Time Travel Part 2

[Diva]

You are walking along when a door opens in thin air. A man steps out and tells you that it's a time machine and gives you the chance of a lifetime. You are to go back in time and stop ONE event/person. Remember, that leads the way for something else to possibly happen. Who or what would it be? Why? And how would you do it?

[Noctornus]

A friend once asked me something similar. I rather cynically responded that I'd go back to the beginning of life on earth, and stop that first combination of Amino Acids that lead to the creation of life. Destroying and reshaping the entire evolution of life on earth seemed like a good idea at the time. Strangely enough, given that I'm not nearly as cynical now, I would answer similarly. Lets see if evolution can do any better than the human race the second time around.

-Noctornus

[Sterling]

I wouldn't do anything. Who could predict what the outcome would be?

For example, in Stephen Fry's novel "Making History" supposes that someone was able to prevent Adolf Hitler from being born. Unfortunately, there is the unforseen consequence that someone equally fascist but more competent takes his place, Germany wins the war, and America collapses into a totalitarian state after deciding to throw their lot in with the Germans. Of course it's fiction (and a good read, actually), but it makes the point that you can't possibly predict all the permuatations about what might happen as a result of changing something.

How many times has something bad happened to you, only for it turn out some time later to be a blessing in disguise?

[Diva]

I would stop the terrorist attack on 9-11. I would go to the airport armed with enough information to hold the terrorists from getting on the plane. Not only would lives be saved both on 9-11 and in Afghanistan, but Bush would not use the event to get him re-elected.

[Gracie]

I think I wouldnt change anything......... I dont think my changing one event in time would drastacally alter life as we know it now...... life finds a way..... always

[Sterling]

I would stop the terrorist attack on 9-11. I would go to the airport armed with enough information to hold the terrorists from getting on the plane. Not only would lives be saved both on 9-11 and in Afghanistan, but Bush would not use the event to get him re-elected.

Who is to say whether that would be the 'right thing' in the long run, though? Suppose there is a long term consequence that we end up ridding the world of fundamentalism, and solving the middle east dispute as a result of the pressure applied by the 9/11 events? Far fetched, but possible. What if 30 years from now you might look back and say "yes, 9/11 was terrible, but it was a catalyst for all sorts of good events".

Or perhaps if 9/11 failed, the terrorists try a bolder, or more desperate plan, and detonate a nuclear device in a major city. Millions are killed. But they can't now, because the war in Afghanistan has disrupted their network. That's actually slightly more plausible.

When you consider that you don't know how things would turn out, are you sure you'd make that choice?