Super Powers

[MissJean]

This afternoon I was futtzing around in the basement with my bike, longing for spring, listening to "This American Life" on NPR, and they posed the following question.

Given the choice, which Super Power would you choose: The ability to fly...or...the ability to become invisible....and why.

Other than now having your choosen Super Power, your abilities would stay the same. You would be the only person to have this power.

[splat]

I chose invisibility, Because I already Know how to fly , its landing that a bitch !

On an episode of X-Files a genie in a bottle went around granting wishes that all seamed to have terrible unforeseen consequences. Like mixing Aladdin with The Monkey Paw. In one case the victim asked for the invisibility power. It worked great till he crossed the street and was killed by a car that didn't see him. With that in mind i would chose flying.

The 3 wish scenario is a fantasy i think we all have explored. Barring any "Monkey Paw" reality problems here are my choices.

1. To travel freely to any point in time
2. To shapeshift
3. To speak and understand all forms of communication

Flying is kewl too, just a little short sighted if you could actually be a bird instead.

[Sky Pilot]

i choose invisibility. just put on the Ring, duh.

now shapeshifting, there's a power not everyone would've thought of....

wonder twin powers, ACTIVATE!

actually, maybe justbill isn't fantasizing...there are many posts about how he is one with his bike....

[Mr_Cheeze]

I often have flying dreams and the sensation is wonderful. Yet, the pervert in me beckons for invisibility. I mean, what other reason could there possibly be to be invisible than to hang out in the women's lockeroom at the US Cheerleading competition. Ok, I guess one could also fight crime, but that is so passe.

Anyway, I suspect that the invisibility thing would get boring much faster. Flying, on the other hand... being able to take the shortest route anywhere, feeling the wind in your face... it is potentially the better of the two powers, no doubt.

[MissJean]

Informal poll at work: more women would choose invisiblity, and most men would choose flying. Interesting. I would have thought just the opposite.

[Big Game]

Let's assume that if you could become invisible, the rest of the laws of physics applied. It that was true, you would be unable to see.

Allow me to explain. The rods and cones in your eye are opaque. They absorb the light and then transmit what is absorbed through your optic nerves to your brain. If your rods and tudes were clear (because you were invisible) the nerves would be unable to transmit any info to your noggin because the light would pass right through.

I really have no idea what I'm talking about. But it is something I always wondered about. Can anyone who actually knows something dismiss or lend credance to this theory?

[AGENTGRAPE]

rods and cones that reminds me of the seinfeld episode where the kenny rogers chicken sign messes up kramers vision. also i would pick the gift of flight and fly south for the winter rididng

[Mr_Cheeze]

Well, since the laws of physics pretty much assures that one can neither be invisible nor have the ability to fly as our human form is currently constituted, you will just have to suspend disbelief for a moment, BG, and assume that yes, you can see while invisible. If it helps, think of it in terms of a Star Trek-esque type science. Your body is merely phase shifted into a quasi-dimension such that nobody except Commander Data can see you but you can see and hear everybody else. Or make believe that you somehow figured out how to leave your physical form as many shamans and believers in the Celestine Prophecy claim is possible and wander about as if in a state of limbo or in purgatory. Viola... instant virtual invisibility.

As for flying... well, I cannot conceive of a way that this could be possible outside of living in permanent dream stasis. But then again, if you could enter an out of body state, theoretically, one could both fly AND be invisible. Hmmm. Maybe I'll read the Celestine Prophecy books again after all.

[AGENTGRAPE]

i have an even better superpower i want. the ability to eat all my favorite foods and beers and get more fit and lose weight.as for flying i have mtn bikes.and for invisiblity being average i blend in like a chameleon.