From The Book of Questions by Gregory Stock.

Question #11: You are given the power to kill people simply by thinking of their deaths and twice repeating the word "good-bye." People would die a natural death and no one would suspect you. Are there any situations in which you would use this power?

I would definitely do it. I would target violent criminals (especially ones who were given strangely light sentences and are back on the street really fast), politicians who are purposefully trying to harm people (like the ones who don't want anyone to have an education, equal rights, clean water, or healthcare), and probably some of the really bad company owners (like the ones who make billions but make sure they never pay more than minimum wage, and never let anyone work full-time because they don't want to give them benefits, etc just to line their pockets). It would be extra nice if you could target people without knowing specifically who they are. For example, if someone did something really awful, like raping and killing a kid, and they got away with it and no one knew who they were. I would like to be able to sort of vaguely think of whoever it was and then have him die.

I agree with Moi, using it for mass murderers and serial killers, and as an alternative to physician-assisted suicide seems like the best option. I feel like the ability to die a peaceful death when you're suffering is a blessing.

I'd be worried about setting it off accidentally with such a simple process though Like if I need to cry for a performance, I think about sad things. So I feel like the intent to have them actually die through the thought would have to be part of it.

How would you all determine guilt or not, when you're deciding to kill villainous types?


I think I would be a bad person to trust such a power to.
As much as I would try really hard not to be tempted into using it, not to unilaterally make such a judgement call and end someone's life.... there would be situations when I would be very tempted to.

Also, I'd be really worried about what would happen if I were ever to truly lose my temper.... (I know I've only lost it twice in the last thirty years, but..... it does happen!)

Or if I had to have an operation and they gave me those drugs that make you so woozy and out of it -how could I ever trust that in such an altered frame of mind I wouldn't end up using it when I don't really mean to?

so as much as I would love to say "I wouldn't (ab)use this power!", I am glad I don't have that ability.

I'd probably be really good about it the first forty years or so, but if I lived long enough? Getting older and crankier and angrier? At some point, I would slip. At some point, I would use this power.
And it would get easier to use after the first time....

I would not want such a power.

I don't have any illusions that I could go my whole life without using it, if such a burden were granted me.

You are still leaving me with the question: How are you determining guilt, when you decide who to use these powers on? Are you just going to go through court cases and kill people who would otherwise just spend their life behind bars? Are you going to trust newspaper accounts and assume someone whose name is linked with awful crimes to be the one guilty of them? Are you going to go by street rumor to find the ganglords, etc?

I just spent half an hour typing up a response and got logged out!

When it comes to determining guilt, I would love to be able to focus on unsolved murders and to think, "I want to kill the person who killed ____," without needing to know specifically who they were. Then I would always get the right guy and always get a killer off the streets. Otherwise, I would focus on people who admitted their crimes or who were found guilty, especially if they got no punishment or a very small punishment as often happens with rich people, rape cases, and animal cruelty cases. I know I might sometimes kill someone who was found guilty but not actually guilty. But I think that is rare, and I think I would save so many people that I would be ok with it to be honest.

There's only two people I KNOW would make the world a better place if they were gone.
My problem would be proving that someone else did a crime worth dying for without a shadow of a doubt.

I would prefer to help people die who WANT to die. Like old and sick people..
There have been times when I hoped for euthanasia and it wasn't available to me. I feel like SOMEONE should offer this service. If its good enough for pets its good enough for humans.
Of course, I believe absolutely in an afterlife, so I would not feel bad about bringing these people peaceful deaths.