# Would you rather be a super-genius or have super-fast healing? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 21, 2015, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-be-a-super-genius-or-have-super-fast-healing/720547 "2015-05-21T20:42:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Asimovian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asimovian/32/172_2.png) [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2015, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-be-a-super-genius-or-have-super-fast-healing/720547/21 "2015-05-21T23:51:38Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > Yeah, after I answered, I started wondering about this. If I’m not going to live for hundreds of years, why not? Is Athena planning on doing for me when I’m 100 or something? Even then, the prospect of spending the next 60 years not just alive, but without health problems? Followed by what I can only assume would be a quick and painless smiting? I’d probably still take the deal. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2015, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-be-a-super-genius-or-have-super-fast-healing/720547/22 "2015-05-22T00:00:53Z")
Does the super-fast healing work on cancer? If so, I’ll go with that. If not, I guess I’ll settle for being slightly smarter than I am now. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2015, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-be-a-super-genius-or-have-super-fast-healing/720547/23 "2015-05-22T00:09:02Z")
If I took the super healing, would my blood be able to cure others? Cut myself, heal some people and ascend to living godhood…could be good. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2015, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-be-a-super-genius-or-have-super-fast-healing/720547/24 "2015-05-22T00:20:18Z")
Since I’m too lazy to take advantage of Option 2, I’ll choose 1. It would make all these jobs abroad so much easier - it’s in a country where I don’t know the language and customs? No problem, after a couple of weeks even the locals will think I’m local. ---
**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:** [May 22, 2015, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-be-a-super-genius-or-have-super-fast-healing/720547/25 "2015-05-22T01:43:14Z")
> [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](#): > > Super-smarts, which would give me the ability to create the super-healing potion/procedure. Telekinesis is next month. I was planning to pull a Dr. Doom and take over an eastern european nation with my super intelligence. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2015, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-be-a-super-genius-or-have-super-fast-healing/720547/26 "2015-05-22T02:09:42Z")
Are you kidding? Super-fast healing. Do you know how many bar bets you could win? ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2015, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-be-a-super-genius-or-have-super-fast-healing/720547/27 "2015-05-22T02:32:54Z")
> [@VinylTurnip](#): > > Are you kidding? Super-fast healing. Do you know how many bar bets you could win? Nah, I’d be way too smart to take you up on them. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2015, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-be-a-super-genius-or-have-super-fast-healing/720547/28 "2015-05-22T02:36:26Z")
Healing. I’m smart enough to realize that that’s hardly the limiting factor on the quality of my life. More time, and greater emotional intelligence, would be worthwhile. Besides, I’m happy with the smarts I have. Maybe there were some times in grad school when I wished I was smarter than I was, but even then, I really didn’t need to be _that_ much smarter. But now that I’m in my seventh decade, while superficially I seem as healthy as always, I can feel the little damages starting to add up. If I’m hiking in Glacier, and something goes wrong with my knee when I’m seven miles from the nearest trail head, super healing would be great. I didn’t used to worry about stuff like that, but I do now. ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2015, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-be-a-super-genius-or-have-super-fast-healing/720547/29 "2015-05-22T02:42:06Z")
Healing. Never been 100% healthy and done some dumb things as well. I think I could get the most use from that. ---
**Author:** ![Habeed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a587f6/32.png) [@Habeed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Habeed)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2015, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-be-a-super-genius-or-have-super-fast-healing/720547/30 "2015-05-22T03:18:10Z")
No living hundreds of years? Take the supergenius option. Maybe you’ll figure out a way to not die from old age. If the super-fast healing was full on wolverine, I’d take it in a heartbeat, though. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2015, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-be-a-super-genius-or-have-super-fast-healing/720547/31 "2015-05-22T03:27:33Z")
If super-healing included non-aging immortality then it would be tempting. But as given, the super-genius option wins easily. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2015, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-be-a-super-genius-or-have-super-fast-healing/720547/32 "2015-05-22T13:40:30Z")
Healing, definitely. Having an overdeveloped ability to take tests extremely successfully has never really enhanced my life in the ways I imagined it would. I don’t see how raising that skill a few (dozen) more notches would make that much of a difference. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Understander](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3da27b/32.png) [@The\_Understander](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Understander)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2015, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-be-a-super-genius-or-have-super-fast-healing/720547/33 "2015-05-22T13:43:37Z")
Smarter than the average bear is good enough for my humble life’s desires. Gimme that healing factor, Bub. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2015, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-be-a-super-genius-or-have-super-fast-healing/720547/34 "2015-05-22T13:56:07Z")
> [@Wesley\_Clark](#): > > I was planning to pull a Dr. Doom and take over an eastern european nation with my super intelligence. If you were that smart, you’d take over a _western_ european nation. 😛 ---
**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:** [May 22, 2015, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-be-a-super-genius-or-have-super-fast-healing/720547/35 "2015-05-22T14:44:07Z")
The only reason I’d want super healing is for the “no aging” aspect. I don’t hurt myself enough to actually _need_ the healing part. Since “no aging” is off the table, this one’s a no brainer for me. Yep, I went there. ---
**Author:** ![GrumpyBunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bc8723/32.png) [@GrumpyBunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrumpyBunny)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2015, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-be-a-super-genius-or-have-super-fast-healing/720547/36 "2015-05-22T14:48:27Z")
> [@kopek](#): > > Healing. Never been 100% healthy and done some dumb things as well. I think I could get the most use from that. Exactly what I was thinking. Super-healing could stop an asthma attack in its tracks! Fix the stupid migraines! No more arthritis! Can it grow back the tooth I had pulled, so I don’t have to pay for the implant? Not seeing a down side here. Can I get a side of “reduction in skin aging”, too? ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2015, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-be-a-super-genius-or-have-super-fast-healing/720547/37 "2015-05-22T15:16:21Z")
> [@Shakes](#): > > The only reason I’d want super healing is for the “no aging” aspect. I don’t hurt myself enough to actually _need_ the healing part. Since “no aging” is off the table, this one’s a no brainer for me. That’s the part that makes it (super-healing) appealing to me. Live forever while everything I know and love dies? Not for this kid at all. ---
**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:** [May 22, 2015, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-be-a-super-genius-or-have-super-fast-healing/720547/38 "2015-05-22T15:31:15Z")
> [@kopek](#): > > That’s the part that makes it (super-healing) appealing to me. Live forever while everything I know and love dies? Not for this kid at all. See, I don’t agree with this. Death of loved ones is hard when you’re young, but I’ve gotta believe it becomes much easier to deal with when you’re old. Whenever I’ve gone to funerals or wakes, it seems like the elderly folks are the ones most at ease. Heck, I’ve even heard a few of them make jokes. (Not jokes about the deceased of course.) ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2015, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-be-a-super-genius-or-have-super-fast-healing/720547/39 "2015-05-22T16:01:09Z")
> [@Shakes](#): > > See, I don’t agree with this. Death of loved ones is hard when you’re young, but I’ve gotta believe it becomes much easier to deal with when you’re old. > > Whenever I’ve gone to funerals or wakes, it seems like the elderly folks are the ones most at ease. Heck, I’ve even heard a few of them make jokes. (Not jokes about the deceased of course.) My experience has just been different; more on the personal level. I come from a fairly large and close family that has been getting smaller over the generations. My Dad was one of nine kids and my mother one of 10, there is just my brother and me, I didn’t have any kids. Some of the third generation cousins are drifting away and family doesn’t mean quite the same thing to them that it did to us. And a lot of my friends were always older than me so most have passed - some long ago. It’s like the world around me is shrinking. Don’t get me wrong; I can have as much fun at a funeral as the next person or more so. Remembering the past and looking forward to the future (assuming us religious types are right and there is a future). But to be around a hundred years from now - even healthy with super-healing? Again, just not my speed. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2015, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-be-a-super-genius-or-have-super-fast-healing/720547/40 "2015-05-22T16:05:14Z")
Since the healing precludes mind-altering drugs and doesn’t include immortality, that’s out - even as much as my body could use it. I’ll go for the super-intelligence. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-be-a-super-genius-or-have-super-fast-healing/720547.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-be-a-super-genius-or-have-super-fast-healing/720547.md?page=3)