Question of the Week: Saying Good-Bye

You are given the power to kill people by simply thinking of their deaths and twice repeating the word "good-bye." People would die a natural death and no one would suspect you. Are there any situations in which you would use this power?

Of course I'm sitting here thinking that I would never use that ability. That whole "Thou shalt not murder" thing. Doesn't matter that no one else would know about my killing thoughts, I would know and God would know. But the question isn't would you want this power, it's what situation would cause you to use it. They say that power corrupts. I have a feeling that if I actually had this ability, I would eventually reach the point where I would be too tempted to use it. I'd start off by picturing Bin Laden, thinking that the world would be much better off. But where would it end? What if I saw something on the news and decided that the guy who's suspected of murder deserves to die without the benefit of going through the justice system? What if I decide to start taking out people whose political ideals I feel are damaging our country? What if I get frustrated one night playing Call of Duty and say "good-bye, good-bye" to someone online whom I've never met. Deciding who would live and who would die would 'cause someone to become drunk with power.

*Question of the Week comes from The Book of Questions by Gregory Stock, Ph.D.