Alternate Historical Timelines

[Aurielius]

It’s an idea that I have toyed with over the years. A variant of what books you would take to a desert island.


QUESTION: If you could go back to any point in history and have access to anyone, what knowledge would you impart to change the course of history and why.
Keep in mind the Law of Unintended Consequences.

CONDITIONS: You can only take yourself, it will assumed that you can communicate fluently and are able to convince the person of the veracity of your assertions. You have only 24hrs in the past to achieve your objective and that only the person in question is privy to the information.

Example: Informing Columbus of actual the geographical layout of the planet, before he set sail west. Would he go more prepared or not go at all, since discovery of America's was not his objective.

 

It is perfectly permissible to take someone's premise and draw different conclusions as to the outcome, ie: the Law of Unintended Consequences.

[Vagrant0]

I'd probably waste it by choosing to smack George Lucas upside the head repeatedly when he got the idea to start working on the prequels. Not that I personally care about the result, but it had to be done.

[Lisnpuppy]

I like this idea but I'm sick so I need time to get my brain to work. I'll be back.

[HeyYou]

Just to play devils advocate..... (and, assuming I could go back and correct what I have done....) Telling Hitler to continue going after RAF bases, instead of changing over to bombing cities, so that he would have total control of the air over Britain..... And also, suggest that the ME 262 would be stellar as a fighter aircraft, and not to be so wishy-washy by changing his mind so often on it, that it became a non-issue in the war effort. Suggesting that he secure Europe, before attacking Russia wouldn't be a bad idea as well........

[Aurielius]

Just to play devils advocate..... (and, assuming I could go back and correct what I have done....) Telling Hitler to continue going after RAF bases, instead of changing over to bombing cities, so that he would have total control of the air over Britain..... And also, suggest that the ME 262 would be stellar as a fighter aircraft, and not to be so wishy-washy by changing his mind so often on it, that it became a non-issue in the war effort. Suggesting that he secure Europe, before attacking Russia wouldn't be a bad idea as well........

Conditions are ONLY 24 hrs in the past..no do overs.

 

 

I would have gone back to 1347 and given the knowledge of how to make penicillin to Emperor Justinian which might have saved 2/3 of Europe from the Black Death. Justinian might have completed his consolidation of the western Roman Empire and mitigated the onset of the Dark Ages.

[HeyYou]

 

Just to play devils advocate..... (and, assuming I could go back and correct what I have done....) Telling Hitler to continue going after RAF bases, instead of changing over to bombing cities, so that he would have total control of the air over Britain..... And also, suggest that the ME 262 would be stellar as a fighter aircraft, and not to be so wishy-washy by changing his mind so often on it, that it became a non-issue in the war effort. Suggesting that he secure Europe, before attacking Russia wouldn't be a bad idea as well........

Conditions are ONLY 24 hrs in the past..no do overs.

 

Hhhmmm..... That could be a problem then. :D

 

How about suggesting to George that invading Iraq/Afghanistan is NOT a good idea....... Not sure how I would convince him though......

Edited February 19, 2016 by HeyYou

[Aurielius]

 

 

Just to play devils advocate..... (and, assuming I could go back and correct what I have done....) Telling Hitler to continue going after RAF bases, instead of changing over to bombing cities, so that he would have total control of the air over Britain..... And also, suggest that the ME 262 would be stellar as a fighter aircraft, and not to be so wishy-washy by changing his mind so often on it, that it became a non-issue in the war effort. Suggesting that he secure Europe, before attacking Russia wouldn't be a bad idea as well........

Conditions are ONLY 24 hrs in the past..no do overs.

 

Hhhmmm..... That could be a problem then. :D

 

How about suggesting to George that invading Iraq/Afghanistan is NOT a good idea....... Not sure how I would convince him though......

 

Law of Unintended Consequences: He believes you and invades Iran instead. :ohmy:

[JimboUK]

 

Just to play devils advocate..... (and, assuming I could go back and correct what I have done....) Telling Hitler to continue going after RAF bases, instead of changing over to bombing cities, so that he would have total control of the air over Britain..... And also, suggest that the ME 262 would be stellar as a fighter aircraft, and not to be so wishy-washy by changing his mind so often on it, that it became a non-issue in the war effort. Suggesting that he secure Europe, before attacking Russia wouldn't be a bad idea as well........

Conditions are ONLY 24 hrs in the past..no do overs.

 

 

I would have gone back to 1347 and given the knowledge of how to make penicillin to Emperor Justinian which might have saved 2/3 of Europe from the Black Death. Justinian might have completed his consolidation of the western Roman Empire and mitigated the onset of the Dark Ages.

 

 

Had you done that then today we would have far more nasties resistant or even immune to antibiotics, were already seeing resistance growing among various microorganisms and it's been less than a century since it started to be used, it might even mean that we wouldn't have any effective antibiotics at all.

[Tidus44]

Can’t decide;

 

Go back 3.5-4 billion years and pollute every puddle I can hoping to destroy the single cell microorganism that eventually evolves into humans. No one to talk to or convince, so maybe this doesn't count.

 

Perhaps, go speak with Herod and tell him where to find that first born son (and if the story isn’t true, convince him to do it anyway), but that wouldn’t be fair without doing the same with the Yemini leader in Mecca about 570 CE regarding the man “whose name may not be said aloud” and I’m limited to a single trip and individual to speak to, so…..

 

Not sure how I’d stop the burning of the Library at Alexandria…. but I’d like to think we’d be a much different world with the knowledge it contained.

 

Maybe, back to 1619, and convince a Dutch captain that landing his shipload of African slaves in Jamestown, Virginia is a bad idea or perhaps even better, convince Thomas Jefferson around 1774/1775 that slavery is akin to the oppression forced on them by the British and to make all people in America equal, free and having the same rights within that wonderful Constitution he's writing.

 

Killing Hitler?…. Nope, that Law of Unintended Consequences is too twilight zone “Cradle of Darkness” for me.

 

How about, stop the assassination of JFK – nah…. too Steven King-ish.

 

But really, when I think about it, I’d just go back to 1965 and tell my Mum to go get checked for cancer.

[Aurielius]

@ Jim Uk

Well I thought that I'd picked a benign non LUOC change, but your point is valid. Though I might counter that without the loss of so many great minds the Renaissance might have been earlier and greater than it was. Medicine might also be farther along.

 

@Tidus

The saving of the Library of Alexandria was always one of my favorite alternate choices.

However I can empathize with your personal choice, it just never occurred to me to use my trip for a familial change.