Brainstorm: Taking over the world

[Preon1]

I was asked an interesting/geeky/hypothetical question earlier this week that I've been pondering for the last few days:

You find yourself in posession of an item that has the capability of transporting a person to any point in the world at any point in history.  The catch is that it will only work once, it will only transport one human being with no equipment, and you must use it in the next 10 years.  Is it possible to use this device to take over the world?

The more I think about it, the more I think no...  taking over the world is tough.

[JB73]

no

but i would care about that crazy stuff, i would write on my body the winner of every superbowl / world series, AND which stocks to buy.

then go back to 1940

[Furball]

going back to 1946 and buying up the surplus warbirds would be kinda nice..

[JB73]

Originally posted by Furball
going back to 1946 and buying up the surplus warbirds would be kinda nice..

but you can't take anything with you...

from 40-46 i'd be earning money for after the war

...Preon1... you never mentioned, would you keep all knowledge?

[Arlo]

1: You got arrested for being nekkid in public.

2: The judge recommended the patriotic choice of volunteering for service in the infantry to get the discipline so lacking in your life over the choice of incarceration with Bubba Jenkins for the next six months.

3: When your unit was being loaded onto the landing craft for D-Day you punched your Lieutenant in the face ... and instead of his having you arrested and detained he made you stand in the front.

[Arlo]

If you're gonna be nekkid ... may as well transport yourself to Woodstock. Baybay!

Yeah .... it's muddy and they're passing some bad acid .... but there's naked, high, easy hippychicks all over, man.

[NUTTZ]

I would stick Bill Gates In HiTech's pocket and send them back 10 years!!! I'd be FILTHY RICH!!!!!!!!!!!!

( Insert evil MUUUUUUUHAHAHAA here)

NUTTZ

Originally posted by Preon1
I was asked an interesting/geeky/hypothetical question earlier this week that I've been pondering for the last few days:

You find yourself in posession of an item that has the capability of transporting a person to any point in the world at any point in history.  The catch is that it will only work once, it will only transport one human being with no equipment, and you must use it in the next 10 years.  Is it possible to use this device to take over the world?

The more I think about it, the more I think no...  taking over the world is tough.

[Preon1]

Originally posted by JB73
...Preon1... you never mentioned, would you keep all knowledge?

Yes, you keep all your knowledge.  I see three strategies:

-Go back to ancient/feudal times so that your increased knowledge gives an extreme advantage over everyone else in the world.

-Go back to a point in modern history where you can change a single event and take advantage of it

-Send somebody else back to make a number of choice investments so that you can spend the rest of the modern era taking over the world.

[Arlo]

That third option is really iffy there, bud.

WHAT AM I SAYIN'?! lol

[Preon1]

They're all iffy, which is what makes it such a cool question.  A real exercise in military, social, and economic history.  They all sound decent, but when you get into the details, you realize how complicated the problem is.

Strategy 1:  I'm torn on location.  You need a culture that's has the capacity to take over the world (look at the ones that nearly did), but also one where a barrage of magical new ideas would be readily accepted.  I'm thinking ancient Persia would be a great choice...  but that's a tough call.

Strategy 2:  My first thought is to find my way into Hitler's place and correct all the mistakes he made.  Other possibilities include Napoleon or Stalin.  In any case, there's not a lot of personal research you could do to adequately prepare for such an undertaking.  How does one person, even with today's knowledge of the past, usurp one of the greatest empire builders of recent history?

Strategy 3:  Yep, it's a stretch.  What could somebody possibly bequeath via will or otherwise that could be wielded in such a way that I could take over the world?  I can't think of a single thing, but it at least strikes me as a possibility.

[BlckMgk]

Go back to adam and eve, knock out adam, get it on with eve.. you are now the proud father of the entire world..

Case Solved
-BM

[OIO]

Heh thats easy.

In 10 years you can learn how to build firearms similar to those used in the wild west (simple to make even with very primitive metallurgy knowledge), you can learn basic medicine, chemistry and learn martial arts (sword/spear/bow/unarmed).

Then send yourself back to the very early bronze age,  find a big tribe (200 peeps), take over them as leader, begin conquering tribes with your advanced stuff


in less than 20 years you will pretty much own the planet.

Just dont give your back to brutus.

[Flyboy]

i was wondering how WW2 would end if nazi germany wasnt nazi but fascist, meaning- without all the racism crap. just imagine what would happen if the germans where to treat jews right... einstein and a few thousand jews would be fighting for the "fatherland"

i bet on the axis, germany would obtein the A bomb. and then, who knows.

[Arlo]

Two problems with such assumptions.

1: In ten years you can also develop a disease that requires modern medicine to treat. Sure ... you can do your best to stay healthy .... have those check-ups ... and what-not. But if you're already in your 30s the odds are on the rise. Of course ... that's life anyway and it's a crapshoot so may as well carry on with the plan.

But ....

2: On the flip side .... no matter what type or how much advanced knowledge you carry back with you, if you don't have the skill or personality it takes to politically manipulate, inspire devotion or, failing that, successfully select and control an individual or group from the shadows - even without the advantages of having a gun built yet, then the primitive methods used to kill people back then will be just as effective against you.

Then there's the third aspect of this exercise.

Time travels one way.

[JB73]

see with my plan, i dont want to take over the world...

i just want to be Biff Tannen