harm (not malicously, but who knows? I’ve never been tested that way).

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