[Aaron]

I have my own opinion of what this "thing" is... which I'll post later with my reasoning.

--------------------------

Is it Bioengineering?

Perhaps some idea?

A new technology?

A group?

Natural Resources?

Metaphysical stuff?

So let's have it... What's the most "powerful" thing in the world?

[Kylon]

Well, I remember reading somewhere in the Bible(or maybe it was the apocraphya) that a king had a challenge/contest and would give a massive reward for whoever could tell him what the most powerful thing in the world was.


I think one man said it was lions, with their fierce teeth, and great strength.

Another man said, "You are the most powerful thing in the world, my lord".

The third man said, the most powerful thing in the world is woman. For man toils and works, and risk his life in trade and war, and brings back all of his wealth to please his woman.

You can guess what the right answer was/who got the reward.

I believe it was king Cyrus of Babylon.

Anyway, apart from God(if you count God), I would say the most powerful thing in the world is technology, inasfar as the ability to produce things and control things regarding the real reality.

And depending on what kind of power depends on what kind of technology.

[rwwff]

The mantle of the Earth, flinging continents from one side of the globe to the other. In comparison with that, we're a nuthin.

If we restrict to manmade... GM foods.

[Zardoz]

Human self-interest, AKA "greed".

[katkinkate]

I suppose you mean 'the world' to mean the human world .. the world of human society and economy. In that case, the most powerful thing is human intellect (the source of technology).

[alpha480v]

I would have to say Charisma/Personality is the most powerfull human quality.(Or liability,depending on how you look at it).

A strong charisma can entice a entire country into doing things that it would never do otherwise.

A strong religous zeolot can make his followers do anything he wants them to do in the name of religon.

People are sheep and will follow a strong charasmatic leader.

[ashurbanipal]

Silence.

[Aaron]

Great Farkin responses folks...

[Bas]

an open mind....which is hard to maintain.

[da23]

stupidity.......

[lateralus]

Three guesses are:

1. Ideas?

2. Learning from mistakes?

3. My house stereo on full volume?

(George Bush on crack perhaps....)

[Aaron]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Bas', 'a')n open mind....which is hard to maintain.

[Bas]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Aaron', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Bas', 'a')n open mind....which is hard to maintain.

[Aaron]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', ' ')I had that the first couple of days after I found it.

[uNkNowN ElEmEnt]

The most powerful "thing" ever known and one that workd on more than one level, which many of you will not get is.... Silence.

[smallpoxgirl]

In human terms, I'd have to say the most powerful thing is hope. Humans will do all manner of insane things because it gives them hope.

The most powerful thing overall I would call The Way. Some people call it God, others Karma. Whatever the invisible force is that causes universes to form and fade, suns to burn and then blink out. The force that crafted the rules that science seeks to discover. In comparison, we really are puny creatures. Masters of all we survey, but ultimately no more significant than a collection of fungi eating a toenail.

[Magus]

I think smallpoxgirl sums up my view pretty well, but I would also like to submit one more idea:

Free will. The power one has over their own destiny. Will humanity learn from the mistakes it has made, and create a better world for our childeren?

Or...

[MonteQuest]

The truth.

[Jack]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('smallpoxgirl', '
')The most powerful thing overall I would call The Way. Some people call it God, others Karma. Whatever the invisible force is that causes universes to form and fade, suns to burn and then blink out. The force that crafted the rules that science seeks to discover. In comparison, we really are puny creatures. Masters of all we survey, but ultimately no more significant than a collection of fungi eating a toenail.