A question

[qnr]

You're making a daring midnight raid on the refrigerator for a snack. Winding your way through the pitch-black kitchen, you trip over the dog food bag and hit your head on the windowsill. When you 'wake up' you're traipsing down a Munich street in the 1930's. Suddenly, a gust of wind blows your bowler off your head and down the street. Some gentleman chases after it and returns it to you. You recognize him as Adolph Hitler. Do you thank him?

Just wondering.

[BelleCarolinaPeridot]

1. Yes ... you never know what an act of kindness could change in a person ..

I always had weird thoughts like " what if someone gave Hitler a hug ... " - nevermind me , just going back to the halls of Lurkdom .

[qnr]

2. I agree

:hi:

[BelleCarolinaPeridot]

4. Waves back at you .

Its an excellent question ... the power of a simple thank you with a smile can make a person's day or life change .

[qnr]

6. I'd imagine we'd need to back earlier than the '30's in his case though.

Although, it would be fascinating to know if you could change someone significantly that that late a stage.

[ChoralScholar]

3. Sure.. thank him... maybe take him to dinner

explain that people in the future will compare him to G.W. Bush.

He'd probably be a better person then.

[qnr]

5. Interesting thought - and he'd even know the family I was referring to.

:hi:

[orleans]

7. you've gotten some very nice replies to this thread so far

however...i hate to be the fly in the ointment but...

i think the kindest thing to do would be to kill him. (knowing what we know now--if he could have been stopped--

[qnr]

8. True, however, most people aren't prepared to kill people with their bare

hands on the spur of the moment. So would you thank him, get on his good side, learn his weaknesses, so you could kill him? Or would you not thank anyone of his ilk/that you were planning to kill?

[orleans]

18. no, no, no. I'd shoot him. right there. right away.

I'd take out my gun and shoot him. thank him? i don't think so. you see, it was all a set up. i knew he'd be there and i was banking on the fact that he would pause, hesitate and turn to face me. that's why i bought the gun.

if he didn't pause to pick up my hat i would have waited several more seconds, grabbed my hat, approached him and gotten his attention by saying: "pardon me" and then i'd shoot him when he turned to look.

you see--that was why i bought the gun in the first place. because i knew he would be there. i bought the gun just for the purpose of killing him.

[Jamastiene]

10. We agree. Check my reply. It's similar to yours. n/t

[Jamastiene]

9. No, I do away with him. Who knows how much kinder history could end up

becoming in the future for all those people he tortured then massacred? I can't help it. It's how I would handle it if at all possible. I just couldn't live with myself knowing what he would end up doing. One compared to millions. I'd live with the one over those millions any day.

[qnr]

12. Noted and understood. Still, somewhat of a side issue because

1. Would you kill him there on the street with your bare hands?
2. The description implies that this is kind of mental, so you wouldn't really be shaking hands/killing him, just dreaming about it.

[Jamastiene]

14. No, I'd just do it to get it over with as quickly as possible. I have

a question for you. Do you really think Hitler would be the type to do something kind for anyone on the street? I mean really. :shrug:

Btw, I'd try to make it look like an accident or something, not in front of people and then I'd get my ass back to America.

[merh]

11. What type of dog food bag?

I want to try that. :hi:

How about I thank him, befriend, try to convince him that his plans for world domination are not going to work and if my efforts fail, hire someone to help him have an accident.

:shrug:

[qnr]

15. Off-brand 50 pounder. You might get more precise control with Purina

Hi-Pro, or end up scattered across various blocks with a mishmash like Kibbles & Bits.

An accident huh? Maybe like tripping over a dog food bag and going back in time to confront someone? :)

[merh]

16. That's it -- that dog food bag has many uses.

:hi:

[CornField]

13. You should read "Making History" by Stephen Fry

That's the premise of the book -- if you had an opportunity to ensure Hitler was never born, would you do it? It's a good read.

[qnr]

17. I've heard of it, and contemplated that. Right now, I'm just thinking

about whether he deserves a "Thank You" for an good deed :)