Taking Over The World

Never enterd my mind. Though I might make my surroundings a bit more comftorable I imagine even with trustworthy people to delegate stuff to my days would be pretty full. I'd find time to relax, can't have the First Citizen have a burnout, but I'd spend it much the same way as I do now.

Laws are made to be broken. You're next, thermodynamics.

Surely you jest!

Taking Over The World probably means Absolute Power.

And Absolute Power Corupts Absolutely.

And I intend to Absolutely Enjoy every moment of it.

There would be no luxury out of reach, no extravagance too costly, no limit to what you can have.

Why would anyone not take advantage of that?

After all, who could stop you?

edited 16th Jul '12 9:39:45 AM by Natasel

Any number of overambitious lieutenants or would-be revolutionaries who would like to take your place?

And seriously, what sort of luxury do you have in mind that you couldn't have as a rich person in a first world country (which is a difficult position to reach, granted, but nowhere as difficult as world domination)?

But they seem to know where they are going, the ones who walk away from Omelas.

Good point. Going to have to Loyalty Test my people regularly...

The limits of mere wealth are actually large.

Even the wealthiest people in the 1st world don't have standing armies for example, and for the most part, they still have to obey the laws.

As absolute ruler, one could sieze the wealth of the wealthiest, have armies depoluate entire cities, and break any law on a whim.

Its been done before.

The luxuries I have in mind are more of the Ruler Of The World kind I suppose.

Instead of a crown, I'd love to have a helmet with a HUD built into it so I can watch TV monitors wherever I go, even if I have to go to the toilet (probably cheaper and easier than installing T Vs everywhere too). Since I don't relish the thought of being out of the information loop, even if it is only for a few minutes.

Bonus if I could wear my office somehow...a lap top taken appart and installed all over my Ruler of the World Robes perhaps?

Then I'd want some voice recognition AND translation function so I can talk and understand people who speak languages I don't know. A speaker system that translates my words into their language would be great too.

Come to think of it, if I have a throne, I might as well make it a toilet too.

And it will be Japanese!

Japan has some of the best toilets I've heard of, the custom seats can be adjusted/heated/virbomassage, there bidets can be aimed with a joy stick and use anything from the normal soap/water to perfume if you want, and they somehow managed to add deoderizing tech (dunno how.)

If I could make it PORTABLE (not a feature that is available as far a I know) somehow, it would pefect. Perhaps like a bump car/toilet?

(Yes, I imagine I will be too busy too stop and enjoy a quiet shit alone....damn. might as well add a shower function. Will I even bother wearing clothes?)

And my palace would be a PARTY Palace!

Seriously, I'm probably going to live/work there for most of my life and its going to be sweet!

Like the White House only much, much better.

In fact, IMHO, the White House does seem astonishingly modest for the Office of the President of the only super power in the world.

I'd prefer to have a trully MASSIVE palace, perhaps even a city, dedicated to my Administration.

(I have a theory that ancient empire sizes were limited more by Administrative Weakness rather than things a lack of military strength.)

It will like lumping the Pentagon, UN, Vatican, WB, IMF, Mecca, Disney Land all in one place.

In fact, of the key reasons I'd insist on my Luxuries is so that I can share and have people to enjoy them with.

If they happen to be people I want to win over (like my staff) then horray for me!

My days will likely be spent mostly at Court, which will also serve as a 24/7 feathall, Ruler of the World Kitchen and Command Center.

I'll think about my bedroom later, need to do something.

edited 16th Jul '12 11:06:10 AM by Natasel

Could be, but I sure as hell won't plan for it. Given absolute power I would be more likely to become a Well-Intentioned Extremist than a Card Carrying Hedonistic Villain. But I'd try to not become either.

My ethics. Edit: Laws and lack of wealth and power are not the only things keeping me from commiting atrocities.

edited 16th Jul '12 10:46:08 AM by Qeise

Laws are made to be broken. You're next, thermodynamics.

Yeah, and it frequently ends with the ruler in question being killed horribly in a revolution to overthrow his empire of madness.

edited 16th Jul '12 10:48:12 AM by Talby

A standing army is not really a luxury, however — it is a tool, and a dangerous one, since sooner or later some general will get the bright idea of toppling you and taking your place. You'd have to spend a lot of effort in managing it effectively — and what for? My idea of a good time is not sitting on a throne wondering if this will be the day that someone gets a lucky shot and manages to off me.

Not only that, but the ruler does not even live a very enjoyable life before that happens. I mean, I'm not talking about ethics: absolutely amoral me would have no incentive at all at trying to conquer a country, let alone the world.

edited 16th Jul '12 10:50:32 AM by Carciofus

But they seem to know where they are going, the ones who walk away from Omelas.

This. I wouldn't take over the world to have fun. If I were to do it it would be to make the world a better place. Ruling the world takes a lot time out of your day. If I were looking for luxury I could achive them in ways that are less risky and leave me more time to enjoy them.

Laws are made to be broken. You're next, thermodynamics.

But think of the PERKS!!!

I probably don't speak for women or Celibate Hero types, but hasn't it been said that Power is an Aprodisac?

Think of the booty you'll get!

I suspect that the stress of worrying if this hot companion is the assassin would kill off a lot of the pleasure.

A brighter future for a darker age.

I give everyone in this thread, self included, three days before being deposed in a bloodless, unanimously popular coup.

The term "Great Man" is disturbingly interchangeable with "mass murderer" in history books.

(Blinks)

Seriously? THAT's what worries you?

The Ruler of the World probably has more choices than a Rockstar, a security force like the NSA, and on top of all that, Venetari Job Security.

Your death would probably destabalize the world and cause global chaos/war. (or at least, that's how I'd want to set things up)

Do you seriously think that being King of Everything would hurt you find True Love? Multiple times even?

Not gonna happen. Nukes Going to be first on my list of things to secure.

edited 16th Jul '12 11:38:47 AM by Natasel

@Nat: While it's true that they weren't the absolute rulers of the world, they didn't need to be. They were practically more powerful than the British Empire, and they controlled so much trade that they probably could've caused entire countries' economies to collapse on a whim.

In addition, there actually is a modern day equivalent to them. Google. Google is powerful enough that it was able to go up against China, and win. They're also rich enough that they were able to decide that China just isn't worth it, and that they don't need the world's second largest economy. In addition, many governments use Google and Google products to do their business, so they could potentially have a ton of information that is not disclosed to the public.

Also, one doesn't need infinite wealth to rule the world economically. One needs to control trade. This means that you have to diversify into most things, and you have to become one of the biggest traders in everything you diversify to. In addition, you should make moves to privatize things that are typically done by governments, such as prisons, military, police, firefighters, and taxes. If you can do this with several powerful nations, you will have effectively taken over the world, without officially taking over the world. This way, anything wrong can be blamed on the individual countries, and you aren't going to have to deal with revolutionaries. In fact, you could very well support them, and give them your army to help overthrow the people they're rebelling against, and graciously offer to help them run the country when they succeed.

Wow, good point.

I honestly don't think that way saddly.

I imagined it would be a far more straightforward affair that ends with me on a throne and surrounded by half naked nubile dancing slave girls or some such.

(Yes, I know the slave girls thing is idiotic, but let me have the fantasy...)

Still, I find the thought of ruling from the shadows distastefull.

It seems "weak" in the sense that exposure could undermine your power base.

While keeping it secret via layers of Paper Work and Legalese Languge might help, my preference is still openess.

(I'm a Toflerite and I believe the future age will be an Information Age.)

Oh, please. Ruling through the shadows is the way to go. Everyone will challenge the nominal leaders, and never really challenge you. Plus, you don't have to do it entirely from the shadows, you just need to have a good enough marketing department to make sure that nothing that goes wrong is blamed on you.

Personally, I'd imagine that, if I ruled the world economically, I would have a gigantic office in multiple skyscrapers across the globe, and a decent sized home in each place, as well as a couple of vacation homes in places where there are no offices. I would have no slaves, nor would I have any full time, live in servants.

Finally, I would make much of my companies actions public, though the reasoning behind them, and the inner workings of my company, wouldn't be quite as open, though not completely secret.

Still don't like ruling from the shadows. Personality clash. I'm too stupid and honest I guess.

Personally, I'd want a Capital City of some sort. A place where I can have my version of the White House, Pentagon, UN, IMF, Red Cross, Vatican, Vegas, Mecca, Hollywood, WB, Dinesy Land, and other organizational HQ's in one city.

When looking for friends/companions/True Love(TM) I'd not pay attention to power groopies. Instead I'd

• Keep seeing people I knew before ascending to World Ruler status. Hopefully my current friends would still want to hang out with me when I have the time. Same goes for my family.
• Make friends of people I've met when going about as King Incognito, if I do that.
• Meet people on the job. Try to get to know whitch ones wouldn't try to use me as a stepstone to power, and befriend them if we like each other.

I would make it widely known that high positions come with competence and openness, wether or not I like the person. I might start having personal relationships with people who work for my vision, but it will affect their positon in my government in no way whatsoever.

You can have all the fantasies you want. I wouldn't have slavegirl dancers because I want to attract the right kind of people to work with me and the slavedancers wouldn't help.

I couldn't rule by money because one of my objectives would be to end the stranglehold money has over our lives. I'm not sure wether or not I would rule in the open or from the shadows, but I wouldn't let trying to stay hidden or in the spotlight stand in my way when working towards my objectives.

edited 16th Jul '12 12:57:57 PM by Qeise

Laws are made to be broken. You're next, thermodynamics.

Eh. I'd rather be able to say "I feel like relaxing a little, don't disturb me for anything short of Ragnarok" and live in a cabin away from everything for three weeks while composing poems in honor of squirrels.

But they seem to know where they are going, the ones who walk away from Omelas.

Tried that. Not for me.

As Ruler of Everything, one has considerable power over life and death. Including ones own.

Its a dream job to die for and from. Right up there with going out in a blaze of glory on a grand battle field, striking a critical, high stakes blow that leads to victory.

Possibly even better than dying from an OD of Hookers and Blow.

What better way to go than dying on the job from the (IMHO) Best Job in the World!

Personally, as I'd have it set up like a business, I'd make sure that I don't do everything. I'd make sure to get in plenty of vacation time, and I'd make sure that the business can run without me.

Nice, but if you are not needed, people might get ideas.

There not security quite like being the keystone of your world's society.

Also, the old saying of "If you want something done right, do it yourself" probably applies a bit here.

I can't realistically do all the projects I want of course, but a few key one will probably occupy my time and attention.

When I'm not enjoying Hookers and Blow of course. (May have to drop the blow though, decisions made while high may not be good ones.)

I didn't mean that I wouldn't be needed, just that I could go and spend time with one of my romantic partners, like a week, or something, and my control will be as tight as ever.

Somehow, I see myself having to make do with a lot of Bill Clinton style Coitus Uninteruptus.

A nice, romantic get away does sound nice but at the level of Ruler of Everything, even taking a 5 minute break might have disasterous implications somewhere in the world.

(Suppposedly D-day worked in part because Hitler was taking a nap and no one dared wake him so no orders to react were given.)

Might have to give up water and drink nothing but coffee....

Anyway, while I would have a large number of flunkies and protocols written down, there's just no predicting what might happen. (Alien invasion, global scale natural disasters, terrorist attacks on the Net, etc.)

Surgically implanting an alarm/coms system in me is sounding better and better.

So I can always be part of the action when I'm getting some action.

edited 16th Jul '12 10:00:23 PM by Natasel

And that's the problem with having everything require your direct involvement. I would specifically avoid that. Now, I'd make myself absolutely needed, just not needed all the time.

(Looks at previous posts)

Started off thinking about the great perks that come with the jobs and ended up thinking it was a great idea to shove a cellphone up my ass.

How did that happen???