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Original poster

If you found a death note would you use it?

52 replies

SummerOf17 · 02/09/2017 18:07

Inspired by the netflix death note. You pick up a book that allows you to kill anyone by just writing their names and knowing their faces. Do you try to engineer a new world?

OP posts:

ZippyCameBack · 02/09/2017 18:51

Yes, I'd destroy the book too. If only because there's no way of knowing what controls it and what the consequences might be.
After all, it might say that since I now have all the really bad 'uns killed, I now have to pay for that by watching gold on the television every day for the rest of my life.

ClashCityRocker · 02/09/2017 18:51

I don't think so.

Trump dead could be more dangerous than trump alive, for example. At the minute despite his willy waving he is held in check - as a martyr who knows?

Although I might have read too many books about travelling back in time and killing hitler/saving jfk to think it ever ends well!

But no, I don't think I would.

sevillecrush · 02/09/2017 18:53

Oh definitely, there's a long list of people I wouldn't mind writing down. But I'd have to disguise my writing to make sure the finger couldn't be pointed at me.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

Art & design

loopsdefruit · 02/09/2017 18:54

I don't think I'd use a death note, but I'd use a book where you could make people be better lol like the same principle, but like "Make Trump not be racist" or "make the girl who ghosted me explain why" but then I also wouldn't use it for horrible things lol

AcrossthePond55 · 02/09/2017 18:54

DS2 and I just started watching this. Then we got bored.

But we did talk and I decided that as much as I'd want to write down Trump, KJU, Mugabe, etc that I ultimately wouldn't want to set myself up as judge, jury, and executioner. I wouldn't want the responsibility for what (or who) might come next.

Original poster

SummerOf17 · 02/09/2017 18:54

Twinkle I wish someone bought me that as a present but I'm way too old for it .

Ninja I'm sorry!

OurMiracle That is an interesting angle. Giving yourself a painless death...

Cavendar You can't destroy the book. If you don't want the book you risk someone else using it.

You are right that you can cause even worse things to happen but wouldn't you feel like if you still had the death note you could solve any issue? So a really evil person takes anther's place? Kill them right? You can't generate a perfect world but you probably can make it better for some. I feel like you'd have to have a strong personal reason for doing so though... like being bullied or knowing someone falsely imprisoned/accused or murdered. You'll never get any thanks for it and many will think you are evil even if you improve things by your own standards. What kind of person would take on such a thankless task?

OP posts:

expatinscotland · 02/09/2017 18:56

No.

WeAllHaveWings · 02/09/2017 18:58

Never seen the film/series. My first thought was it would be a good way to have a cull off the sex offenders register, especially child abusers.

Second thought was maybe a few key names in North Korea, but I guess others would fill the gap fairly quickly.

My 3rd thought was, if I started it would be so hard not to stop trying to fix things and the reality of it would hit home and I would eventually destroy myself.

Original poster

SummerOf17 · 02/09/2017 19:00

Mummy It could be argued that murder has played a part in the civilization we have today. I think you definitely could - whether it would be good or bad is debatable though.

Clash See I think traveling back in time and making changes is a super bad idea but we are all in some way forming our future. We also don't know what will happen.

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AcrossthePond55 · 02/09/2017 19:06

But you only have the notebook for 7 days right? (IIRC, we didn't finish the movie but that's what I remember) So you can't just keep on killing everyone that 'comes after' the evil person you killed.

Say I 'killed' KJU. Who's to say that the 'evil person' that comes after him will come in less than 7 days so I can kill them too. Or that that evil person won't be 10 x worse? Or that KJU may have been the one to kill that (even more) evil person in the course of preserving his own (less evil) dictatorship?

No, too much responsibility.

ClashCityRocker · 02/09/2017 19:08

But how long do you wait? Or how many people do you kill because it looks like they are shaping up to something terrible?

Where do you draw the line? It's an interesting premise.

Using trump again as an example, I don't think many people would be surprised if he started some serious shit. But has his actions so far been enough to justify his death?

Someone like mugabe maybe. But would killing mugabe make the world a better place now? If you could have killed him when he was younger, maybe.

By the time you know they should be killed to make the world a better place, it's too late....

Original poster

SummerOf17 · 02/09/2017 19:10

The movie was a good attempt but not as good as the anime series.

And no you can have the death note for more than 7 days I'm sure. Light was a strategic thinker in the anime - he definitely used it for more than 7 days and he had a grand plan. I'd recommend watching that.
The rules are here: deathnote.wikia.com/wiki/Rules_of_the_Death_Note

OP posts:

Original poster

SummerOf17 · 02/09/2017 19:11

Also what about smaller evils. You see someone getting attacked or raped... do you use it then?

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LelouchviBritanniacommandsyou · 02/09/2017 19:48

Seeing some of the atrocities going on in the world right now, I have some sympathy with Light's idea: if he gets rid of the evil people then he'll get rid of the evil. But like others have said, I don't think it would work. We all have at least some capacity for doing wrong, so a world with humans in it can never be perfect. Just as Light has to keep on killing, it'd never end. Plus he ends up killing innocent people to hide his secret. Would you do that too? Which crimes would be 'bad' enough to punish with death? Where would it end?

So, though it may be tempting, I wouldn't do it. I think the guilt would destroy me, and if not, the power would drive me crazy. Just look how Light ended up!

As for the 'smaller evils', the death note would only save the victim if you somehow knew the attacker's name as well as their face, and you could quickly write it in. By that time it'd probably be too late to stop the attack, and it comes back to whether you think you have the right to kill criminals. I wouldn't want that responsibility.

Thankfully, I'm pretty sure Shinigami don't exist, so they shouldn't be dropping death notes to Earth anytime soon

Original poster

SummerOf17 · 02/09/2017 19:55

LelouchviBritannia you are a subject for another thread!

Wasn't one of a Light's first kills the attacker of a women about to be raped? He heard his name and saw his face. Yes it is rare but possible. And also people would report crimes on the internet and evidence.

Light's ending was pretty beautiful and well deserved. I couldn't have asked for another one. Lelouch on the other hand...

OP posts:

LelouchviBritanniacommandsyou · 02/09/2017 21:58

Summer I'm glad you recognised my username! I joined MN just after watching Code Geass

I think that might be his first murder yes, so I suppose it is possible... in that case I can see why Light felt it was justified, killing a would-be rapist and saving the girl. Perhaps equivalent to someone in real life killing an attacker in self defence or to defend someone else? I guess if Light sees that act as heroic (as others might too), he may extend that to killing all criminals, as doing so saves their future victims. Plus he wants to be some kind of god, and does let the power corrupt him.

I agree, the ending of Death Note was a kind of justice of its own. The end of Code Geass was quite poignant and I was glad to see Lelouch redeemed... but so sad

Sorry for derailing the thread a bit!

DragonsandDungeons · 02/09/2017 22:11

Code Geass fans! o:

If anyone here watches Steins;Gate, I'll be properly imptesssd

JoyceDivision · 02/09/2017 22:17

Do people know it's you that put them.in it?

Original poster

SummerOf17 · 03/09/2017 09:32

Lelouch and Dragon there should be a follow button on this site. I've found my homies .

Joyce no. Although saying that if you start targeting everyone close to you then someone should figure that out.

OP posts:

Original poster

SummerOf17 · 03/09/2017 09:32

Lelouch and Dragon there should be a follow button on this site. I've found my homies .

Joyce no. Although saying that if you start targeting everyone close to you then someone should figure that out.

OP posts:

LelouchviBritanniacommandsyou · 03/09/2017 11:13

Dragon Can't say I've seen Steins;Gate, but I will add it to the list! We've been watching Attack on Titan but since that's taking a break we're in need of another anime Any other favourites?

Summer yes, we need a separate thread really; we're going a bit off topic on here

DragonsandDungeons · 03/09/2017 11:34

There should! My fellow geek parents, I have found you. Yeah Erased and Full Metal Alchemist are awesome too.

SuperStormborn · 03/09/2017 11:47

There's two people in this world who have really, royally fucked me over, therefore i wouldn't mind testing the book with their names ...

lougle · 03/09/2017 12:02

No, absolutely not.

LelouchviBritanniacommandsyou · 03/09/2017 21:26

Dragon I've seen Full Metal Alchemist:Brotherhood and loved it Erased sounds interesting too.

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