Okay, the aliens land ...

[futureperfect5]

Let's say the humanoid aliens land and they speak impeccable english and have fantastic bodies.

What if they propose to bond into hybrids with the people of Earth. [In doing this, every problem, every war, every disease would vanish -- personally, I know that we could do this for ourselves, still ...]
The one stipulation being that EVERYTHING that we know as civilization would have to change, except ....

What would be the ONE THING ... that you would wish to keep EXACTLY the way it is now?

[ShaiGar]

continuation of collection of knowledge and entertainment in book form that allows public and private ownership of said items

[notoppings]

Mans sense of curiosity, to always question why, to seek out new experiences, if there is a sign that says don't push this button. We push it.

[Cuivienen]

Mans freedom to make his own decisions, learn from his own errors, determine his own goals and shape his own destiny.

[sriv]

Collective knowledge of the ages. Second choice would be freedom.

[blueback]

I'm a fan of pizza.

[azelismia]

this is an impossible question to answer without knowing HOW all things would change first.

for instance what if I said, the environment must be maintained. but one of their changes was to improve the environment drastically for all involved? Impossible to answer this.

[RedOwen333]

I like this question.I can't answer it but its making me think.

If all problems were taken away what would be left? What would we do?

Can enjoyment exist without suffering?

[blueback]

If all problems were taken away what would be left? What would we do?

Read The End of History and The Last Man by Francis Fukuyama

[TheLastMohican]

What would be the ONE THING ... that you would wish to keep EXACTLY the way it is now?

Democracy and its related freedoms.

[Tenacious B]

this is an impossible question to answer without knowing HOW all things would change first.
Agreed. I would have to evaluate all significant changes and make the decision based on the change I find least appealing.

[ShaiGar]

Bah, Democracy is a fools game.

[fonmaneal]

I want to keep my porn.

I need my dirty pics.:)

[TheLastMohican]

Bah, Democracy is a fools game.
Compared to what? It's better than the alternatives.

[Aronnax]

Bah, Democracy is a fools game.

Churchill said it best: "Democracy is the worst form of government, except for all those other forms that have been tried from time to time."

I'd want to keep human curiosity, without immediate problems to keep us occupied we'd become bored and complacent. It's a big universe with lots of mysteries to uncover, curiosity would give us a way to continue growing and developing.

...Unless of course "bonding with them" was simply a bad translation of them eating us and replacing our civilization with one that's more functional. In that case I'd want to keep indigestion.

[capricornintj]

I wouldn't mind being a symbiant host, but I think the alien would be screaming to get out once it got a look into my mind. Tee hee.

The one thing I wouldn't want to change is a tough one. I'd like to see stupid people continue taking themselves out of the gene pool in creative ways.

[darkkodiak]

If we can only keep one thing, I would agree our nature of curiosity, it's been our driving force to bettering ourselves.

[Ool]

The fact that if something looks too good to be true it usually is…

[cal]

What would be the ONE THING ... that you would wish to keep EXACTLY the way it is now?

The fact that if something looks too good to be true it usually is…

I'm in.

[Beery Swine]

Mexican food. Definitely Mexican food.