If the world was populated by clones of you...

[Back]

You can blame GSLeloo for this. :)

Her topic of a perfect society remined me of this question I posed to a few people, with interesting answers.

Say the world was filled with clones of you. What would that world be like? Would there be crime? Would there be art?

In pondering this for myself, I decided that if there were more of me, all my traits would possibly magnify in certain individuals. For example, I love music, food, good clothes, nice furniture, art and so on. I would imagine that there would be some clones of me who would focus on those things, so we could all enjoy them. By focus, I mean, would spend time creating. I myself am not a carpenter.

As for the gender thing, I think we all have both masculine and feminine qualities, so, for the sake of this argument, lets pretend that there will be clones of the other gender.

Would there be war? Would there be poverty? Would you have movies? Would you have violins?

I have a pretty good answer about all this. Just curious what you all think.

[Edited for clarification.]

[Edited on 9-14-2003 by Backlash]

[GSLeloo]

If the world was full of clones of me...

There'd be no war at all or any republicans. Slavery would never have existed and neither would racism. There would be no organized religion, simply a respect for all things living. The only time there would be fights would be for one week of every month.

There would be no crime or drugs or alcohol... every house would be full of water bottles (dasani) and diet pepsi. What else... There'd be no pizza. And no government bullying others or telling you what to think. That's all I can think of right now.

Oh! Every house would have a huge library and lots of paper.. so that you can read anything or write when the mood comes to you.

[GSLeloo]

And everyone would have a golden retriever to play with.

[DCSL]

If there were clones of me... my god. I'd have to kill them all. I really have a hard time getting along with people very like me for long stretches of time. Acquaintance = good, long time friendship/time spent = bad.

My mother says it's because my personality is too dominant to be comfortable around other dominant personalities for long amounts of time. I'm also very territorial.

It just wouldn't work out.

[CrystalTears]

Oh my God there would me's all over the place lounging on a couch watching a movie networked with each other on their laptop, munching on kettlecorn. What a paradise! :D

[Bestatte]

The word "war" would not be in anyone's vocabulary; the concept wouldn't even exist. Arguements would be obliterated and replaced by debates. There would be movie theatres, but they'd all be clean, with little tables and very wide aisles and rows so people can eat cheesy-fries and drink soda and have a place to put their stuff while they watch the movie.

Government would exist only to make sure we don't all decide we want to be the buyers, with no one being the sellers. Capitalism would be the word of the day, and minimum wage would reflect minimum need. Taxes would be a base percentage off everyone's income, no deductions, no write-offs. Anyone physically and mentally capable of work, would work. Anyone incapable of work would be cared for by people who actually give a shit.

The elderly would be honored and appreciated. Abortion would be legal, but generally unneccessary because rape would not exist, and people would not want to have sex until they were mature enough to handle it. Masturbation would no longer be one of those things people giggle about with their friends. Neither would nudity or various body-shapes.

Skinny would be considered unhealthy, and roundness would be the accepted beauty standard. Obesity would still be unhealthy. Health clubs would go out of business because people would get out more and breathe healthier air, particularly because automobiles would be used for long-distance travel and everyone would ride bicycles or walk everywhere else.

Two-hour siestas after lunch would be mandatory. Christmas would no longer be an automatic paid day off, because religion would be a personal thing and no longer a public commercial thing. Every 5 city blocks would have one place of sanctuary where people who believe in "something" but aren't interested in a specific religion are welcome to sit and reflect or pray quietly in a safe haven.

Gauze clothing would be fashionable again. Tall people would yield to short people in movie theatres and concerts.

I could go on, but I'm starting to bore myself.

[AnticorRifling]

It would be boring as hell. A life without hardship or struggle is pointless to me. I like to earn things. If everyone was like me then we would all have the same ideas and goals, boring. I like the fact that people don't see the same things I see, I like the fact that people come up with 100 solutions to 1 real world problem.

If the world was populated by a bunch of me's then it would, however, have a gym on every corner, a bar next to it and a good steak and chocolate place across the street :cool:

[Back]

What I realized after pondering this for a while was that any trait you might have could be magnified by one of your clones. So, I would have to say, with a world full of clones of me, it would really be a lot like our world today.

Its an exercise in understanding yourself. An example. I've shopplifted gum when I was a kid, and I've definately considered doing it with other things but avoided the consequences of doing so. If there were 6 billion clones of me, I have to think some percentage would act on that urge. And it follows... any little thing I am capable of could very well be carried out by alternates of myself.

Its an existentialist exercise to help you understand more about who you are.

[Solkern]

For one thing there'd be no sex, i cant see myself fucking myself

[peam]

The Do-Do bird would still be alive, and it'd be the most sexy place ever.

[Tendarian]

There would be a one world gov't so there would be no wars and whenever a president was elected id think what a handsome wise man he was.

I agree with Anticor though that it would be a boring life with all of me agreeing with the other me's all the time.

[Back]

I agree with Anticor though that it would be a boring life with all of me agreeing with the other me's all the time.

But thats the thing... do you always agree with yourself? Don't you ever have internal conflicts, or changes of opinion? Evil thoughts along with all the good ones? Thats why I feel that a world full of clones of anyone would be very close to this world.

[Tendarian]

I do have inner conflict but i assume my other clone would come to the same conclusions as i do and eventually would agree not?

[Back]

I asked my roomate this question, and this guy, believe me, is dumb as a rock. But without me hinting him on, he said all the clones would be different versions of you. What he said made me realize that although the clones would have the exact same genetic make-up, they would evolve different consciousnesses due to enviroment. Me growing up Texas, I would imagine, would be much different than me growing up in Alaska.

Certainly the majority would agree, but I know for myself, sometimes I like to buck the trend, so there would be clones of me who would go against my grain.

chuckle. This is so absurd.

[Souzy]

I would have to kill myself if there was billions of me running around.

[Scott]

..... The world would be a better place.

[Tendarian]

I think its funner to think about actual clones who are just like you but...

If the clones were different versions of what i could have become then it would be rather annoying. Yanno that thing you hate about yourself (whatever it is)? A good portion of the population would probably be this way. Of course the good things about yourself would shine through in some too so i guess the good and bad would make it bearable.

I dont think the world of my clones would be like todays world though. I cant see murder or rape ever happening so that would be a positive. Of course there would still be theft but thats not the end of the world.

Over all i think i would eventually go insane seeing the very best i could have been and the very worst.

[GS4Gurl]

I just woke up from a nightmare thanks to this thread.

Warclaidhm was being cloned!

Aaaaargh!

[Back]

Tendarain made me remember that movie "Being John Malkovitch." Hilarious.

[Tendarian]

That'll be $7.50 please (or whatever movies cost there) I accept paypal

[Betheny]

There'd be lots of Gemstone and lots of spaghetti and lots of fistfights, because I hate anyone that's near as smartassed and cocky as I am. I'd have to beat the crap out of myself.