Whee.

[xp_cypher]

If anyone had any vague thought of trying out for a game show or reality show or some such, don't bother. Thought I'd take a stab at trying out for Jeopardy, just on a lark. And of course the first question on the prospective candidate questionaire is 'Are you X-factor positive?' Phrased a lot more politely and roundabout than that, for sure, but still. And it of course leads to a oh-so-nicely phrased 'thanks but no thanks' sort of response if you say yes.

Bleh. There goes my dream of winning, like, 80 times, and making a lot of money.

Comments

[x-sanfuaiyaa.livejournal.com]

I can't believe Alex Trebek would let questions like that be asked. He seems like such a nice and understanding person.

You could always lie, you know.

[x-polarisstar.livejournal.com]

On the upside, I heard that what's his face, that kid from that irritating WB show, threatened to leave the show if they didn't hire an actual mutant for an upcoming plot. Nice to see someone with a brain.

[x-crowdofone.livejournal.com]

"that kid from that irritating WB show?" Way to narrow it down, Lorna. :)

[x-crowdofone.livejournal.com]

Actually, this one I can understand. I mean, there's just way too many mutations that'd make it way too easy to cheat at Jeopardy, and if they haven't figured out how to, for example, stop a telepath from picking the answers right out of Alex Trebek's head, or stop a clairvoyant reading them over his shoulder from across the room, or a probability manipulator from making all the other contestants guess wrong when they aren't sure . . . easiest way to keep it an honest game is to disallow mutants until they figure out how to compensate. Makes you wonder what game shows are gonna look like in ten-fifteen years, though, doesn't it?

[x-tarot.livejournal.com]

And yet, that would not stop anyone with a reasonable amount of forethought at all.

The person applying to be on the show does not even need to be the mutant. A telepath nearby could read the correct answers and tell them to the contestant, even with the questions about mutancy.

[x-polarisstar.livejournal.com]

Does it help if I said, you know, with the hair? ;)

[x-forge.livejournal.com]

I choose one long weekend to spend sequestered in the lab, and you guys go on and have an actual intelligent conversation started without me? I'm impressed.

Marie-Ange has a very significant point. Yes, game shows are one thing - but the concept could set some precedent. If, say, Doug goes on Jeopardy and has Mr. Dayspring link him telepathically with an army of Madroxes (Madroxice? Madroxen? Madri?) with a wealth of information at their fingertips, how would that be different than say, using steroids to unfairly compete in sports?

All we need would be some sore loser to accuse the winner of using mutant abilities to cheat, and even if it couldn't be proven, the accusation alone could spread paranoia. Remember the fiasco with Jean-Paul Beaubier and the Olympic Committee? Medals revoked because there was no way to prove he didn't use his mutant powers to assist his downhill times.

For trivialities like sports and game shows, I can actually understand the concern with a level playing field. I wonder how that will eventually translate into commerce and industry, with mutants who might have abilities that present an "unfair advantage". I had a rather civil conversation back at the HeliX rally with the local FoH chairman about that. It's frightening when they actually make you think they might have somewhat of a point.

Although, really Doug? Jeopardy? Try something with a real challenge.

[x-crowdofone.livejournal.com]

Yeah, and if Doug or Kitty tried hard enough they could get into damn near any computer they felt like, but that doesn't mean people should just say "y'know, screw internet security, it's worthless."

I'm not saying it's not discrimination and I'm not saying it doesn't suck. What I am saying is, hey, if you have a better idea about how to keep unscrupulous greedy mutants from ruining things for the rest of us, let's hear it.

[x-tarot.livejournal.com]

I wish I -had- a better idea, but I do not, and this asks ugly questions - is being born with an advantage like Doug's power, or yours, any different from being born with a gift for trivia and an amazing memory?

[x-crowdofone.livejournal.com]

Dunno. But I'm pretty sure the definition of cheating hasn't changed.

They're being heavy-handed with the "no mutants" policy, but really, mutants haven't been a public presence for long enough for more elegant solutions to be all that widespread.

[x-tarot.livejournal.com]

A telepath giving someone else answers or getting them from someone else, that would be cheating, yes.

But would a mutant gift that let you know them a little bit faster or better? How is that different from a savant?

[x-crowdofone.livejournal.com]

I don't think it is. But how do you tell if a mutant's telling the truth about what they can do when they sign up?

And say you can screen for particular kinds of mutation--what's to stop people from going too far the other way, and suddenly the NCAA championships come down to who has the most mutants on their team? That's just as dangerous as not letting mutants compete at all.

[x-forge.livejournal.com]

It's interesting - I had the chance to experience that firsthand after being "just human" for a while. I learned two things: first, that even without mutant powers, I can still use the information I've learned to solve problems the way I did before. But second, that my power seriously assists me not so much with recall but with just knowing stuff. And going off of what Marius says (having experience with both mine and Doug's powers), Doug's brain and my brain probably work a lot alike.

In other words - if Doug could score exactly the same on the qualifying tests WITHOUT his powers (not that I'm advocating inhibitors. Not only are they ethically abominable, the health risks are way too dangerous for casual use) - then his mutant ability wouldn't be an advantage. But if the presence of his ability alters his chances at the event, then it DOES present an unfair advantage.

[x-icarus.livejournal.com]

Why doesn't Jeopardy just hire a telepath to monitor the game to make sure that there's no funny business going on?

[x-forge.livejournal.com]

Same reason courts can't use a telepath to determine veracity of witness testimony - how do you trust the telepath? You'd have to have a telepath monitoring the telepath, ad infinitum.

And what about contestants (or jurors, or job applicants) who happen to have more or less psychic shielding through training or natural ability (or inability in my case)? For example - I'm told by the Professor that I have next to no psychic shielding, even after going through the mental exercises he's been helping me with. Yet apparently going into Jamie's brain is like speed-reading the phone book.

Or the possibility that people might not consent to being telepathically monitored? Considering that telepathy is ranked as the number-one feared mutation around by some of the independent polling groups, it's understandable that people fear the very concept, even those who aren't anti-mutant.