The Magic Box (an experiment in psychoanalysis

I normally post this about four times a year on different sites I visit but to date I haven’t posted it here yet, so I figured seeing we have a water cooler area now it might be interesting.

It’s a Psychology question, let me see if I remember it correctly, feel free to post what you would do but if you have done it before or know the ending please keep your lips zipped till everyone has a change to post Okay?

(You are given a Magic box or if you like a race of super advanced aliens gives you a technology advanced wish giver box what ever floats your boat)


The Box has unlimited powers but it can only be used three times with the following rules
The Box has three buttons you state aloud what you want and push one of the buttons after all buttons are pushed the box will disappear for ever.

1. You can not make more boxes or reset the buttons
2. The box can not directly influence others (IE you can’t make your neighbors love you) the box can NOT override freewill(IE no wishing for world Peace)
3. The Box can NOT directly harm someone (IE you can’t wish that noise neighborhood kid to land on the sun with out any sun block)
4. The box has no limits to what it could do, IE if you want an exact down to the atomic level copy of every thing in the Louvre then you can do it.
5. The box is not a gift of the Magi IE if you ask for 1 million pounds of gold then it does it, it doesn’t just steal a million pounds of gold from fort Knox it creates the gold its self.
6. The Box can not make you immortal or make you ruler of the planet (remember #2)


I think this was all of the issues but it’s from memory enjoy your test.

I'm not sure exactly what I'm supposed to do with this.

Is there something missing from the instructions, or is that part of the exercise?

It seems like you gave the parameters, but didn't give a goal or challenge.

I would assume the missing question would be...

"OK, there's the rules, now... what would you do with the box?"

I'll have to think about that a bit.

1.Wish for the most scrutinizing, downright low, dirty, hard working, and team of lawyers, paralegals, and litigators that would get along with one another and not disagree on every decision that must be made; this team would go over all of my wishes and close any loopholes and loose ends I may have left. Preferably my lawyers would be experienced, and must never make mistakes. They must stay after the "magic box is gone". These lawyers must never sign with anyone else, and can not help anyone in any legal situation except me. The decisions they make must be passed by me, no exceptions. These lawyers would have an office in my house, which they would always be in unless escorted by me.

2.Wish for 1 septillion that is (700 million billion) American dollars, that are completely legal and will not be treated as counterfeit by the gov't. And a team to guard the money, and me. It must also stay when the "magic box" is gone, along with the guards. This money will be deposited into my bank account by the "magic box" under a pseudonym that my team of lawyers will come up with (must comply with wish #3). This money shall contain no poisonis (sp?) materials, and my health will not be affected in any way. Also this money will be no part anyone elses, and no one will be able to manipulate, spend, wither away, inflate, or otherwise dwindle it; aside from me.

3. A good alibi that everyone will believe, and that no one, not even my lawyers; or any other team of lawyers or private investigators will doubt.

That is all I wish for. Do take note that this is just a draft; and that the final copy will be made by my lawyers and I.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: shortyman8o1,

isn't #4 a contradiction of # 1/2/6?

any how I would ask the box to make another box that produced unlimited energy in the form of electricity for starters.

Then I'd ask it to make me the most superb specimen of a man possible, ie most charming, charismatic, sexually attractive man that ever lived.

I better wait a bit on the third goal cause eternal life is off the table along with some others.

Also I bet I sound greedy so far, but I didn't have much time to think and I'm honest at least. But not dumb enough to blow my last wish.

oh, a magic refrigerator that was always stock to the brim with the worlds most delectable food, maybe even out of this world food if the box was from aliens.

quote:

isn't #4 a contradiction of # 1/2/6?

It means it has no boundaries; other than the ones set down by the rules.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: shortyman8o1,

1.) I would wish for inner peace and the ability to share that with people.

2.) I would wish for the ability to be understood by anyone, no matter how complex the information I'm trying to get across. This also comes with the gift of persuasion - as people will understand me, but they also need to believe in what I'm saying.

3.) I would wish for the ability to be able to do (or have the knowledge to do) anything that I wanted to do, even if I didn't know how - I'd be able to do these things on instinct.

MythMod

Yes the question is pretty much "here are the rules what would you do with the box"

background the teacher I learned this from has been giving it as a exercise to his students for over 30 years I have been posting it for since my 300 Baud BBS days watching ANSI art scroll by so far all the answers are par for the course.

psychoanalyze this: I want to know the "answer" ;p

There is no right or wrong answer but I have gotten 100's of replies from posting this question and my teacher has been giving it to his students for 30 years and we both have to say that at no time has ANYONE ever wanted any of the following

1. Enough medicians to cure all the worlds desiese
2. Enough food to feed the hungry
3. Enough houses to give homes to the homeless
4. A clean source of energy to power the world

Its just something to think about.

excuse me but I believe that I have #2 and #4 covered pretty well in my requests of the magic box.

these requests would also go a long ways in number 1 & 3.

#1 Wish the rules for the box were gone.

Wish one, The instant and inexplicable disappearence of every single nuclear, biological, high yeild, or cross continent weapon on the planet.

Wish two, A technological suit that advances all of my natural combat abilities and adds many others, to make me nigh on impossible to stop.
And an internal computer system capable of processing unimaginable amounts of data.

Wish three, An un-ending and un-aging life so I may become to iron fisted... I mean benevolent (chuckle) ruler of the planet. So forever I can stand watch over nuclear projects, medical research and all such things.


With these I can stop diffrent goverments from spending money and resources and time on the same research and the same conclusion, simple because one goverment wont release the findings.


I can prevent war, and emalgimate the world under one banner, MY BANNER, MY THRONE SHALL BE AMAZING AND A MILLION FEET HIGH< CARVED TO RESEMBLE ME< YOUR ONE TRUE GOD!!!!!!!!!!!

I would give the box back to whoever offered it to me because I do not believe in a magic box.

1. enough money to live comfortably for the rest of my life. (more money more problems)

2. all of the universe's knowledge imprinted on teaching machines for everyone to learn. (knowledge and wisedom will bring peace to the world)

3. fridge with unlimited beer. (gotta party too)

1. Complete knowlege of anything I desired to know about.
2. Ford Mustang
3. To once be able to experience death without dying(not eternal life, just an experience!)

So, if there is no answer what is the "analysis criteria", or whatever you want to call it. What I mean is what can you tell from my post. And what is this question for; to see how OCD you are, or how much attention to detail you pay, or to see what your future career should be?

quote:

4. The box has no limits to what it could do

this rule nullifies rules 1, 2, 3, and 6