What would you do, with the power the of Q?

[TheLobes]

In 'Hide and Q', Q gives Riker the power of the Q. I always found myself agreeing with Picard that he shouldnt use his power to change the lives of others or affect the natural course of humanity. However, I always found myself thinking that if I was Riker I would just head out to the stars, live forever, see amazing things etc, and be pretty happy with my new power. I suppose you could argue that you might eventually grow used to that power, and seeing humanity in some terrible scenario renege on your good intentions and speed to the rescue.

What would you do?

 

[Jochk]

probobly explore the galaxy and travel to amazing places, and women like riker

 

[USS Excelsior]

Make Star Trek real.

 

[TheLobes]

Make Star Trek real.

Awesome.

 

[sonak]

I've always found Hide and Q to be absurd for the plot point that you mention. I can't imagine someone basically giving up the power of a GOD just to prove a lesson to Q.

Also, the idea that Riker shouldn't use his powers to help is just ludicrous. What's the difference between people using natural talents to help or using a gift to help?


In fact, that's exactly what I'd do-use the powers to help people.

Not that I'd be utterly selfless-I'd also like to eat all the great tasting food I'd want without gaining a pound, and I'd like to be able to make myself as good-looking as I wanted to be.

 

[TheLobes]

Also, the idea that Riker shouldn't use his powers to help is just ludicrous. What's the difference between people using natural talents to help or using a gift to help?


In fact, that's exactly what I'd do-use the powers to help people.

Who says you know what 'help' is? Ive not seen that episode in while, but they really didnt look at the point, and its one worth considering. Both you and Riker and just humans, even if someone came along and gave you the power of the Q, it wouldnt make you all knowing, it would just make you extra powerful. Even if it did make you all knowing, you'd be lifted up to the status of a God among your own people, and yet you would still be a part of that people.

You might start just helping people a little bit, you could take away all the problems, but what would that accomplish in the long run? If you helped people to any great extent you would be robbing humanity of its chance for growth, and eventually we'd be nothing more than those losers from the pilot of Voyager. The guys who just sit around all day and have everything taken care of.

 

[Joshua Howard]

The entire lesson which the "Q" character and continuum tried to teach was the importance of physical rules to govern balance in the universe. The god-like ability to say "let there be X and there is X" is a power which should not exist. Even in the rules of fiction, such powers debase the suspension of disbelief. If you could snap your fingers and have absolutely anything, you'd snap your fingers, be the universe, and in that instant nolonger find value or purpose in anything.

We live our lives hoping to be loved, or hoping for a promotion, or for wealth, or for a legacy; but all of those dreams and aspirations are important because they are weighted down by our potential to fail. Q never felt satisfied because Q could not experience the human condition of limitations.

If I had the power of the Q, I would treat the universe like a computer game, manipulating things and letting my power run rampant to fight boredom. A great deal of havoc would ensue. Thankfully for the universe, I do not have such powers.

 

[Finn]

Make Star Trek real.

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Give Earth a second moon, a habitable one.
Bring back the Dodo
Time Travel

 

[Shazam!]

Everything

 

[The_Baroness]

Finally get round to all those odd jobs the missus has been nagging me about.

"Andy, cut the grass!"
*clicks fingers* "bosh. done." *goes back to Call of Duty.

 

[RAMA]

Remaster STNG!!!!!

 

[sonak]

Also, the idea that Riker shouldn't use his powers to help is just ludicrous. What's the difference between people using natural talents to help or using a gift to help?


In fact, that's exactly what I'd do-use the powers to help people.

Who says you know what 'help' is? Ive not seen that episode in while, but they really didnt look at the point, and its one worth considering. Both you and Riker and just humans, even if someone came along and gave you the power of the Q, it wouldnt make you all knowing, it would just make you extra powerful. Even if it did make you all knowing, you'd be lifted up to the status of a God among your own people, and yet you would still be a part of that people.

You might start just helping people a little bit, you could take away all the problems, but what would that accomplish in the long run? If you helped people to any great extent you would be robbing humanity of its chance for growth, and eventually we'd be nothing more than those losers from the pilot of Voyager. The guys who just sit around all day and have everything taken care of.

Oh great, this straw-man argument is dragged out again like it always is when the prime directive is brought up on this board.

"How do YOU know what "help" is? Who says you'd be helping at all? Maybe you'd do more harm than good!"



So.... you think charities and organizations like that should shut down? After all, maybe the folks they supposedly "help" would do better without the organization's help, right?


Of course you don't really think that. You're just using it as rhetoric to make what you think is a clever philosophical point.


I never said one should necessarily use great power to impose drastic cultural changes. "Help" is a very broad term, and it can come on a one-on-one basis or a larger structural basis such as through an organization or social program.

And I'd say helping people's "little problems" can be a pretty big deal in itself despite the way you patronizingly dismiss it.

But also yes the Q ARE shown to have advanced knowledge as well as great power.

 

[TheLobes]

I never said one should necessarily use great power to impose drastic cultural changes. "Help" is a very broad term, and it can come on a one-on-one basis or a larger structural basis such as through an organization or social program.

And I'd say helping people's "little problems" can be a pretty big deal in itself despite the way you patronizingly dismiss it.

What would you do to help?

 

[Satyrquaze]

Most of the things I would do should not be posted on a public forum.

 

[MikeS]

I'd get me a motherfucking bouffant like Wesley Crusher.

 

[drazzz52923849]

Make Star Trek real.

This.

 

[drazzz52923849]

True Q proved that there is rules for the continuum.

 

[sonak]

I never said one should necessarily use great power to impose drastic cultural changes. "Help" is a very broad term, and it can come on a one-on-one basis or a larger structural basis such as through an organization or social program.

And I'd say helping people's "little problems" can be a pretty big deal in itself despite the way you patronizingly dismiss it.

What would you do to help?

I don't know-rescue kittens from trees, save people from natural disasters, stop criminals who are holding up folks at gunpoint-all while being unnoticed.

You watch Smallville or know of it? Think the "red-blue blur" with a better nickname.

 

[TheLobes]

I don't know-rescue kittens from trees, save people from natural disasters, stop criminals who are holding up folks at gunpoint-all while being unnoticed.

You watch Smallville or know of it? Think the "red-blue blur" with a better nickname.

Oh ok, yeah sorry, I totally misunderstood. Ive not seen Smallville.

I do think that its different with charities though, because thats a lot of people coming together to do something, not one person with an inordinate amount of power who makes decisions totally by himself. Also, while its fair to say that the Q themselves have advanced knowledge, this obviously wasnt something that Riker had, because Q actually had to tell him he had the powers. He didnt just imbibe the entire knowledge of the Q, the point in the story was giving those powers to a human and seeing how they reacted.

 

[Jochk]

I'd get me a motherfucking bouffant like Wesley Crusher.

this too oh and make the borg more personable