If we could fly...

[InvaderShy 18]

The very first time I saw the pegasi in the series I recovered an old childhood's thought: How would be the world if we could fly?

 

I'm still trying to construct that thought of mine being as realistic as possible, but I can expose some points. If we could fly:

 

-The "New World" could be discovered before 1492. Maybe in 900 or 1100.

-Globalization would be like the nowadays situation by the 19th century.

-Navigation and automotive industries would be non-existent. There would be only aviation industry.

-We would exploit resources twice that we'd do it without wings.

-The world would be in real jeopardy for the World War I and II could be really cruel, bloody and destructive.

 

That's what I still have clear, I can be wrong though. In short, our lives would be harder and dangerous turning our existences in an aunthetic "Hell on Earth" (Note: I'm not pesimistic, I'm just trying to be realistic) If you want to see another point about this "flying issue" then take a look on this link:

http://listdose.com/top-10-things-fly/ 

 

Anyway, what do you think?

Agree or disagree?

What kind of fact would you add to this list?

[Twilight Dirac 721]

Your awfully pessimistic.  I would love to be able to fly, and I don't see why it would make the world any worse.  In regard to your points

 

 

 

-The "New World" could be discovered before 1492. Maybe in 900 or 1100.

 

Not unless we also had super endurance.  Your not suggesting we fly clean over the Atlantic.  Also, I don't real see early discovery as a bad thing.

 

 

 

-Globalization would be like the nowadays situation by the 19th century.

 

I really think we would still require 20th century industrial and telecommunication infrastructure to back up Globalization.  And again, I don't see anything wrong with globalization.

 

 

 

-Navigation and automotive industries would be non-existent. There would be only aviation industry.

 

We would still need to move around all manner of goods.  I don't think anyone would be happy flying with a hundred pounds of stuff on their back.  Ground and sea transportation would still be the cheapest way to move stuff.  We would still need trucks, trains and cargo ships.

 

 

 

-We would exploit resources twice that we'd do it without wings.

 

 

Um, why?  We might require more food because flight takes a lot of energy, but the rest of our industries really wouldn't be affected.

 

 

 

-The world would be in real jeopardy for the World War I and II could be really cruel, bloody and destructive.

 

World War I and II were really cruel, bloody and destructive.  I don't see how flying would change that.  Also, as above, no one is going to be flying straight over the Atlantic, so the U. S. would still be relatively safe.

Edited July 10, 2014 by Twilight Dirac

[SkyDream 315]

I love this topic, and everyone in it.

 

I have pretty realistic flight dreams, or at least as far as I can tell, having very little to compare it to. It's true that flying isn't innately easy. It's simple, sort of, yes, but it's not easy. A lot of energy goes into it, and you really do need a higher metabolism to maintain any sort of altitude short of a continued updraft for any really worthwhile travel time.

 

You'd be eating a lot more often, which potentially implies more restroom trips. Good luck trying to chain a rest-stop to a cloud.

 

I think rollercoasters and other related amusement park rides would be less interesting. They wouldn't necessarily give you a sense of flight that you lacked, but would introduce the "lazy man's flight" mechanics where you get all the air with far less of an effort. But people would probably still prefer natural flight mechanics due to the inherent ability to control their flight angles to the desired degree.

 

If anyone here has ever read James Patterson's books "Maximum Ride" or "When the Wind Blows" you will probably have a lot more opinions here.

[Courageous Thunder Dash 7,824]

Scientifically, it could be possible. 

 

See, I've been trying to levitate myself, ever since I discovered I could manipulate the energy all around me and push it around (total dbz reference). If I could just make my energy greater then the pull of gravity, which equal 9.80 meters per second², it could be done. But I must train and meditate every day to get my energy up that high. It would be a total dream come true once I could fly like the characters in dbz. Again, it is possible. 

 

But for now, we could always hang-glide or use wingsuits to jump from planes and give us temporary flight. 

[InvaderShy 18]

 

 

I don't see anything wrong with globalization

I never said globalization was something bad. I'm a supporter of it.

 

 

Um, why?  We might require more food because flight takes a lot of energy, but the rest of our industries really wouldn't be affected

Flight takes a lot of energy. And that energy would requiere natural sources. So, that means over-exploitation of oil, coal, etc.

 

I don't see how flying would change that.

Imagine a Germany with high developed airships who can cross the Atlantic Ocean just as Hindenburg blimp did 17 times and it has bombs and turrets inside it with which could destroy half New York or Washington.

[striking-heart 0]

this is a great topic. i have always wondered what it would be like to fly. i have always day-dreamed about flying, or turning into other animals and flying. that is why my OC is a pegasus. if we could fly, things would be better. ( opinions people )

[M'aiq the Liar 5,804]

But I can fly. I do it all the time. The angles that live beneth the bowling alley gave me the ability after I helped them change a lightbulb.

 

But if we could fly, we would look very very different. What with the need for near hollow bones, in order to be light enough to be able to lift themselves via wings.

 

Unless we are flying via some energy manipualtion, in wich case the Agency is not going to allow that, and I hope you like being hit with HPM weapons.

[DubWolf 17,226]

I will assume that wings would not be our means of propulsion; our wings would have to be impractically massive to enable us flight with our current body configuration, I would think. Unless someone would like to add to this (it's a bit off-topic, but why not?). I will also assume that our flight is like that of Goku or Superman.

 

TwiDirac already addressed your points.

 

Aside from that, I'm sure there would be all sorts of sports that would exist (like Quidditch xD) thanks to the extra dimension. Parents or guardians would have an easier time being vigilant of their young, assuming they are still incapable of flight. People would be able to get a glimpse of their cities and towns and environment from the air, and ohhh just think of all the possibilities, both great and not so great!!!

[Thunderlane 550]

I don't care if anyone else had wings, and were just humans, but i still wanna be a Pegasus

[Twilight Dirac 721]

 

 

Flight takes a lot of energy. And that energy would requiere natural sources. So, that means over-exploitation of oil, coal, etc.

 

But the extra flight is being done by people, not airplanes.  So it would only increase the demand for food.

 

 

 

Imagine a Germany with high developed airships who can cross the Atlantic Ocean just as Hindenburg blimp did 17 times and it has bombs and turrets inside it with which could destroy half New York or Washington.

 

 

But germany had airships anyway.  They obviously decided that crossing the Atlantic in a poorly maneuverable hydrogen filled balloons to attack the U.S. when the U.S. had fighter planes was suicide.  How would flying people change that?  If anything, if people could fly, the zeppelins would risk being downed by any idiot pyromaniac in addition to fighter planes.

[IridscentNionios 1,420]

If we could fly shit would be 20% cooler.

[01000111 01101111 01 18]

Oh, I think vehicles of all kind would still exist in a hypothetical alternate universe where flight was possible...

Don't underestimate laziness - especially mine.

[Eloquence 2,076]

But I can fly. I do it all the time. The angles that live beneth the bowling alley gave me the ability after I helped them change a lightbulb.

 

I understood that reference

 

Ahem, moving on from the nerd-excitement, I think things would be very different, if for no other reason than that our bodies would be different. We would be more like birds anatomically; our bones would be lighter, we'd maybe be short some organs (for example only one of many of the organs that there are normally two of), and our digestive system would be smaller, meaning that we'd have very different diets. We would consume more calorie-rich foods, perhaps even removing difficult-to-digest things like vegetables and meat from our diets all together. We would likely also adopt the more efficient avian respiratory system.

 

On a more superficial note, obviously the shirts we have today wouldn't work for us. I imagine the difficulty of constructing something like a bra could mean that the social stigma of uncovered breasts in our culture might never come about, and we would all wear shirts less often and consider them less important.

 

Also I would love to see what develops in the world of wing fashion, the sorts of adornments that would become popular and whether or not feather dying would catch on.

[Espurr 449]

If I could fly, I probably wouldn't. I don't like heights a lot. I'd just float and freak people out.

[Ashen Pathfinder 16,161]

I wouldn't mind flying too much, but one has to keep in mind the important of balance, focus, and common sense.

 

Not to mention that we share the skies with plenty of birds, and...it might easier than we believe to fly into a whole flock and potentially kill ourselves.

 

But...aside from that, it could be fun.

[Invincible 2,091]

I think so too, actually. Buildings and architecture would take a different turn, always going for heights for example. A flying species would need ample space to travel in. I think i'd enjoy flying, but then again, it would act like a second nature to me so i'd probably fail to see it as significant.

[Cloby604 87]

Maybe we will be contaminainting the sky even more,

 

insted of car crash there would be flying crash....(?

 

We would go anywere.

 

Houses would look diferent...since if someone wants to steal you you have to have a protection from the sky

[mcpon14 87]

If I could fly, I probably wouldn't. I don't like heights a lot. I'd just float and freak people out.

 

I don't like heights either.  But I might hover from place to place if I'm too lazy to walk.

[Kookie 135]

I am afraid of heights but I love to fly because I will fly away and say "SUPER MAAAAAAAN!"

[mcpon14 87]

I am afraid of heights but I love to fly because I will fly away and say "SUPER MAAAAAAAN!"

 

Watch out for birds and other air traffic up there man.