Super Powers or Death

[EVILNess]

So, let's say there was a procedure that could guarantee you super powers, but it will also guarantee you get potentially fatal cancer (Something like 40% fatality rate).

Would you take the risk for that kind of power?

[Viridis]

Hm. This sounds something like the plot of The 4400. Certainly an interesting question.

[Nikose Tyris]

I'm pretty sure everyone who already has a fatal disease says yes.

I'll wait and volunteer when I'm, like, 50.

[Karrrrrrrrrrrresche]

Since 'super powers' is plural, I'd say yes. But only if the deal is capable of giving somebody the power to cure cancer.

[Pip Boy]

Do you get to pick what superpowers you get?

[bluestarultor]

A 40% mortality rate on a cancer is pretty much where the doctor tells you to make your plans. Really, just not worth it no matter how you cut it, between the cancer treatment draining you and making you pretty much useless for superheroing and the fact that your options amount to going into remission and living with a ticking time bomb inside you every time you're "cured" or just giving up and trying to die with dignity, you'd have to be crazy to take the offer.

[Pip Boy]

Yes, but what if your superpower was IMMORTALTIY?

[The Artist Formerly Known as Hawk]

Do you get to pick what superpowers you get?

This. If I could definately get either telekinesis, teleportation or time manipulation, then yes.

If I could get all 3, well...

[bluestarultor]

Yes, but what if your superpower was IMMORTALTIY?

Then you get to grow into a weak, miserable cancer-blob whose life is constant pain for the rest of eternity with no relief, ever, not even when the sun explodes and you're left as the only living being, floating around the universe, unable to die of starvation, or hunger, or thirst, or cold, or space radiation, or lack of oxygen, reflecting on what normal life was like for the rest of eternity until you inevitably lose your mind.

Immortality sucks enough without complicating matters.

[Shyria Dracnoir]

Can I have the cake instead?

[Karrrrrrrrrrrresche]

Can I have the cake instead?

Nope, we're outta cake. We only made a few bits and we didn't expect such a rush.

[Jagos]

Is there pie instead?

[Fifthfiend]

I think there are definitely unknowns in this hypothetical which bear heavily on any answer.

HOWEVER, answering in the intended spirit of the question, which is to say that my powers do not have any chance of circumventing said cancer... I would say no, superpowers are pretty excellent, but not worth cancer with a 40% chance of death.

I mean I've known a couple of people who have had cancer they SURVIVED and even that was a basically hellish, debilitating, harrowing experience for those people, there are very few superpowers that I think would warrant subjecting myself and my loved ones to that.

[Mr.Bookworm]

Hinges on two things:

Is this cancer right now, and we only get to enjoy the superpowers if we survive? Or is this cancer thirty or forty years down the line, like the treatment jammed a few gallons of tobacco down our throats? If it's the former, probably not. If it's the latter, yes, because, y'know, cancer anyway maybe, and because we'll have more effective cancer treatments by then. Not to mention that thirty years with superpowers is probably better then 60 without.

Two, do we get to pick the superpower? If I get to be Dazzle, fuck no. If I get to be Superman, then hell yes.

[The Sevenshot Kid]

I'm down for cancer in return for superpowers. Full stop. Just not something lame like super-weaving.

[Loyal]

Can I have the cake instead?That's what I was thinking when I first read the topic title.

[CelesJessa]

I'd say no. Telekinesis/flying/spider senses/whatever aren't really required to live a normal, productive, happy life. On the flip side, having a life threatening disease or being, you know, dead, definitely puts a wrench in that.

Plus what Fifth said. Cancer is terrible enough when someone survives, but when they die from it... it's a terrible way to go.

[Osterbaum]

If I get to be Superman, then hell yes.
Superman is boring, isn't he?

Plus what Fifth said. Cancer is terrible enough when someone survives, but when they die from it... it's a terrible way to go.
But with superpowers you could punch cancer in the face. I know I would.

[TDK]

"Awesome-Man, you've given so much toward cancer research! What motivated this amazing, completely unselfish deed?"

"...Just a desire to better the world. >_>"


That said, I would like more clarification vis-a-vis the exact terms of the question before I make a decision.

[Mr.Bookworm]

Superman is boring, isn't he?

I will let you know when I am up in space punching planets and being awesome.

[Osterbaum]

Meh, I've always felt Superman was too overpowered to actually be interesting. Personally I'd like my power(s) to be a bit more subtle. Like invisibility, telepathy and/or telekinesis.

[Mr.Bookworm]

Meh, I've always felt Superman was too overpowered to actually be interesting. Personally I'd like my power(s) to be a bit more subtle. Like invisibility, telepathy and/or telekinesis.

Well, yes, if we're writing/reading a comic book, I do like my superpowers less overwhelming, unless it's the whole point, like in Watchmen.

But if this is real life, especially if other jackasses are getting superpowers, then hell yes I want to be a physical god.

[POS Industries]

So... You're asking me if I'd like to potentially become Deadpool?

Because, yes, I would agree to that.

[synkr0nized]

I would prefer not to play the odds against 40% chance of death via cancer. Dealing with that is a pretty encompassing experience and not worth some additional powers that I may or may not even be able to make use of if my condition worsens.

I am not in need of cramming my days with as much ridiculousness as possible before I burn out; living a "normal" life without super powers but for probably many, many more years is preferable.

[Amake]

Didn't Empowered have this plot?

Well, I'm going with yes, since new superpowers might be interesting, and if/when I die from the cancer I'll just reincarnate anyway.

And I don't think having superpowers is undemocratic, to go back to the philosophical angle of the last superhero thread. It doesn't automatically mean you're better than or apart from the rest of humanity. Look at Superman, when he's written by a good writer. *cough* Grant Morrison. Look how he works with the people, not for them or instead of them, and inspires people to be their best. With superpowers, you're still a person, no more unique than anyone else, no less capable of infinite good or infinite evil.

To be human, I think, is to want to make something better. Even if you do manage to make yourself into something beyond your wildest dreams of what a human could be, you're probably still going to think there are things that could be better, and so you're still human. This is true even for Miracleman and family after they succeed in creating a Golden Age on Earth, which some might argue is a nightmare vision of the worst that could happen when a bunch of superhumans take the concept of superhumanism to the absolute most godlike extremes, but which I take as superhumans acting just like humans; compassionate and educated humans at that, trying to make everyone's dreams come true.

Wow that's a strange thing to talk about before breakfast.

[Bifrost]

We still haven't had the all important question of "when the hell to I get the cancers" answered. Because I don't want to keel over before I hit thirty just for some superpowers; that's reckless even for me.

Also, I want my superpower to be PUNCHING CANCER IN THE GENITALSI mean, curing cancer. Because that'd be the best superpower. BRB, SAVING THE ENTIRE CANCER WARD FROM A SLOW, HORRIBLE DEATH

[Fifthfiend]

I guess on consideration, I would probably HAVE to take the superpowers, if they were such that having them would allow me to do SO MUCH GOOD for humanity regardless of whether I succumb to cancer that I couldn't justify not making the sacrifice.

Like, say the superpower is... curing cancer in any sick person you touch. I think you'd pretty much have to take it then! Or even if it were just like... whatever amount of superpowers would make it so that nobody could stop you from punching Antonin Scalia in the face like he deserves. I think it's very possible that would do enough good for collective humanity that cancer is just a risk I'd have to take.

[Overcast]

Also felt the draw of Izzard when I read the title. But yeah I don't gamble my life on anything, immortality is still my ultimate goal and while powers may aid, Cancer doesn't.

[TDK]

I guess on consideration, I would probably HAVE to take the superpowers, if they were such that having them would allow me to do SO MUCH GOOD for humanity regardless of whether I succumb to cancer that I couldn't justify not making the sacrifice.

Like, say the superpower is... curing cancer in any sick person you touch. I think you'd pretty much have to take it then! Or even if it were just like... whatever amount of superpowers would make it so that nobody could stop you from punching Antonin Scalia in the face like he deserves. I think it's very possible that would do enough good for collective humanity that cancer is just a risk I'd have to take.

I have to agree. We all gotta die some day anyway, and if technology grants us immortality, it'll damn well be after we cure cancer. So I'd take the chance to live forever in history as the guy who cured All The Cancer.

Of course, living forever AFTER doing so would be better.

"That'll be $34.93, sir."
"You're charging ME money? I cured ALL THE CANCER."
"...That was over two thousand years ago, s-"
"ALL OF IT, I SAY"

[Token]

I'd take the powers without a second thought.

[Overcast]

I'd take the powers without a second thought.

I'd pay to see that.

[Token]

I'd pay to see that.

I would ruin so many lives you have no idea.

[Locke cole]

This thread needs to be titled "Super Powers and Death"

[russianreversal]

Yeah, there's no question that I'd take it.

I suppose the only questions I have are what type of cancer (currently: any?) and how long to live if I'm going to die (currently: week-ish?)?

I mean, hell, even if I only get 4 days out of that I'd do far more with them than I would with the rest of my life.

Also, clearly it's not going to just let you choose. What kind of reckless gamble would it be? Even if it could, it still wouldn't have my preferred power: The Power of Montage.

[Overcast]

I would ruin so many lives you have no idea.

Why do you think I'd pay? I would revel in that misery.

[BitVyper]

There are basically two kinds of super powers I will accept in this scenario (barring cancer/death-circumventing ones): Ones that will allow me to accomplish something undeniably worth dying for, and ones that will make what time I have - be it a minute, or a decade - worth risking that another sixty years as a normie might have been the superior option.

The former is hard to give an example for, but in the latter case, something like.... the ability to travel anywhere in as much or as little time as I desire along with the power to survive comfortably under any environmental conditions (cancer notwithstanding, obviously) - like say the centre of a supernova - if you offered me that, and told me that I would explode ten minutes after getting it, I would have to seriously consider it at the very least. So in this scenario I'd say yes without a second thought. If there were something that would give me God's perspective on Creation, even for a few seconds, I'd probably take that too. So you know, stuff like that.

Oh, I'd also take it if it were like "space dragons are going to enslave humanity in twenty four hours and only someone with THESE POWERS can stop them." I HOPE I would, anyway.

[Azisien]

Definitely take the super powers. I'm already basically a cancer upon this Earth anyways. Maybe with teleportation or flight or regeneration or whatever I could actually do some good. This experiment better not troll me and give me fingernail growing powers.

[BitVyper]

Hell, I might do it just for the power to fly. Dunno. That would certainly be the thing to offer me to make it a seriously difficult choice.