You are about to die; not even your guardian angel can save you. However you are offered the opportunity of passing three things to your next incarnation. Understanding that you will know nothing of the world when you wake… what three things do you choose and why.
or if you prefer … You are about to die and you are able to pass three things to a child you care deeply for but have never met.
eitherway… 2 rules… only three things… and only a brief description of why you choose each of them.
I am taking that to mean that I would be reincarnated as a blank slate, and that anything left for the next incarnation would be in addition to that. I am also assuming that the things to be passed on would not have to be tangible.
Knowledge of the world I have already gained. (How many times do you look back on a situation and say, “If only I knew then what I know now.”)
The innocence I’ve lost, with instructions to take better care of it. (My next life should not be led with such a cynical and critical mindset as this one)
My collection of cd’s and mp3’s. (Any incarnation of myself will have as much a love of music as this one, so I may as well get it started on the right foot)
Great debates?
I for one never understood why I was born with an animal net, a dozen bananas and a tranquilzer gun. 
Wait – I’ll have to finish this post later. There’s a gorilla at the door and he looks pissed.
Acceptance of self. It took me many hard years to get to the point where I am just me and everyone else can go hang if they want to judge that. I’m much happier now.
Passion for life. You want to play in the rain and love people, its great. (re: above where people can go hang)
Good study habits… it would make my life so much easier. (You never said it had to be something you currently had)
Soulmurk
‘Knowledge of the world I have already gained’… I maybe should have added you can’t simply download yourself as that trivialises the question…
→ single ideas or single items - things that can be written down explicitly or an item left somewhere to receive as a present.
Asmodean
Considering what was important in life I would have thought is fuel for debate. Maybe you can think of a better question along these lines?
… or maybe your just a troll
jmullaney
Medea’s Child
Acceptance of self. Passion for life. Good study habits.
This is more along the lines I was looking for… thankyou.
so again… single ideas or single items - things that can be written down explicitly or an item left somewhere to receive as a present.
You cannot simply download yourself or any of your qualities but you are able to suggest values or items that might inspire or change the direction of life for the better.
[Moderator Hat: ON]
I would pass along:
The knowledge that opinion discussions like this belong in IMHO, not Great Debates.
The knowledge that a newbie shouldn’t go tossing around “troll” accusations.
The knowledge that “you are” equates to “you’re” not “your.”
Oh, wait. Those aren’t the things I’d pass along to my next incarnation. They’re the things I’m passing along to acurious right now.
And I’m moving the thread to IMHO.
David B, SDMB Great Debates Moderator
[Moderator Hat: OFF]
.love for self and every living thing.
.serenity that comes with self acceptance and inner beauty
.wisdom----not intelligence as they are not the same thing
My penchant for reason. Logic is a good foundation for effective decision- and policy-formation.
My observational tendancies. Seeing what is around you and considering all the cases (see above) leads to satisfactory reaction.
My newfound appreciation for humanity. There is much value to be found in the embrace of society, in the world outside pure practicality, and in the mind of another.
1: The knowledge that everything, and everyone, is connected, as should be considered as important as oneself.
2: That the time spent here is precious, so pay attention.
3: If I’m the one reincarnating: I’d like to remember what I’ve learned with medicinal plants, and go then into medical school in the next century. To research the complexity of phytomedicinals and their activity on the human body is a lifetime challenge. I wish I’d discovered it sooner this go around.
4: That rules are to be understood, and then broken, judiciously.
Anything that I might want, I worry that perhaps it has gained too much importance to me, and that I should let it go and not taint my next life. And I would especially NOT want to take memories of any of the people I had known in previous lives, because I would miss them so terribly.
My sense of sight. Though I was born farsighted, the glasses I wore must have been magic, because since I was nine or so my vision has been crystal clear and strangely hightened…
My love of learning, particularly languages. If I want to know about something I’m going to FIND OUT about it, no matter how hard finding out about it might be. I would also need to speak of it properly, which is how language fits in.
The kindheartedness I had a few years back. I would want to know that the next form of me couldn’t walk past someone in pain without knowing how that pain felt, and how to help them if they could. I would never want the next incarnation to become as cold as I have.
Hrm, you said I would have no knowledge of the world in this next incarnation. Too bad, as the substantial amount of wisdom I’ve gained about the world even in my short 19 years would be at the top of my list.
Failing that:
My intelligence. I don’t want to sound arrogant here but I’m in intelligent company, so I don’t think it matters. I’m a fairly sharp guy, good at doing math in my head and remembering facts, and I couldn’t imagine living my life without this mental adeptness
My contempt for organized religion. Or at least abstention from organized religion.
My sense of etiquette. In fact, I might even want to tone down this attribute as my personal system of etiquette is rather complex and often inhibits me.
3 Things I would NOT like to pass on:
Low self-confidence. Yeah yeah, I know, boo hoo, pity me. But I really would like to do away with this attribute as it does me no good. Ironically, I have a rather well developed sense of self-esteem, but little self-confidence.
My bad habits, specifically procrastination. In fact, if I wanted to do away with that particular habit, I would get out from behind this computer screen and start working on my anthropology research project or read a book for my honors seminar. But I won’t.
My gratuitous cursing.
1: General intelligence, and habits that sustain and strengthen it.
2: The hard-won lesson that empathy is far more important than armor.
3: We are all absolutely free.
While I have a few qualities that have helped in this current life (like my intelligence which assists with finding a good job, and blue eyes to assist in fascinating girls) my most valuable possessions are three books:
They’re all wisdom books that lead the reader to ask the hard questions in life for themselves. I’m sure if I was given the clues I could figure out where to go from there – and everything would be just fine.
I love this book. I mentally thank Robert James Waller for calling it to my attention every single time I read it.
On to my list:
My passion for simply being - sitting in a room with a good book for hours or watching a sunset by the water’s edge. I guess anyone can learn to meditate, but this is something I’ve cherished since childhood - it keeps me grounded and gives me peace.
My intelligence. I’d prefer wisdom, but then the hard-earned lessons I’ve learned mean more to me because they were hard-earned, and I don’t want to simply piggy-back them over to the next life. I would rather have the intelligence that has caused me some pain, but has also brought me much joy.
My writing skills. I don’t think I’m the best writer ever, or even particularly good, but writing gives me a sense of strength and a peace of mind and spirit that sustains me. I can’t imagine truly living without being able to capture the best experiances in words.
I thought long and hard about this, and in the end, I chose three things that wouldn’t define my next life so much as enhance it. The things I listed above would help me along the way but not dominate me in any way.