If You Had the Power to Change Three Things About the World, What Would They Be?

I’ve got a guest from out-of-country, so I haven’t got much time for posting today. Instead of throwing a link and a promise at you, I thought we might do some thinking on how to change the world. What if it were in your power to make three major changes to the world as it is? What would those changes be?

Image shows two calico cats sitting in chairs at a table, looking toward each other with rather the attitude of people who believe they are completely in charge. On the table is a board game with soldiers of various colors set up on a map. Caption says, "Our plan for world domination is complete."

They can be anything: changes to current conditions, changes to the way people interact, changes to events in history (and I don’t mind whether you want to change something ancient or modern). Just consider what three things you’d like to see changed, and perhaps speculate a bit on what difference those changes would make.

Think of it as something like a genie’s three wishes. And of course, we all get to change three things, so if someone’s already made one of the changes you want to see, you can ask for something else.

Let’s see what kind of world we could make if we could change it with a thought.

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If You Had the Power to Change Three Things About the World, What Would They Be?
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10 thoughts on “If You Had the Power to Change Three Things About the World, What Would They Be?

  1. 1

    I’m always scared of answering these questions because I’m afraid I’ll do it wrong. There’s always some bigger/better thing to say. But I will try:

    All people on the planet wake up today with the firm convicted belief that:
    1) Capitalism isn’t really working for most people and bootstraps are a lie.
    2) Anthropogenic climate change is real, and seriously must be dealt with immediately.
    3) Violence from a more powerful force against a less powerful one (ie violence of the state) is a deep evil that must be eradicated.

  2. 2

    Three things? (Ahh so many possibilities – but only three.)

    Okay, I’d change our energy sources from fossil fuels to renewable energy so no Global Overheating (“Warming” is too mild a word.) – or at least a real chance to prevent its worst consequences from destroying so much and causing so much needless misery.

    I’d change history so that Al Gore became the US President in 2000 not “Dubya” Bush – so almost certainly no Iraq and a much more progressive US leadership over the past nigh on twenty years, possibly no 9-11 and certainly no Iraq war.

    And since I’ve got a current currents and a historical shift I may as well go for a change in interaction which for which I’ll choose a serious species-wide cultural shift towards people being more thoughtful and kind and co-operative towards each other (That count as one thing or three? Meh.) – greater empathy and consideration being seen the key factor in determining how we all behave.

  3. 4

    1. Eliminate all internal combustion engines.
    2. No long-distance weapon, so swords are okay but bows are not. All combat is up close and personal.
    3. True one-world government. All offices are filled by lottery and change every four years. No repeats. No outside money. Etc.

    Boy, I could go on and on. But this’ll do for a start.

  4. 5

    If I could include magic:
    1) The witness chair in court rooms would make witnesses “tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth” either directly or indirectly
    2) The same but applied to the speaker’s podium in Congress and the Oval Office
    3) The same but applied to the desks of all the news reporters and talking heads
    4) The same but applied to houses of worship
    How many people in the media and politics would quit if they couldn’t lie?

  5. 6

    Three things I’d change?

    1 — I’d like to put a stop to abuse and bullying.
    2 — War. I’d rather like it if people would stop killing each other.
    3 — make ALL the things wheelchair-friendly!

  6. 8

    1 – Sodium would be good for the heart.
    2 – Grass would be rainbow-colored instead of mostly green.
    3 – Air pressure and gravity would be such that humans could fly with rudimentary home-made wings.

    Oh yeah. That no-war stuff and people being nice to each other would be nice as well. But I really want the rainbow-colored grass.

  7. 10

    I once read a book by a Jewish Buddhist, who was nervous about flying in airplanes. She developed a happiness meditation to get her through takeoffs and landings. She starts with her immediate family: May [husband] be happy. May [offspring 1] be happy. May [offspring 2] be happy… on through the rest of her extended family, and friends, and acquaintances, and everyone she can think of… and finally, May all people be happy. May all people be happy. May all people be happy.

    The happiness she was wishing for people was contentment, a way of engaging with life that on the whole produces more joy and appreciation than sorrow and despair. But part of that is also wishing that they have the basics of life, so that they can engage with the rest of it. And so I guess I have one big wish, which is that all people could somehow have the basics of life: food, shelter, support from others, and (political) peace. If you think about it, that’s a pretty tall order, with pretty far-ranging impacts.

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