NationStates Jolt Archive

I've just started reading the Japanese manga Death Note (the story of how a teenager recieves a notebook that can kill by writing someone's name in it, and uses it to kill criminals) and it got me thinking, would I use the death note if I was given it? And if so how? And I was wondering how other people might use it. Do you think using it to kill criminals would be justified?

Well, it depends on the usage. What youe suggesting is a slippery slope kind of situation, wherein there is the good intention, but, those intentions could turn bad given the opportunity and one's perception of what is "criminal", especially in the face of relative morality.

Some people may use it for their own ends, such as for example right-leaning fundamentalist Christians may use it to eradicate the "homosexuals" as they see homosexuality as a crime against society because it's "immoral" and is a "sin" in the eyes of 'God'. Or, against any other kind of person.

It's all situational because people have different perceptions when it comes to this kind of thing.

i doubt i could resist writing the name osama bin laden in the book.

it would be much too much power for a person to handle. the possiblities of misuse are too high

i doubt i could resist writing the name osama bin laden in the book.

it would be much too much power for a person to handle. the possiblities of misuse are too highespecally if you didn't know what the book does when you first get it...

Given how many people have the same name, I'd burn the thing. Then again, I'd burn it even if it knew which person you were referring to.

I might use it to ensure world peace.

Namely - announce to the world the book, then demonstate on an animal or something. Then tell the world leaders that anyone who starts a war will have his/her name written in the book. Hopefully no one would be dumb enough to try, thus you wouldn't really have to kill anyone... hopefully.

That or burn the damned thing. I couldn't risk something like that falling into the hands of the United States military or government.

Given how many people have the same name, I'd burn the thing. Then again, I'd burn it even if it knew which person you were referring to.
Btw, to the person who was afraid of what would happen if you didn't realize what it was at first: That's how the original went. Death Note was a short little one shot, and then became a series.

Okay, here, let me write down the rules of the Death Note:
"The human whose name is written on this note shall die."
"This not will not take effect unless the writer has the person's face in their mind when writing his/her name. Therefore, people sharing the same name will not be affected."
"If the cause of death is written within 40 seconds of writing the person's name, it will happen."
"If the cause of death is not specified, the person will simply die of heart attack."
"After writing the cause of death, details of the death should be written in the next 6 minutes, 40 seconds."


If I got my hands on this thing, I'd probably make all my killings look like God did it :p (you know, getting struck by lightning INDOORS, that sorta thing)

If I got my hands on this thing, I'd probably make all my killings look like God did it :p (you know, getting struck by lightning INDOORS, that sorta thing)
Better yet, have everyone you write down die when they get struck by a meteorite (about the size of a marble) that hits them directly in the skull. Just watch the astronomers try and figure that one out.
Anyway, with such a weapon I wouldn't waste my time on criminals because they are often dealt with by other groups anyway. No, the people who will make the world a better place by leaving it are (most) political leaders and activists, and the entire country of Portugal (Why Portugal? Its like Spains Canada, and I don't think we need any of that. They've been asking for it for years anyway.)
And telling people about it would be a big no-no because most of the advantage of the Death Note over a descent sized rifle is the complete anonymity that it would let you act with.