Improbables

Fairygdmther · 11-01-2005, 04:50 PM

When I was a kid sci-fi was differentiated from fantasy by saying that sci-fantasy was a normal world where only one premise was changed to something improbable or impossible in our world. Let me give an example -

What would our lives be like if people could fly?

How would we live if we could also breathe underwater?

What would be different for us if we had tails?

What if we had another set of arms? Would one set be for strength and one for fine work, like writing, drawing, etc? Would we be able to walk on four appendages?

What would be different if there were three sexes, instead of two. What would the third one be like? Would they be asexual? bisexual? Would they be able to procreate?

Pick a topic or make up one like these and talk about what life would be like.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

I'm going to choose breathing underwater. People would have gills coming from the bottom side of their ribs in back, and larger chest cavities. Arms would have a webbed area connecting it to the body to help us to swim better, we might even have a dorsal fin for stabilizing us in water. Clothes would have to be different as well. Perhaps clothes might be optional, since coming in and out of water would make clothes a liability. Perhaps women would have pouches to carry their babies in while they swim. We would have more efficient underwater vehicles to carry us from place to place. Workplaces would be quite different - can't do paperwork underwater! Electrical appliances would be much different. Perhaps the underwater places would be like going back to nature for us now - quaint, rustic (or rusty), and without modern conveniences.

If clothing were to be optional, this would greatly change our social interactions. Would we still be mostly monogamous or would that kind of life lead us to shorter affairs. Would we live in communities or separate housing. How would it affect what we eat? Would we eat raw fish, or catch it and bring it up and cook it on land? Would we still farm, but farm underwater as well? Land ownership would be different as well, and that brings politics into it and especially country borders - would we fence underwater? Would we have pets and domesticated animals in the form or fish or other sea mammals?

Would this ability make things easier or harder for population growth and stability? What about communication - easier or harder? Would life be simpler or harder to live if we were to be amphibian?

Help me out here with my imaginary world... What do you think it would be like?

Lynsie

Manhunter71 · 11-01-2005, 05:05 PM

Okaayyy.......

Well. I thought Jazzie's posts were pretty weird, but I think you have come up tops with this one

My answer is going to be very short - I would love to have an extra pair of hands.
Do I really need to state the obvious reason for this?
One pair to play video games or eat food; and the other pair to, er........

Fairygdmther · 11-01-2005, 05:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Manhunter71

Okaayyy.......

Well. I thought Jazzie's posts were pretty weird, but I think you have come up tops with this one

My answer is going to be very short - I would love to have an extra pair of hands.
Do I really need to state the obvious reason for this?
One pair to play video games or eat food; and the other pair to, er........

To drive with, right? LOL

Manhunter71 · 11-01-2005, 05:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fairygdmther

To drive with, right? LOL

Well, obviously!!!!

What else could I have meant

seebaruk · 11-02-2005, 02:49 AM

Ahhh, and what if you had an extra set of hands and girls had 4 breasts....I know that's changing 2 things which is against the rules, but sod it...

Lucien21 · 11-02-2005, 04:03 AM

I have a great idea.

What would it be like if we all lived inside a virtual reality system and didn't know it.

There could be Agents who control the system and could change/bend reality to their own will making them nearly invulnerable.

Until one day a human learns the truth and gains the power to alter the "Reality" to make him super fast, super strong and can learn anything by uploading a programme. He would rise up and fight the agents in an futile attempt to free everyone from the hellhole nice lifestyle with all the mod cons to living on white porridge sludge, half naked in a cave with little electricity on a destroyed world Just because that is the real world.

I think this would make for a great movie so I better Patent the idea before someone steals it. (Only one movie of course anymore than that would just suck)

squarejawhero · 11-02-2005, 04:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by seebaruk

Ahhh, and what if you had an extra set of hands and girls had 4 breasts....I know that's changing 2 things which is against the rules, but sod it...

I like the way your mind works!

Lucien21 · 11-02-2005, 04:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by squarejawhero

I like the way your mind works!

It's not his mind that's doing the thinking.

He's delegating thought to a junior member.

seebaruk · 11-02-2005, 05:53 AM

Hey, there's nothing junior about it!

Lucien21 · 11-02-2005, 08:20 AM

3 sexes.

Hmm how would that work.

* One male, one female and the third sex. To reproduce the female plants egg in the third sex and the male then fertilises it and the 3rd sex carries baby to full term. Could bring up social interaction problems. Do they live as 3 or does the 3rd sex act as a baby factory and is farmed out to couples who want babies.

* 2 "Male" type and one female. The female egg requires 2 chemicals for fertilisation one each from each "male" sex. Whether this is required similtaniously or with a break in between would be up for debate.

* 2 "Female" sexes and one "Male". Not sure about this one. Maybe each "Female" can only produce either "male" or "female" offspring so depends on what you sex of baby you want who you do it with.

* Male, Female and an asexual 3rd sex. Where's the fun in that for no. 3.

I couldn't see a 3 part reproduction cycle working.

Another possibility to think about What about if Females Layed Eggs like birds?

*Melanie68* · 11-02-2005, 08:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lucien21

Another possibility to think about What about if Females Layed Eggs like birds?

If it worked anything like birds, that would mean we would have cloacas.

Ew.

Sage · 11-02-2005, 08:37 AM

Everyone having cloacas might drastically change the male/female dichotomy in society, though.
Unless of course men and women had drastically different plumage as well.
At least we'd save money on bathing suits.

ScottMate

Fairygdmther · 11-02-2005, 08:45 AM

Well, a third sex might care for the kids - they might be asexual, like drones or workers. Or maybe the third sex might be required for copulation to occur, or at least for fertilization. If necessary for just fertilization, then maybe there wouldn't be unwanted kids. Males and females could have sex but no kids unless the third sex was present. That might work. It would make for crowded beds though.

Lynsie

Jazhara7 · 11-02-2005, 01:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fairygdmther

Well, a third sex might care for the kids - they might be asexual, like drones or workers. Or maybe the third sex might be required for copulation to occur, or at least for fertilization. If necessary for just fertilization, then maybe there wouldn't be unwanted kids. Males and females could have sex but no kids unless the third sex was present. That might work. It would make for crowded beds though.

Lynsie

Or maybe it would be like with mosses...

I think it was one male, one female, and one that actually disperses the seeds to grow a new plant.

...that would be WEIRD!

Actually I think that would be a bit like what you described last, Lynsie.

-

11-01-2005, 04:50 PM	#1
Fairygdmther Magic Wand Waver Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Sarasota, Florida Posts: 3,142	Improbables When I was a kid sci-fi was differentiated from fantasy by saying that sci-fantasy was a normal world where only one premise was changed to something improbable or impossible in our world. Let me give an example - What would our lives be like if people could fly? How would we live if we could also breathe underwater? What would be different for us if we had tails? What if we had another set of arms? Would one set be for strength and one for fine work, like writing, drawing, etc? Would we be able to walk on four appendages? What would be different if there were three sexes, instead of two. What would the third one be like? Would they be asexual? bisexual? Would they be able to procreate? Pick a topic or make up one like these and talk about what life would be like. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ I'm going to choose breathing underwater. People would have gills coming from the bottom side of their ribs in back, and larger chest cavities. Arms would have a webbed area connecting it to the body to help us to swim better, we might even have a dorsal fin for stabilizing us in water. Clothes would have to be different as well. Perhaps clothes might be optional, since coming in and out of water would make clothes a liability. Perhaps women would have pouches to carry their babies in while they swim. We would have more efficient underwater vehicles to carry us from place to place. Workplaces would be quite different - can't do paperwork underwater! Electrical appliances would be much different. Perhaps the underwater places would be like going back to nature for us now - quaint, rustic (or rusty), and without modern conveniences. If clothing were to be optional, this would greatly change our social interactions. Would we still be mostly monogamous or would that kind of life lead us to shorter affairs. Would we live in communities or separate housing. How would it affect what we eat? Would we eat raw fish, or catch it and bring it up and cook it on land? Would we still farm, but farm underwater as well? Land ownership would be different as well, and that brings politics into it and especially country borders - would we fence underwater? Would we have pets and domesticated animals in the form or fish or other sea mammals? Would this ability make things easier or harder for population growth and stability? What about communication - easier or harder? Would life be simpler or harder to live if we were to be amphibian? Help me out here with my imaginary world... What do you think it would be like? Lynsie Share Share this post on Twitter __________________ Nothing can bring you peace but yourself. Ralph Waldo Emerson

11-01-2005, 05:05 PM	#2
Manhunter71 Pink fluffy Xmas bunny Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Lancaster, England Posts: 1,591	Okaayyy....... Well. I thought Jazzie's posts were pretty weird, but I think you have come up tops with this one My answer is going to be very short - I would love to have an extra pair of hands. Do I really need to state the obvious reason for this? One pair to play video games or eat food; and the other pair to, er........ Share Share this post on Twitter __________________ We've got to have rules and obey them. After all, we're not savages. We're English! And the English are best at everything!

11-02-2005, 02:49 AM	#5
seebaruk Chris Barraclough Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: London Posts: 2,437	Ahhh, and what if you had an extra set of hands and girls had 4 breasts....I know that's changing 2 things which is against the rules, but sod it... Share Share this post on Twitter

11-02-2005, 04:03 AM	#6
Lucien21 Psychonaut Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Edinburgh Posts: 5,114	I have a great idea. What would it be like if we all lived inside a virtual reality system and didn't know it. There could be Agents who control the system and could change/bend reality to their own will making them nearly invulnerable. Until one day a human learns the truth and gains the power to alter the "Reality" to make him super fast, super strong and can learn anything by uploading a programme. He would rise up and fight the agents in an futile attempt to free everyone from the hellhole nice lifestyle with all the mod cons to living on white porridge sludge, half naked in a cave with little electricity on a destroyed world Just because that is the real world. I think this would make for a great movie so I better Patent the idea before someone steals it. (Only one movie of course anymore than that would just suck) Share Share this post on Twitter __________________ I'm not insane, my mother had me tested!

11-02-2005, 05:53 AM	#9
seebaruk Chris Barraclough Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: London Posts: 2,437	Hey, there's nothing junior about it! Share Share this post on Twitter

11-02-2005, 08:20 AM	#10
Lucien21 Psychonaut Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Edinburgh Posts: 5,114	3 sexes. Hmm how would that work. * One male, one female and the third sex. To reproduce the female plants egg in the third sex and the male then fertilises it and the 3rd sex carries baby to full term. Could bring up social interaction problems. Do they live as 3 or does the 3rd sex act as a baby factory and is farmed out to couples who want babies. * 2 "Male" type and one female. The female egg requires 2 chemicals for fertilisation one each from each "male" sex. Whether this is required similtaniously or with a break in between would be up for debate. * 2 "Female" sexes and one "Male". Not sure about this one. Maybe each "Female" can only produce either "male" or "female" offspring so depends on what you sex of baby you want who you do it with. * Male, Female and an asexual 3rd sex. Where's the fun in that for no. 3. I couldn't see a 3 part reproduction cycle working. Another possibility to think about What about if Females Layed Eggs like birds? Share Share this post on Twitter __________________ I'm not insane, my mother had me tested!

11-02-2005, 08:37 AM	#12
Sage Bad Influence Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Birmingham, Alabama USA Posts: 5,547	Everyone having cloacas might drastically change the male/female dichotomy in society, though. Unless of course men and women had drastically different plumage as well. At least we'd save money on bathing suits. ScottMate Share Share this post on Twitter __________________ Ignorance is bliss, denial is divine, and willful ignorance is a religious experience. Share the love. <3

11-02-2005, 08:45 AM	#13
Fairygdmther Magic Wand Waver Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Sarasota, Florida Posts: 3,142	Well, a third sex might care for the kids - they might be asexual, like drones or workers. Or maybe the third sex might be required for copulation to occur, or at least for fertilization. If necessary for just fertilization, then maybe there wouldn't be unwanted kids. Males and females could have sex but no kids unless the third sex was present. That might work. It would make for crowded beds though. Lynsie Share Share this post on Twitter __________________ Nothing can bring you peace but yourself. Ralph Waldo Emerson

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