If You Could Erase One Event From History, Which One Would You Erase?

[Jaximus-Lion]

[normalice]

What happens when something is "erased?" A lot of awful things turned out to serve as important lessons hundreds of years later after all those involved would be dead anyway. Like, where would we be today if we didn't have nazis to use as a point of reference for an absolute evil?

The conundrum with questions like these is to separate the predatory from the parasitic. Predatory is not nice but it is necissary to keep us moving. Hitler was a predator. Parasitic, however, kills the host. And the host, if were talking about human history, is humanity. Sadly, the only way to tell the difference between a predator and a parasite is in hindsight. I. e. if Hitler had won he would have been a parasite.

So, perhaps the key is to find something that took the maximum amount from humanity but with the minimum amount of resistance. Slavery, for example, certianly took a lot, but it was also pretty decidedly resisted. I think if we didn't have slavery when did then, because it was predatory instead of parasitic, there's a high risk we would have it now, instead - with even worse conditions as our capabilities for such things have increased.

What I mean by that is, say slavery did not occur in the US. The only conditions under which that would have been possible is if the idea of slavery just didn't occur to the first settlers. But that doesn't make it against the law: that just means the day it does occur to the settlers is delayed. So, if it had never happened in this country it wouldn't be against the law, under the assumption that its too ridiculous of a thing for anyone to actually do. And thus if someone were to do it in modern times, not only does the technology availible make it it much easier to monitor a bunch of slaves to ensure they are doing what they are told, it also makes it easier to keep the isolated, provide them with basic needs, and most importantly to deny it's happening. If it never occured to anyone until now to formally decide whether or not slavery was wrong, things could go rral bad real quick.

With all that in mind I think maybe the assassination of Lincoln was probably the most parasitic thing in this country. Or maybe the repeal of the fairness doctrine.

[OlderAndWiser]

The birh of Adolf Hitler.

[KostasKouvalis]

Someone else would come.

[OlderAndWiser]

Perhaps, but how many people would be that bad or worse?

[KostasKouvalis]

Stalin and Pol Pot were worse. Besides, Hitler wasn't even the mastermind of the Holocaust

[BillyBalls]

@KostasKouvalis True!!!

[OlderAndWiser]

Estimates of Hitler's victims: approx. 21,000,000 https://hawaii.edu/powerkills/NAZIS.CHAP1.HTM

Estimates of Pol Pot's victims: approx. 2,000,000 www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-pacific-10684399

Estimates of Stalin's victims: 7,000,000-10,000,000 en.wikipedia.org/.../Excess_mortality_in_the_Soviet_Union_under_Joseph_Stalin

All of these numbers are estimates and there are people who will estimate each number either higher or lower. They were all monsters.

[OlderAndWiser]

Thanks for MHO!

[FreyaRed]

Edict of Thessaloniki 380 AD had the biggest negative impact on Europe. It's was introduction of Christianity as state religion of Roman Empire. Christianity costed us Europeans at least 1000 years of social and technological development due its religious demagogy and dogmas. Religions are generally cancer of society but if believes compete with each other, their ability to indoctrinate minds of people is limited. Through this edict Christianity gained absolute power and abused it until time of industrial revolution. I would erase that if I could

[Jaximus-Lion]

Very interesting choice. But! Just a thought, when you erase an event! Another will accure and take place.

[FreyaRed]

Maybe, it's stuff for SF story anyways. I don't think that a hypothetical timeline hops in the same track if someone could erase a significant event in history. If the event has been erased further in the past, it's logical that differences in current time will be bigger.

[TheFlak38]

best answer. I was about to say the same.

[grega239]

Agreed. Id like my old culture back

[TheSpartan]

This answer is so pathetically ignorant of history lmao. Fucking idiot.

[RealMarek]

The edict was more or less inevitable because Christianity had already taken over the urban centers of the eastern Mediterranean. This was part of a cultural revolution in the Middle East that spread throughout the Eastern Mediterranean at the time. The eastern empire prospered for the better part of the next 600-800 years, as did the rival Islamic states that competed with it and eventually conquered it. As for the west, the so-called dark ages had more to do with the collapse of Greco-Roman civilization and the associated low fertility that led to depopulation than anything else. The West, with a thin population and in a post-civilized state, was at the mercy of warrior bands. This had much more to do with the fallout from the decadence and failure of late-stage paganism than Christianity.

Also, if religion is a cancer of society, what is atheism? The track record of the explicitly atheist states of the 20th century is murderous beyond belief.

[TheSpartan]

@RealMarek It's actually worse than that. The "Dark Ages" literally never happened.

[lilyanony1]

Slavery. It's fucked black people so badly and we're still recovering.

[jahaims]

There are more slaves today than at any other time in history.

[jaybee281]

I mean I wouldn't erase it black people wouldn't be in the usa today if it wasn't for it - They'd be in Africa - petting a car or something

[lilyanony1]

That's rude and that isn't true, human beings have migrated since the beginning of time. And that includes black people you are in need of a little history lesson pre slavery

[jahaims]

Slavery has always been around since modern humans.

www.mirror.co.uk/.../more-slaves-today-ever-before-4435373

https://50forfreedom.org/modern-slavery/

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slavery_in_the_21st_century

[jahaims]

Pre slavery would be pre humans.

[jaybee281]

@lilyanony1 That is actually 100% true - "have always migrated" - yes maybe when our species first started to go left and right - definitely not when empires were built strictly on the idea of nationalism and when the people that actually show up in these countries have something to offer - Nothing Africa had or has unfortunately, even now but luckily the countries themselves now give opportunities - and as @jahaims has pointed out - Slavery has always been around - The slaves brought to America were already slaves being sold in the African slave market by other Africans - That's the difference between people "migrating" and establishing settlements and the tribal mentality that is created after having established such settlements - and come on the petting cars comment was actually funny

[lilyanony1]

I'm not even going to entertain these silly responses good luck to uou

[lucas262]

So say goodbye to the Egyptians, the Greeks. The romans? Say goodbye to a ancient architecture and infrastructure

[jaybee281]

@lilyanony1 Now I'm sad - how could you do this to me lily?

[lilyanony1]

I'm talking to jahaims. I find people are happy to make jokes about slavery and the circumstances surrounding it. Even but wouldn't do the same in regards to the holocaust it's disrespectful.
And although yes there were slaves they weren't being subjected to the same conditions they were when taken or stolen by the Dutch Spanish and British!
So please read and educate yourselves.

[jaybee281]

@lucas262 Say hi to humans before they had any settlements - I'm working on inventing the wheel by the way - It's a thing made out of wood that is held to a center through other pieces of wood that are formed like sticks - It's one of those concepts - that you either are able to understand or just can't - It's very very advanced stuff - Someone told me you were working on getting food out of the ground - agricultural you call it? Hah good luck with that

[jaybee281]

@lilyanony1 well suddenly I'm not sad anymore - So you want us to make jokes about the holocaust? I'm in by the way just give me a heads up

[lilyanony1]

I don't want anyone to makes jokes about anyone's misfortune. Especially if it wasn't their ancestors being oppressed the way mine were

[jahaims]

When did I make a joke?

[lucas262]

We all agree slavery is morally repugnant.

But let's be realistic. The world as we know it wouldn't exist without slavery.

[jaybee281]

@jahaims I'm sorry bro the funny part is that I was the one who's making jokes😂😂 - You're speaking nothing but facts actually

[jahaims]

Doesn't bug me. Just going to corner her with logic and facts.

[KostasKouvalis]

Really? I beg to differ. They're much better off in the US and Caribbean than they would be in Africa. I think that's reparations enough. Their ancestors suffered so they could have a better life.

[lilyanony1]

Thanks for mho x

[dowser19]

So you don't count sex slavery, the world's biggest trafficking trade now huh? Hmm.🤔

[TheSpartan]

I agree, but for entirely different reasons.

[Moose304]

When I saw this question yesterday this was my first thought. I am a white male. The thing is the institution of slavery is almost as old as humans have been on the Earth. Many different cultures have suffered through slavery. This is why I am going to narrow my response to ONLY the forced migration of Blacks to North America from the very beginning. If I could have stopped this I would.

[grega239]

Thats funny. You might wanna look up where slavery originated and where the word slave comes from and then get back to me

[legalboxers]

@jaybee281 Guess you didn't learn with all the countries pummeling you.

[LaFerrari]

The 20 year war fueled literally by Petrodollar that followed after 9/11 that killed nearly a million people, the lies that followed after 9/11 causes the deaths of hundreds of thousands of civilians…

Not to mention recently having an incompetent man in command giving billions of dollars worth of defense assets to the Taliban on the end of the war, The very same man that said this years before he was president…

https://youtu.be/Rq-8OK4wgaA

[origami_cranes]

Coul you really truly pick one? Slavery has happened repeatedly. So have massacres. So has human trafficking. And it's not just one instance: it's the state of the world, always has been.

I guess if I had to pick one, it's be when Adam and Eve ate the fruit. But even still, I feel like understanding sin has some learning value.

[Heartache0405]

I would say slavery, but slavery in America ended a long time ago thanks to Abraham Lincoln and the Republican Party.


I'd say I'd erase all of the Democrat's racist acts throughout history that led to where we are today with lefties believing it's not racist to call white people privileged based on the color of their skin. Plus the democrat's use of black Americans as political tools to win elections.


I'd say I'd just delete the democratic party Completey, but evil has to be stored somewhere 🤷🏻‍♂️

[dowser19]

Hard to pick... but either Vietnam or 9/11. This country was stable in the 80's and 90's, and it got turned on its head for the worse because of both. It's totally fucked now. The East has us wasted now. Fractured, distracted, segregated. We're fucked. It's amazing how Boomers seem to escape blame for all of this... but want credit for their "movements." They're the ones still in power now who were all demonstrating against "the man" back then. Smh... amazing that they want the bougie life and credit now... that they so despised then.😏

[DizzyDesii]

I want to say The way i lost my virginity and who i lost it to. But then i worry that i wouldn't have grown into who i am today.

[Jaximus-Lion]

Was it so bad? If i may ask.

[DizzyDesii]

You can read the whole experience here. Gifs included
Get Out of Toxic Relationships While You Still Can :( ↗

[exitseven]

@DizzyDesii I feel the same way. It was a lesson I learned from.

[DizzyDesii]

@exitseven yea but i’d still like to go back and make sure it didn't happen

[Jaximus-Lion]

@DizzyDesii i remember it now. 🥺. I know you are a strong open person from what i have seen and if i habe not say it before, here i am again! If you news another friend dear? Am here and i promise you that am not a creep , other wise just block me if i cross the line

[DizzyDesii]

Lmao you’re fine. I know you mean well. And thank you for the kind words. Im much stronger now. I just hate i was so naive back then

[Bismarck_96]

Michael Myers

[DizzyDesii]

@Bismarck_96 really… you know i ain't about his ass

[theothersider]

I would change nothing. Our history is the barometer that we use to measure our selves as a society. Change any one thing and we lose some of our selves as humans. While there are some shitty parts of human nature that is enshrined in our history. there are some great things and great people that came out of that darkness.

[purplepoppy]

The invention of religion. I'd save bilions of lives.

[TheSpartan]

This is the most hilariously pathetic and misinformed answer that I could've possibly envisioned. It's so preposterously stupid that any positive opinion any reasonable induvial could've held about you has completely vanished, leaving nothing but laughter at your childish ignorance in its place.

[Jaximus-Lion]

@TheSpartan there is a (disagree) option. No newd to attack other people's opinion like that. You news to move on kid

[TheSpartan]

If your opinion is so preposterously stupid as to present an actual danger to the survival of organized human existence, then you deserve to be insulted for it.

[Jaximus-Lion]

@TheSpartan you are some serious clown. Sure! Stay around, i could use a laugh or two.

[TheSpartan]

You're an obese millennial with the historical knowledge of a lobotomized peanut.

[Jaximus-Lion]

@TheSpartan damn! Do you do stand ups in Sweden? Come on! Do one more

[TheSpartan]

>Swedish
Oh fuck, I should've known. Opinion immediately discarded.

[Jaximus-Lion]

@TheSpartan this is the best you can come with! Never mind. Skip sweden. Now go and play with the other kids.

[dvc0006]

that is a good one, we are so many decades possibly centuries behind technologically because of all those centuries being stagnated in religion, we would have a cure for every disease , we could travel to other planets, have a cure for aging. if it wasn't for the middle ages and other religion BS

[TheSpartan]

@dvc0006 this is unironic pseudohistory. You legitimately have absolutely no idea what you're talking about whatsoever with regards to history, but if you'd like, I could help educate you.

[dvc0006]

@TheSpartan "educate" me then , but you are wrong

[TheSpartan]

@dvc0006 No, I'm not wrong. First things first, we have to dispel this myth of the "Dark Ages" or scientific stagnation in the Middle Ages: this *literally* did not happen. The term "Dark Ages" refers to the lack of written records in Western and Northern Europe between the late 6th and 11th centuries, not a lack of scientific and technological progress. There was a massive degree of intellectual advancement in the high and late medieval eras, especially in the realm of metallurgy, philosophy, engineering, architecture, physics, optics, astronomy, etc. I mean, just look at the names William of Occam, St. Thomas Aquinas, St. Sylvester, Roger Bacon, Pope Sylvester II, St. Albert, etc. and those are just a few of the big names in the Christian European world (we're not even touching on the Muslims in Spain). And in the Early Middle Ages, let's not forget about the legions of countless monks charged by Charlemagne and other European nobility who translated and preserved thousands of documents for the purpose of intellectual preservation. Oh, and let's not also forget about the dozens of European universities and scientific institutions (sponsored by the Church and nobility, by the way) started during the high and late middle ages. Really, you have to understand that this narrative you're pushing is actual pseudohistory that isn't believed or preached by any current medievalists whatsoever.

[DaveJord]

Salary in the United States... I think without salary in our history that the US would be like Canada... and Canadians see like some pretty happy people not all pissed off about stupid shit all the time.

[DaveJord]

Slavery not salary

[Jaximus-Lion]

I figured it out , it's alright

[elizamichale1]

well i dont know about the history but i would definitely want to erase the times when i was raped

[Jaximus-Lion]

If i may ask? You don't need to answer unless you want to. How do you cope with such thing? How do you get over it?

[elizamichale1]

no its okay honey i can answer.. i feel it helps if i let it out
thankfully now i can easily cope with it but still at times it feels really painful but at others i just feel it as days which were just part of my life
and sometimes it pushes me not to trust anyone as all those were so trustworthy for me n my family

[Jaximus-Lion]

Thanks for sharing dear. I just happen to be a person that likes to ask people and be all curious to meet others, online and real life friends. If you are seeking a friend! If there is place or time, that is not a creep 😁 so am here

[elizamichale1]

sure why not darling plus thats what i am here for as well
so Hello Friend hehe

[humanearth]

The day man was created, humans are worst than cockroaches.

We kill ourselves, poison ourselves, pollute in the same place we live, and if some group of people have a bigger dick, we bomb them.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/5qqARrbi1h8

[AmandaYVR]

The Hitler era. He destroyed peoples' faith in people.

[Jaximus-Lion]

I don't understand the disagreement here 🤷‍♂️

[Static_In_The_Attic]

In 2032 I would erase the Milwaukee Brewers from the World Series & have the
Seattle Mariners take their place.

[Jaximus-Lion]

Am guessing baseball herd 🤷‍♂️

[Jaximus-Lion]

Here*

[Static_In_The_Attic]

Yes sir!

[Mavie123]

Not one event but I wish I could erase
The holocaust,
Also 11 September
And Hiroshima, Iraq War too.
Well I wish I could erase the pain of the world

[Jaximus-Lion]

Hiroshima! I get it. Iraq? Why specificlly Iraq?

[Mavie123]

Because many people lost their lives in Iraq war and the whole country got destroyed

[Staximus]

Damn, that's tough. I'm sure the usual answers are get rid of Hitler, Stalin, Mao, the guys that killed the most people etc. Supposedly Stalin and Mao killed 20 million of their own people. The Japanese exterminated millions of Chinese that nobody knows about during the war, too.
I think that I would go back and stop the industrial revolution, because that was the beginning of the end for our idiot species. Technology that enabled the support of massive populations and massive war machines.

[Lillie_xo]

i dont think id erase any
everything in history is fucked up
but everything had to happen
maybe get rid of the troubles
what would be the consequences of that? a 9 year old girl wasn't accidentally shot dead.

[BCRanger10]

I don't know if I would erase anything. Yes, many terrible things have happened. I know Back to the Future is a comedy movie, but Doc Brown's point is spot on. Even if you have good intentions with changing a past event, the future consequences could be disastrous.

[menina]

It would be slavery too. That way the African continent would be at peace, it would be rich and developed and black people would be successful.

[MelonSoda]

The blacks being enslaved, the horrible crimes that were committed by Hitler, or the mistreatment of Indians caused by European settlers.

[WhiteBoyChill]

Mistreatment of indians? Lol like they didn’t ever raid settlements.

[grega239]

@WhiteBoyChill what about europeans? They were invaded conquered and enslaved for centuries too by non europeans

[Oigit]

I wouldn't mess with history. I'm not a fan of messing with history or time in general. Because we never really have a way of knowing how the changes we make will pan out. We might think erasing a bad event from make things better. But for all we know doing so could set off a chain reaction that leads to a much worse event in history.

[jaybee281]

I honestly wouldn't erase any of it - if you erase a part of it I think that there'd be something else that could happen along the same lines if that made any sense - Like if it wasn't hitler it would've been someone else - And so on - But if we're talking about an event strictly removed and 100% it wouldn't happen - maybe napoleon losing - Imagine how much of a badass he'd be - even more than he already is