Would you use a cheating option for real life?

Let's say that one day you would discover that the world is some kind of computer game and it has a hidden cheat menu. It would offer you to either use it or forget about what you discover and resume your life. If you would choose to use it you would be able to change whatever you would want about yourself. From the amount of money in your bank account to whether or not you know kung fu. You would be able to live the rest of your life (let's assume the game last a normal human life span) doing whatever you want. The downside is that once you use it, there is no going back. You would know that the world is just a game. That nothing you'll do really matter and you would never know what you might have been able to accomplish by yourself.

So what you would you choose?

edited 12th Mar '12 8:53:04 AM by nnokwoodeye

"Whoa..."

Sorry, that had to be done.

I think I'd take the cheat, but I have no idea what I'd choose to be able to do.

edited 12th Mar '12 9:10:57 AM by Willbyr

I don't even cheat in games.

'All he needs is for somebody to throw handgrenades at him for the rest of his life...'

I'd probably take the cheat as well.

The world would be less wonderful if I knew that someone planned and made it or that someone was making it do things it wouldn't otherwise do, but not knowing isn't better in my book than losing part of the wonder. Truth trumps comfort for me. Still, I'd prefer if the world was as I think it is; namely, unguided, unplanned, and capable of supporting emergent features to the extent that life can come from no-life.

Having made that decision, I don't know what ability I'd grab. It would have to be something really useful, like a huge amount of talent in all sciences so that I could eradicate famine.

Quod gratis asseritur, gratis negatur.

I think the revelation that reality... well, isn't makes shenanagans like this fair play. Soften the blow and all that. Provided you don't use it to fuck up anyone elses life, of course.

And let us pray that come it may (As come it will for a' that)

I would want access the terminal of the machine or something. Root access would be nice, of course, but I'll take what I can get.

Then I'd start trying to search for exploits in order to obtain more information about whatever system I am running it and, eventually, about whatever universe lies "out there".

I care little for phenomenal cosmic powers "in-game"; but if there is a Real Real Life "out there", I want to know what it is.

But in any case, how would knowing that life is a game make me think that nothing that I or others do matters? No matter whether I am a simulation or an upload or anything, I am a conscious and bordeline intelligent being. And so is a lot of other people, no matter what substrate they are made of. The revelation that you mention does not change this in the least.

In fact, depending on the nature of the "outside world", I might well decide that I prefer to reside in the simulated world anyway. But I would want to at least know about the outside, both for my safety and out of good old curiosity.

edited 12th Mar '12 10:18:04 AM by Carciofus

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

I'd likely take the cheat and try to figure out the "outside" like Carc. Don't know what changes I'd make to my life, but I'd use my powers to avoid fucking anyone else over with my changes. I'd definetly think bigger than just bigger numbers on my bank account. Would the cheat be a one-off thing or could I later decide I want to make more changes?

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

I feel bad for just thinking of bigger numbers for my bank account.

With cannon shot and gun blast smash the alien. With laser beam and searing plasma scatter the alien to the stars.

In a flat second. Absolutely. As long as everyone else got the same option at some point. Easy victory is boring.

Hrm. I'd wonder how many other people had found these "cheats" before me and used them to play the game unfairly. At the risk of this becoming The Matrix, I imagine that I'd have to demonstrate some fairly convincing uses of such a thing before I'd be treated as anything other than crazy, but the idea of becoming part of a "Truth" cult is somewhat amusing. Only somewhat, though, because the obvious conclusion to draw from such a revelation is that I'm the one who is crazy.

Assuming the ability to see through these illusions (I'm reminded of this book, incidentally, which I read in school) is something I get for free and isn't my one pick of powers, then I suppose the most basic one I'd grab after that is Immortality. Being freed of the restriction of a human lifespan would be an incredible boon in exploring and making sense of the strange reality we're in.

But I would have to say that the human psyche really isn't built to cope with this kind of thing, and I'd give myself a 50/50 shot of going genuinely insane within a year unless I could find others to share the secret with.

I suppose the answer to the question, "Would I cheat?" is yes, because only a sucker plays the game honestly once they discover that it's rigged.

edited 12th Mar '12 11:43:56 AM by Fighteer

"It's Occam's Shuriken! If the answer is elusive, never rule out ninjas!"

I would without a second thought.

I would most definitely make myself pretty much super-human, but I'd try to help others too, as massively enhancing both physical and mental capabilities would make someone who could give a lot of help.

Being able to rob a bank on a whim without being caught would also come in useful. That way one could afford a new computer with all the latest Intel Socket 2011 goodness.

Aren't you thinking a bit too small there? Breaking the rules of the game only so you can have slightly more of it? Instead of lots of money, just conjure up whatever you need. Quantum computers a million times faster than anything we have now... poof!

edited 12th Mar '12 12:05:48 PM by Fighteer

"It's Occam's Shuriken! If the answer is elusive, never rule out ninjas!"

Fuck yes I would. And even if I become a godlike being within the game, it's not like I can't play with self-imposed restrictions when I feel like it...

edited 12th Mar '12 1:30:00 PM by MasterInferno

Somehow you know that the time is right.

It's kind of amusing to imagine someone standing in the street muttering to themselves while turning "left, right, left, right, jump, jump, left" in place.

"Hey uh... what are you doing?" "Cheat codes." "Uh... neat."

This is why Lionel Messi is so good Time travel is just people using the level select function

edited 12th Mar '12 1:39:18 PM by TheBatPencil

And let us pray that come it may (As come it will for a' that)

You are thinking too small too, I believe. If you need computation, why not ask for a Turing Oracle? Boom — any computable problem solved instantaneously, and who cares if they are EXPTIME complete or whatever. Or, why not, an oracle machine for the class ALL of all decision problems, no matter whether computable or hypercomputable or worse?

EDIT: just don't ask the ALL oracle machine to solve its own halting problem, or you'll cause a massive system crash

edited 12th Mar '12 2:11:08 PM by Carciofus

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

Oh yes, definitely. Delicious infinite power to be used in anyway I want? There will be so much that I can do.

Considering that the world has already lost much of its charm in the time I have grown up (there is some truth to the saying that ignorance is bliss), why would I care about making it even less wonderful than how little, if, it is already? On the contrary, knowing and using this cheat would make the world more wonderful. I'd say yes in a heartbeat.

However, knowing myself I would not use the cheat for much more than, well, having a comfortable life. Perhaps it'd reflect how I cheat in videogames too: I use one cheat that alleviates the initial or immediate burden of my trip, then continue to carry on on my own. I don't need quantum computers, and I'd believe no one in my lifespan needs them either, cheats or not. But I do need to have all my bills reset to zero or somehow become tax exempt if I want to have an easier life that allows me to pursue my ideals instead of force me to pursue food and shelter.

Fanfic Recs orwellianretcon'd: cutlocked for committee or for Google?

Actually, if I can, I will let everybody to know this cheat using this cheat. And then everyone throw mountains at each other and parry them with spoons. It shall become an international sport known as "spoon-mountain".

Define "need". I could certainly find uses for a ludicrous amount of computational power — fun ones.

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

Carciofus: Good point. Being more precise, I'd say no one does absolutely need quantum computers right now that they can't achieve by current means, and if they do, they're probably not ready for it. I'd rather refrain from enabling quantum computing as the one cheat I'd use and keep progress going at a "normal" pace, than enable it and then having to enable the anti-Zombie Apocalypse, anti-Singularity and anti-Grey Goo cheats as well because people were not morally ready to use this technology.

Fanfic Recs orwellianretcon'd: cutlocked for committee or for Google?

I think I wouldn't, but might use it to stop others who did.

I'm baaaaaaack

Heck, yeah.

I would use the codes to gently help me, like I do in video games.

Not to outright cheat through the game, but just help me (and others) here and there. Like the health cheats in GTA. They're not game-breakers, but it's nice to go through a hard mission without having to die all the time.

Depends on the cheat.

I would like to have access to some skills and knowledge, though. Plus, some funds in the bankm and/or a car that actually works.

Happiness is zero-gee with a sinus cold.

I'd cheat. No concrete plans for what I'd do with it, but I'd definitely cheat.