Which superpower would you want: flight or invisibility?

[MallRat]

I remember hearing this question posed on a segment on NPR last year, and I thought it was a fascinating insight into human nature.

If you could be given a superpower, and you only could choose between flight or invisibility, which would you choose?

Rules-

Flight: Assume that you maintain normal human strength. You can fly carrying anything that you can realistically carry while standing on the ground. You would be unaffected by lack of oxygen or extreme cold if you choose to fly at high altitude, but no space travel, please. And, for the sake of argument, you can fly at a maximum speed of... oh, let's say, 120 MPH.

Invisibility: Again, you only have normal human strength. Anything you wear or carry also turns invisible with you. However, you are not ethereal- you cannot walk through doors.

Regardless of which superpower you choose, you can be hurt, injured, or killed just as easily as a normal human being. But you have unlimited stamina with regards to your superpower- you can fly or be invisible for hours at a time.

So, which would you choose?

-MR

[terrya]

1. Flight.

To soar above the clouds. To leave the shackles of Earth. Who wouldn't want the ability to achieve that?

[DarkPhenyx]

9. Definately flight.

Far more useful than invisibility, and I'm pretty much invisible naturally. :)

[terrya]

10. You're not invisible.

You're one of the most memorable people here. :-)

[DarkPhenyx]

12. True...

...but I do sneak up on people unintentionally and I can sit in a room and have people forget I'm there. It's as close to invisible as you can get w/o violating the laws of physics...or turning yourself into a super massive stellar object.

[Speck Tater]

2. Invisibility for the simple reason that...

... I can do flight technologically, but not invisibility. So If I choose invisible, then I can actually get both.

[emanresu]

7. ummm..

it's not perfected yet, but:
http://projects.star.t.u-tokyo.ac.jp/projects/MEDIA/xv/oc.html

[Guy_Montag]

3. Invisibility,

anyone read the League of Gentlemen?

:evilgrin:

edit: spelin

[LiberalVoice]

4. Invisibility

NAKED CHICKS!!!:evilgrin:

I get the whole soaring thrgouh the skies thing. I mean it owuld be FANTASTIC! But, no doubt if I had either one of those powers I would become a criminal and steal from rich asshole repugs. So I prefer to be invisible so they don't know who I am.

[dr.strangelove]

5. Invisibility

It would be cool to be unseen and be the "fly on the wall." Though I'd have a hard time avoiding the voyeuristic notions of going to the nearest sorority house, but I think I'd use my power for good, not evil. I'd go sit in on Rummy and George's discussion about Bush encouraging ways to get out of prosecution for torture, turn them both in, have George resign, help Kerry spank the new republican nomination and live happily ever after. (After the election though, it right to the sorority house).

[Sandpiper]

6. flight

No more morning and afternoon commute!!!

[emanresu]

8. Invisibility.

if you're invisible, you can just sneak on a plane.
and those go a lot faster than 120 mph.

[pagerbear]

13. Where would you sit?

What if it's sold out? How would they know to give you your packet of pretzels and your 4 oz. of soda?

[emanresu]

14. bring my own chair.

Anything you wear or carry also turns invisible with you.

[pagerbear]

15. Where are you going to put this chair on a crowded jetliner?

[emanresu]

19. emergency exit row?

seriously now. i didn't put that much thought into it.

[pagerbear]

22. I hope you'll think more next time!

Suppose you'd gotten on a crowded jetliner and taken some paying passenger's seat and there was nowhere to sit? Think these things through, man!

On edit: I like the idea, though. Free flights to Europe! I agree with the fly on the wall thing, too.

[4_Legs_Good]

11. Flight... (how close is hang gliding?)

It always seemed to be as close as one could get without growing wings. Plus I really love soaring birds - particularly vultures and (of course) condors.

Flight mostly because i'd love the mobility. Hopefully I wouldn't crash because of wind currents, though. It's really windy where I live.

david

[TN al]

16. I want flight...

...but only if I can sheath my body in flames when I do it, oh and of course I want all of the other flame related powers that go with sheathing my body with flames. If I can't have that then I don't want to play your silly game. Oh yeah, I want three superpowered frinds on my team too lets say one super strong guy made of orange rocks, maybe a girl who can turn invisible and create force fields and I don't know maybe a super brainy guy who can stretch his body however he wants. If you give me all of that then I want to fly.

[dorktv]

17. if whatever you can carry becomes invisible...

Invisiblity. Imagine leaving the White House with non-national security documents that DO show that they are really trying to hurt as many as they can and giving it to the nearest media or powerful congressperson with the guts to stand up to them.

[bratcatinok]

18. Invisible

Even though it would feed into a character flaw I struggle with. I have to watch myself at times because I can be a nosy person. I don't do anything harmful with it but I do like knowing stuff.

If I was invisible I could be the proverbial fly on the wall and find out all sorts of interesting stuff.

[Screaming Lord Byron]

20. Russia.

[geniph]

21. Every time this comes up, I vote for flight

and I still can't fly like I do in my dreams, dammit! x(

[leftofthedial]

23. flight would be a blast

but invisibility woud be my choice provided I could turn it on and off.

If I had to be permanently invisible, that would suck.

How would I shave? Or comb my hair?

[MallRat]

24. No. You can turn your powers on and off at will.

Anyway, if you're invisible, you don't have to shave or comb your hair. No one would see how scruffy you look.

-MR

[leftofthedial]

25. but I would KNOW

it just wouldn't be cool

besides how could I put the ointment on my boil?

[Bertha Venation]

26. Flight! I could go home at will! No more 2-hour commutes!

:bounce:

[Lestat]

27. Invisibility...then I can go into the girls lockerroom...

without being slapped. :evilgrin:

[BlueJazz]

28. I'd hook up with one of the Female DU'ers (who chose flight)

...marry her, I'd chose to be invisible and we'ed have the best of both worlds.

Of course, in your post, you said that the person who chooses flying would have to carry whatever she/he could so I guess I'd have to pick a mighty strong mate! :)