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If you could change one thing....

oftenreadingoftenreading Posts: 12,844
edited September 2015 in All Encompassing Trip
I posted a question in the "Ask the Next Poster a Question" thread which seems to have spawned a few interesting answers so I thought it might be good to have it in it's own thread.

If you could go back and change just one thing in history so that it had a different outcome, what would you change? I don't mean a sweeping thing like "I'd stop WW II from happening" - I mean a single measurable action or event that might have a big impact. If you had that power to use once, what would you do with it?

(and for a little musical accompaniment, Big Sugar's "If I Had My Way" :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xjk5app3Zmc
my small self... like a book amongst the many on a shelf
Post edited by oftenreading on
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Comments

  • jnimhaoileoinjnimhaoileoin Posts: 2,682
    I suppose a lot of us automatically thought of big historical events. On a more personal level though, I'd stop my friend from going for surgery on his neck last September. Something went wrong in what should have been a routine operation and ever since he's been left in a coma with little if any brain activity. Heart breaking for his wife and two young kids and just so hard to comprehend that we've lost such a character
  • oftenreadingoftenreading Posts: 12,844
    ^^^^ I think I wasn't clear in my post so I'll edit it - I don't mean don't include big historical events, just think about what specific thing would alter it - exactly like your post on the other thread, jenny.
    my small self... like a book amongst the many on a shelf
  • PJfanwillneverleave1PJfanwillneverleave1 Posts: 12,885
    Good idea for starting a new thread.

    I would have not let Jesus die on the cross and just let him die from natural causes.
  • OMGkatwomanOMGkatwoman Posts: 3,230
    9-11. :heartbreak:
  • jnimhaoileoinjnimhaoileoin Posts: 2,682
    Be interesting to see what kind of Ireland we'd have if the potato blight never happened in the 1840's, resulting in our population being decimated
  • oftenreadingoftenreading Posts: 12,844
    OMGkatwoman said:

    9-11. :heartbreak:

    What would you do to prevent that? (cue the conspiracy theorists!)
    my small self... like a book amongst the many on a shelf
  • InHiding80InHiding80 Posts: 7,623
    OMGkatwoman said:

    9-11. :heartbreak:

    Hence the "I don't mean a sweeping thing" part of the first post although I agree.

    Kim Kartrashian not making a sex tape. It's the reason why they're still here and other countries hate us.
  • OMGkatwomanOMGkatwoman Posts: 3,230
    oftenreading said:

    OMGkatwoman said:

    9-11. :heartbreak:

    What would you do to prevent that? (cue the conspiracy theorists!)
    Personally assassinate Bin Laden, or redesign the the cockpits of the planes to be hijack proof.
  • badbrainsbadbrains Posts: 10,255
    OMGkatwoman said:

    oftenreading said:

    OMGkatwoman said:

    9-11. :heartbreak:

    What would you do to prevent that? (cue the conspiracy theorists!)
    Personally assassinate Bin Laden, or redesign the the cockpits of the planes to be hijack proof.
    They've had anti-hijacking soft ware on planes since 82. Have to wonder why Norad didn't use them.
  • SD48277SD48277 Posts: 12,243
    I would change the major I had in college.
    ELITIST FUK
  • HesCalledDyerHesCalledDyer Posts: 16,427
    SD48277 said:

    I would change the major I had in college.

    I would love to go back and spend 2 years at community college learning a trade rather than waste 4 years and 8x as much money at a university for a degree that's fuckin' useless and prepared me for absolutely nothing after graduation.
    Star Lake 00 / Pittsburgh 03 / State College 03 / Bristow 03 / Cleveland 06 / Camden II 06 / DC 08 / Pittsburgh 13 / Baltimore 13 / Charlottesville 13 / Cincinnati 14 / St. Paul 14 / Hampton 16 / Wrigley I 16 / Wrigley II 16 / Baltimore 20 (xx) / Camden 22 / Baltimore 24
  • hedonisthedonist Posts: 24,524
    I wish certain things had never happened to begin with, but in the scheme-of-life ripple-effect? I wonder if just ONE little thing off might take me away from here, now.

    So many individual events I wish hadn't occurred - people hurt, killed, damaged along the way.

    Kind of makes you (ok, me) consider the possibility of destiny.

    If not for A, then B...would C exist?

  • Amongst the AniAmongst the Ani Posts: 7,790
    I wouldn't change anything history or personal. Not that my life is amazing or anything but those events are what shape us in life. You can't know beauty if you do not know what ugliness is. You can't really know happiness if you haven't had tragedy or sadness. So while I would love to change things the effect would be far greater than I would be willing to give up.
    Tom Brady & Donald Trump, BFF's
    Fuckus rules all
    Rob
    Seattle
  • hedonisthedonist Posts: 24,524
    cdysinge said:

    I wouldn't change anything history or personal. Not that my life is amazing or anything but those events are what shape us in life. You can't know beauty if you do not know what ugliness is. You can't really know happiness if you haven't had tragedy or sadness. So while I would love to change things the effect would be far greater than I would be willing to give up.

    We're not so far apart.

    And, when you think about it, you may not consider your life amazing - but life itself is.

    So yours is too.
  • oftenreadingoftenreading Posts: 12,844
    I still haven't decided what my one change would be even though I posted the question.

    What about abducting the young Adolf Hitler?

    What about a telegram to the Titanic suggesting they change their route to avoid icebergs believed to be in the area?

    What about letting John Lennon know to stay away from New York in December 1980?
    my small self... like a book amongst the many on a shelf
  • PJfanwillneverleave1PJfanwillneverleave1 Posts: 12,885
    oftenreading said:

    I still haven't decided what my one change would be even though I posted the question.

    What about abducting the young Adolf Hitler?

    What about a telegram to the Titanic suggesting they change their route to avoid icebergs believed to be in the area?

    What about letting John Lennon know to stay away from New York in December 1980?

    Out of those three proposals which one do you favour?
  • oftenreadingoftenreading Posts: 12,844
    PJfanwillneverleave1 said:

    oftenreading said:

    I still haven't decided what my one change would be even though I posted the question.

    What about abducting the young Adolf Hitler?

    What about a telegram to the Titanic suggesting they change their route to avoid icebergs believed to be in the area?

    What about letting John Lennon know to stay away from New York in December 1980?

    Out of those three proposals which one do you favour?
    Am still mulling over these and others; this is serious stuff, not to be entered into lightly.
    my small self... like a book amongst the many on a shelf
  • whispering handswhispering hands Posts: 13,527
    I would kill the serpent before he ever reached the Garden of Eden... Snake Steak and a hat band...
  • hedonisthedonist Posts: 24,524
    oftenreading said:

    PJfanwillneverleave1 said:

    oftenreading said:

    I still haven't decided what my one change would be even though I posted the question.

    What about abducting the young Adolf Hitler?

    What about a telegram to the Titanic suggesting they change their route to avoid icebergs believed to be in the area?

    What about letting John Lennon know to stay away from New York in December 1980?

    Out of those three proposals which one do you favour?
    Am still mulling over these and others; this is serious stuff, not to be entered into lightly.
    Me too. This is meaty stuff, often - heady food for thought.

    Had Adolf been taken aside like those stage-canes (off you go!), I'd not be here. I think.

    (and - I swear there've been the oddest and sweetly coincidental timings of words and music and actions lately, as I'm listening to Elton and Lennon right now doing Lucy. Don't have a clue what it means, if anything. But, I feel it, and it all just makes me wonder about the why's and when's things happen. The how's too.)

  • PJfanwillneverleave1PJfanwillneverleave1 Posts: 12,885
    edited May 2015
    oftenreading said:

    PJfanwillneverleave1 said:

    oftenreading said:

    I still haven't decided what my one change would be even though I posted the question.

    What about abducting the young Adolf Hitler?

    What about a telegram to the Titanic suggesting they change their route to avoid icebergs believed to be in the area?

    What about letting John Lennon know to stay away from New York in December 1980?

    Out of those three proposals which one do you favour?
    Am still mulling over these and others; this is serious stuff, not to be entered into lightly.
    Come on Often,
    you can't be neutral on your moving thread
    (or did I mean to say you can't be neutral on a moving train)
    either way
    just tell the thread your change
    Post edited by PJfanwillneverleave1 on
  • oftenreadingoftenreading Posts: 12,844
    PJfanwillneverleave1 said:

    oftenreading said:

    PJfanwillneverleave1 said:

    oftenreading said:

    I still haven't decided what my one change would be even though I posted the question.

    What about abducting the young Adolf Hitler?

    What about a telegram to the Titanic suggesting they change their route to avoid icebergs believed to be in the area?

    What about letting John Lennon know to stay away from New York in December 1980?

    Out of those three proposals which one do you favour?
    Am still mulling over these and others; this is serious stuff, not to be entered into lightly.
    Come on Often,
    you can't be neutral on your moving thread
    (or did I mean to say you can't be neutral on a moving train)
    either way
    just tell the thread your change
    But I am getting something out of this all-encompassing trip. And I don't want to redigest past regrets. So I'll wait a bit longer.
    my small self... like a book amongst the many on a shelf
  • PJfanwillneverleave1PJfanwillneverleave1 Posts: 12,885
    oftenreading said:

    PJfanwillneverleave1 said:

    oftenreading said:

    PJfanwillneverleave1 said:

    oftenreading said:

    I still haven't decided what my one change would be even though I posted the question.

    What about abducting the young Adolf Hitler?

    What about a telegram to the Titanic suggesting they change their route to avoid icebergs believed to be in the area?

    What about letting John Lennon know to stay away from New York in December 1980?

    Out of those three proposals which one do you favour?
    Am still mulling over these and others; this is serious stuff, not to be entered into lightly.
    Come on Often,
    you can't be neutral on your moving thread
    (or did I mean to say you can't be neutral on a moving train)
    either way
    just tell the thread your change
    But I am getting something out of this all-encompassing trip. And I don't want to redigest past regrets. So I'll wait a bit longer.
    Your thread requires an answer.
    Can you not do the same?
  • oftenreadingoftenreading Posts: 12,844
    Yes.
    my small self... like a book amongst the many on a shelf
  • whispering handswhispering hands Posts: 13,527
    oftenreading said:

    PJfanwillneverleave1 said:

    oftenreading said:

    PJfanwillneverleave1 said:

    oftenreading said:

    I still haven't decided what my one change would be even though I posted the question.

    What about abducting the young Adolf Hitler?

    What about a telegram to the Titanic suggesting they change their route to avoid icebergs believed to be in the area?

    What about letting John Lennon know to stay away from New York in December 1980?

    Out of those three proposals which one do you favour?
    Am still mulling over these and others; this is serious stuff, not to be entered into lightly.
    Come on Often,
    you can't be neutral on your moving thread
    (or did I mean to say you can't be neutral on a moving train)
    either way
    just tell the thread your change
    But I am getting something out of this all-encompassing trip. And I don't want to redigest past regrets. So I'll wait a bit longer.
    Lol love what you did there!
  • RKCNDYRKCNDY Posts: 31,013
    I would have changed the way segregation started...however it did, it shouldn't have started.
    The joy of life comes from our encounters with new experiences, and hence there is no greater joy than to have an endlessly changing horizon, for each day to have a new and different sun.

    - Christopher McCandless
  • ldent42ldent42 Posts: 7,859
    I don't know enough about history to be coming up with specific actions. You already know I'm in the same page as Katwoman. I also really liked 23scidoo's answer to save the library at Alexandria.
    NYC 06/24/08-Auckland 11/27/09-Chch 11/29/09-Newark 05/18/10-Atlanta 09/22/12-Chicago 07/19/13-Brooklyn 10/18/13 & 10/19/13-Hartford 10/25/13-Baltimore 10/27/13-Auckland 1/17/14-GC 1/19/14-Melbourne 1/24/14-Sydney 1/26/14-Amsterdam 6/16/14 & 6/17/14-Milan 6/20/14-Berlin 6/26/14-Leeds 7/8/14-Milton Keynes 7/11/14-St. Louis 10/3/14-NYC 9/26/15
    LIVEFOOTSTEPS.ORG/USER/?USR=435
  • whispering handswhispering hands Posts: 13,527
    Another thing I would have changed is the way families are valued. There are fewer and fewer women at home with their children, due to work
    Or other reasons.. Those kids are the ones who suffer not having a role model. I would keep it the way it was supposed to be. ( I know that sounds horrible.. But I got to personally experience the difference.. And it was MASSIVE! Mother's should be at home raising their kids, not their income bracket). And yes I realize it is out of necessity that this happens these days.. But family is the core of the nation.. And our core has fallen away.. Our children suffer...
  • Amongst the AniAmongst the Ani Posts: 7,790
    whispering hands said:

    Another thing I would have changed is the way families are valued. There are fewer and fewer women at home with their children, due to work
    Or other reasons.. Those kids are the ones who suffer not having a role model. I would keep it the way it was supposed to be. ( I know that sounds horrible.. But I got to personally experience the difference.. And it was MASSIVE! Mother's should be at home raising their kids, not their income bracket). And yes I realize it is out of necessity that this happens these days.. But family is the core of the nation.. And our core has fallen away.. Our children suffer...

    I will raise you the value of a 2 parent home is lacking. Each parent has a role. Mothers tend to protect and keep kids close while Fathers are the ones who let the kids venture further away and take risks. Both sides are needed in this way and a million other ways.

    Tom Brady & Donald Trump, BFF's
    Fuckus rules all
    Rob
    Seattle
  • whispering handswhispering hands Posts: 13,527
    cdysinge said:

    whispering hands said:

    Another thing I would have changed is the way families are valued. There are fewer and fewer women at home with their children, due to work
    Or other reasons.. Those kids are the ones who suffer not having a role model. I would keep it the way it was supposed to be. ( I know that sounds horrible.. But I got to personally experience the difference.. And it was MASSIVE! Mother's should be at home raising their kids, not their income bracket). And yes I realize it is out of necessity that this happens these days.. But family is the core of the nation.. And our core has fallen away.. Our children suffer...

    I will raise you the value of a 2 parent home is lacking. Each parent has a role. Mothers tend to protect and keep kids close while Fathers are the ones who let the kids venture further away and take risks. Both sides are needed in this way and a million other ways.

    I agree 100%!
  • oftenreadingoftenreading Posts: 12,844
    Another possibility came to mind....

    "Duck, Archduke Ferdinand.... duck!"
    my small self... like a book amongst the many on a shelf
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