If you could make humanity believe one thing:

The Guid · Post by **The Guid** » 2008-02-05 06:35pm

If you had the chance to make humanity believe one thing, what would it be?

The specifics:

You get a sentence, not a really long one, it really can only be a statement which all of the human race will believe unquestionably. They won't doubt it. It may get corrupted over time; for example "it is wrong to kill" could easily be corrupted into "It is wrong to kill, but sometimes you have to do a wrong thing for a right reason". It may therefore be safer to say "if you kill someone, you will explode". Even if evidence is provided to the contrary they will simply dismiss the evidence with hand waving and very soon forget about it.

So what do you do? What's your sentence?

I've been toying with "There are no gods of any kind."

Also assume that this sentence will be understood as it stands grammatically, for example you could not take the above and conclude that there is only "one god" because that goes against the statement.

Ariphaos · Post by **Ariphaos** » 2008-02-05 07:33pm

I've met too many people who honestly consider their belief in God to be their only moralizing force to try that.

I like question though, I'll have to think about it.

Darth Smiley · Post by **Darth Smiley** » 2008-02-05 10:33pm

Perhaps "There is nothing to gain by killing one another" ? Or would that be too easily corrupted?

Walsh · Post by **Walsh** » 2008-02-05 10:41pm

That there is no afterlife.

That way, they might actually focus on this life, and on making it better.

Dark Hellion · Post by **Dark Hellion** » 2008-02-05 10:52pm

God has four prophets, John, Paul, George and Ringo are their names.

Zablorg · Post by **Zablorg** » 2008-02-06 12:47am

"All aspects of the environment is screwed and you all need to do something about it."

TithonusSyndrome · Post by **TithonusSyndrome** » 2008-02-06 12:47am

The universe does not permit contradictions to take place arbitrarily, and the only way to understand how the universe works is through thorough and rigorous examination of observable events, not intuition and emotion and old wives tales built out of biased case samples.

Ariphaos · Post by **Ariphaos** » 2008-02-06 01:13am

Dark Hellion wrote:God has four prophets, John, Paul, George and Ringo are their names. :lol:

Oooh good answer.

Start with 'Imagine'

Post by **Darth Wong** » 2008-02-06 01:47am

If I could inject one absolute conviction into the minds of every human?

"Empirical knowledge is superior to all other forms of knowledge."

Flagg · Post by **Flagg** » 2008-02-06 01:53am

Darth Wong wrote:If I could inject one absolute conviction into the minds of every human?

"Empirical knowledge is superior to all other forms of knowledge."

You're going to have to dumb that down for the south. They'll just think that means they should listen to an Emperor.

I'd have to go with that sentiment, though. Maybe add "And just because it gives you comfort doesn't make it a valid belief."

The Duchess of Zeon · Post by **The Duchess of Zeon** » 2008-02-06 01:59am

The following are incontrovertible facts which demand a cyclical, low growth society: Oil is finite and will no long be a viable energy resource within four decades and global warming is progressive, a reality, and a threat to human survival.

Napoleon the Clown · Post by **Napoleon the Clown** » 2008-02-06 02:29am

"Don't be an asshole."

Really, though, something along the lines of "It is unacceptable to kill or otherwise harm anybody else on idealogical grounds, such actions are only to be means of self defense."

Zablorg · Post by **Zablorg** » 2008-02-06 02:42am

Napoleon the Clown wrote:"Don't be an asshole."

Really, though, something along the lines of "It is unacceptable to kill or otherwise harm anybody else on idealogical grounds, such actions are only to be means of self defense."

But if everyone went with that, then there would be no "self-defence".

Post by **K. A. Pital** » 2008-02-06 03:23am

Unacceptable to kill or cause bodily physical harm would cause people to invent mental torture as the ultimate form of warfare, sadly I can't see that evolving in another way.

Of course, that's still better than what we have now.

Napoleon the Clown · Post by **Napoleon the Clown** » 2008-02-06 04:05am

Please note I never said "bodily" at any point. I said kill or otherwise harm. Psychological attacks are harmful.

Lord of the Abyss · Post by **Lord of the Abyss** » 2008-02-06 04:45am

Stas Bush wrote:Unacceptable to kill or cause bodily physical harm would cause people to invent mental torture as the ultimate form of warfare, sadly I can't see that evolving in another way.

Of course, that's still better than what we have now.

Not really; traumatize people enough mentally, and they'll be rendered incapable of functioning and die anyway. So you'd end up with horrible mental/emotional torture, AND death. Not an original idea with me by the way; you reminded me of a fantasy novel I read a while back where killing people was impractical, so they were tramatized as per your suggestion, resulting indirectly in their deaths. Which got around the no killing rule.

Napoleon the Clown wrote:Please note I never said "bodily" at any point. I said kill or otherwise harm. Psychological attacks are harmful.

Thing is, a directive interpreted that broadly would freeze people like an original series Star Trek android given a logical contradiction. You can't do much of anything without harming people, if harm is defined that loosely. For example you wouldn't be able to discipline a child because that would be traumatizing them; but not disciplining them also harms them, so the command would keep you from doing anything. Stick you in a loop or something of the sort. You need to make judgement call, to choose the path of least long term harm, which an inflexible command won't let happen.

The problem is, a tightly interpreted command like that will be lawyered around, as in Stas Bush's example; a loosely interpreted command will disable people because so much would be forbidden by it.

I wouldn't give ANY command. I'd be too afraid of the results. I guess I've read too many cautionary tales or other fiction where someone made the djinni's wish, gave the robots the command, made the unbreakable law, and had it work out just the wrong way.

Jaepheth · Post by **Jaepheth** » 2008-02-06 05:12am

make everyone believe one thing eh?

"My word is law, and you will obey it."

The planet is now mine to shape as I see fit

Also, I don't know if having everyone believe there's no god or no afterlife would be a good idea. Because then a lot of the have nots may suddenly decide they want their cut and resort to crime and violence to get it. In other words, I'd be worried it'd lead to widespread super-greed.

Darwin · Post by **Darwin** » 2008-02-06 05:37am

One thing, huh?

"I am your lord and master. My word is law."

Now go get me a sandwich.

Darwin · Post by **Darwin** » 2008-02-06 05:38am

Jaepheth wrote:make everyone believe one thing eh?

"My word is law, and you will obey it."

The planet is now mine to shape as I see fit

Also, I don't know if having everyone believe there's no god or no afterlife would be a good idea. Because then a lot of the have nots may suddenly decide they want their cut and resort to crime and violence to get it. In other words, I'd be worried it'd lead to widespread super-greed.

Curse you and your faster posting!!!

Shroom Man 777 · Post by **Shroom Man 777** » 2008-02-06 08:02am

I would make humanity believe that human life and happiness are worth more than the petty ideals or religions or beliefs or abstract concepts that divide people.

But that's probably too much of a general thing.

FTeik · Post by **FTeik** » 2008-02-06 09:27am

We are on our own (no gods, demons or fairies to turn to) and our highest law is to take care of each other and our enviroment.

Dark Hellion wrote:God has four prophets, John, Paul, George and Ringo are their names.

There are prophets, but their names are Freddie, Brian, Roger and John.

Nieztchean Uber-Amoeba · Post by **Nieztchean Uber-Amoeba** » 2008-02-06 01:27pm

I'd go with a variation on the Duchess' suggestion. Or, if I was feeling petty, the 'I am Lord' idea.

Invictus ChiKen · Post by **Invictus ChiKen** » 2008-02-06 01:32pm

But here's the question. Ye they shall believe BUT will they act on the belief?

wjs7744 · Post by **wjs7744** » 2008-02-06 01:40pm

Invictus ChiKen wrote:But here's the question. Ye they shall believe BUT will they act on the belief?

You are asking whether people act on their beliefs?

The Vortex Empire · Post by **The Vortex Empire** » 2008-02-06 02:56pm

My sentence:
There are no Gods in any way, shape or form, except for our Noodly Master, The Flying Spaghetti Monster.