Poll: Magic vs Technology

[Evonisia]

Magic is useful, but technology advances much faster and is more widely available for Joe Scumbags like myself. Of course, we should live in a modern world with magic being a publicly known thing so we don't get any Harry Potter bid'nezz ruining everything. We can't deal with racism amongst our kind, nevermind half-bloods and the like.

 

[Fijiman]

Personally I would go with both, but as that is not an option I'll go with tech because internet.

 

[Rabbitboy]

If the world with magic is like Dragon Age or Fable then technology all the way baby.

 

[shiaramoon]

To quote LoadingReadyRun: "magic...magic magic magic."

Access to technology is usually dependent on money, whereas access to magic is dependent on knowledge. I think a magical universe would enable more people to have access to better standards of living.

 

[cleric of the order]

"Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic"

Darn you I was going to say that

Okay well then magic.
For better or for worst magic can often provide a more abstract view of the universe.
Magic assuming it is an internal thing makes people mostly self reliant within a small amount of time while technology requires more and more complex systems of employment and a slower advance over all.
There's less waste in total, and the advent of magic would mean the existence of magical creatures, easily accessible alternate dimensions, more places to explore and a universe of choice.
Hell I could move between a dimension of magic and technology seamlessly if i wanted to.
Technology does have the internet, post humanism and the singularity
So you better or give me magic.

 

[Asita]

Answer will vary somewhat based on whether or not I myself have access to magic and the know-how that allows me to tinker with it and innovate. If not, not really worth the magic world. If so...well suffice to say that I could probably make a fortune by replicating modern conveniences through magic (Hot/Cold Crystals scattered throughout a building and linked to a control crystal could mimic heating/air conditioning, for instance). Also depends on the rules of magic (Magic as a replenishing energy source makes the idea much more viable than if it has to be cast from life force). As such I abstain from voting, pending further clarification.

 

[O maestre]

Magical world, I am, way too addicted to reddit.

Plus I'd get to say a bunch of gibberish an launch fireballs

 

[Vault101]

Actually, it seems like stagnation is quite common in fantasy stories.

well yeah, I guess that's part of their appeal

its just the issues with the magical world become all the more obvious when you know its happening alongside the "real" world, I mean when your a kid its super cool wish fulfilment but when you get older and actually think about it, the magic world is screwed

to be fair the later books don't gloss over this *too much*

slightly on a tangent but now that I think about it how weird would it be to be a muggle-born or a squib?

I mean I know Herminoies parents are seen in the bookstore in "the chamber of secrets" so clearly they are aware/allowed to hang out in wizard society (perhaps to a limited extent) but even if their aware of it I can't help but think there would be this real disconnect between her and her parents, they don't really understand her "world" and her being a part of wizard society from such a young age (and this is Hermione she takes wizardry to 11) wouldn't she have a bit of disconnect or even disdain for the muggle world? and what would they say to friends/family about their slightly odd daughter that no one ever sees?

or being a squib...even if you did integrate well into muggle society (without having a bigass inferiority complex/being bitter) you'd always have this secret that you couldn't tell anyone, particularly hard if you develop muggle relationships, depending on your attitude you'd be stuck between worlds, one you might think is beneath you, one where you're never good enough

 

[Tayh]

I'mma go with technology.
Couldn't imagine living in a world without flushing toilets or toilet paper.
Also, everyone has access to technology, whereas magic is something most commonly accessible to mages.

 

[one squirrel]

Would you rather live in a world at the current an advancing technological level or would you live in an universe similar to dragon age or Fable where technology is more or less locked at the medieval level but magic is available?

I voted for technological world. But I am not really sure if there is even a difference between the two. How does one tell magic from technology?

 

[Addendum_Forthcoming]

Would you rather live in a world at the current an advancing technological level or would you live in an universe similar to dragon age or Fable where technology is more or less locked at the medieval level but magic is available?

Reminds me of The Longest Journey lore of Stark and Arcadia.

Hmmmm ... see magic is inherently less useful than technology. Spending years to learn how to teleport, throw explosive bolts of fire, etc. Where as with technology you have grenades and automobiles.

Not only that, but I would imagine the modern world couldn't exist if there was magic. Like, every nutcase with a few years on their hands can blow up buildings with his mind. A world with egregious forms of very physically potent magic sounds kinda scary to be honest.

One person goes postal, kiss a city block goodbye.

Arguably a world where D&D style magic could exist would not likely mean said magic was possible. Given the insane destructiveness of magic, it would likely be outlawed. With people slaughtering those who show even the barest hint of magical talent.

 

[The Raw Shark]

I'm waiting for the day where people stop limiting parts of the "Fantasy" and "Sci-Fi" Setting and we can all have a game where it turns out the Aliens we're looking for are in fact the Elves and Dwarves. Maybe throw in all yer other fantasy creatures like Dragons and such as well if you must, but still.

 

[CrystalShadow]

... I prefer the techno-mage, so... Why choose? ;p

Of course, as the saying goes "All sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic."

The implied Corollary of that statement is "All sufficiently advanced magic is indistinguishable from technology."

So... I guess in the long run it all evens out, and it only really becomes a meaningful distinction in a setting where one is way more advanced than the other.
(Such as reality, which is the extreme case, where technology is quite advanced, but magic is, to common knowledge at least, non-existent.)

 

[spartan231490]

"Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic"

Technology all the way.

Technology can advance; magic will not. +1 Technology

assumption. In pretty much every fantasy novel or game I can think of, except for LoTR, magic advances the same way tech does in this world.

Technology is available to all. From most stories, magic is not. +1 Technology

In what way? Sure, in a magical world, I might not be born with the ability to fly, but in this world I can't afford a a private jet, hovercraft, or jet pack. Magic is really no more exclusive than technology.

Technology will create Terminators to enslave all mankind; Magic will summon demons to enslave all mankind. Uh....tie?

If it was not obvious, I would choose magic. If for no greater reason than the change of pace. Humans have managed to waste technology on a grand scale, I wonder if we might make better use of magic. Also, as mentioned, I can't afford high tech technology, but maybe I'd have magic in the other world. And lastly, as I have an extensive and broad education, even without magic, I could invent numerous things and make a truly disgusting living for myself as some king's adviser.

 

[TallanKhan]

To this I would add:
"Your ancestors called it magic, and you call it science. I come from a world where they are one and the same."

You could add that, "BUT YOU'RE NOT KING! Not yet!"

OT: I have thought of another reason to vote for Magic, Golems!

 

[tippy2k2]

In what way? Sure, in a magical world, I might not be born with the ability to fly, but in this world I can't afford a a private jet, hovercraft, or jet pack. Magic is really no more exclusive than technology.

Alright, I've seen people say this a couple of times and I think that people are GROSSLY underestimating even the technology that we have today.

-Right now, I live in Minnesota. It is currently 0 degrees F (-18 C) but my house can be at whatever temperature I want it to be at.

-I can communicate with billions of people using a device more powerful than the entire space program had when it landed on the moon.

-The average life span of humans is at the highest it's ever been and it's going to just continue going up.

-If I need to get somewhere fast, I can trade a bit of currency to get on an airplane and be anywhere in the world within 24 hours.

-I have a device in my phone that can pinpoint exactly where I'm at and it can tell me exactly where I need to go in order to get where I need to be.

Yeah, we might not look like "Back to the Future" or "Futurama"....yet. Technology is growing at an exponential rate. A lifetime ago, none of those things listed were widely available (or existed period). Just think of what it's going to look like a lifetime from now...

NOTE: I'm not saying you can't vote for magic btw. I'm just throwing this out there because I keep seeing a lot of people complaining about how "shitty" technology is in this thread.

 

[BodomBeachChild]

Why can't we have the best of both worlds?

I personally prefer technology, but I'm usually torn. I'd rather live in a world like EVE than anywhere, but living in a world like TES would be fantastic.

Meh... I'll take my spaceships.

 

[DeltaEdge]

Technology easily. I'd hate being locked into medieval times just so I could use some vague mystic powers that by their very nature, can't be fully quantified, the fact that you're stuck in medieval times only furthering the fact that you are indeed using powers beyond your understanding.

Weird, considering that 99% of the games I play are heavily based around magic, and I generally am not able to get into much else, including sci-fi stuff too a lot of the time. But yeah, magic would just be too game-breaking, and game-breaking bugs in real life are never good. Plus, if magic were really that stagnant, then people would probably end up creating more advanced technology anyways once magic no longer solves any and all of their problems.

Spoiler: Technology + Magic mini-rant

On a side note, that's also kind of why settings with both technology and magic bother me, namely when the tech is modern, but the magic is still in the dark ages. I mean, eventually magic likely too would have been studied to the point that it essentially became another facet of science after scientists deconstructed all the elements and principals of magic, and it would end up just pushing technology down a different path. So basically, for this kind of setting, you have to choose between what's practical, which may drain the fun out of the mystery of magic, or maintain magic's mystic, at the expense of a lack of viability, i.e., it's completely out of place in it's setting, and you can't closely examine how it works or really develop and definitive sort of rules without uncovering a ton of flaws and plotholes.

 

[Shoggoth2588]

I chose option C. I would much rather live in a world wherein we have today's techhnology but instead of people hacking it with other tech, they do so by magical means. I've always had an amazing vision of some mad mage trying to use technology to bring dinosaurs to life only to get fed up and bring to life their fossil remains by magical means.

Ultimately though, I look at magic vs technology the same way I look at animals vs monsters in that the difference between the two is merely a name and a basic understanding. Really wish I could conjure up Hell Fire though...

 

[MiskWisk]

It depends really. Is the magic based around a firm logic, such as arithmetic, geometry or has firm unbending rules? Or is it based upon the mental manipulation of some vaguely defined ethereal force limited only by the imagination of the user and other possible limiters?

In the case of the first, I see no reason that magic and technology wouldn't have developed side by side in which case then hell yes to magical worlds because it is only logical that you would get both. Those kinds of magics encourage technology development as magical development would have to follow the scientific method and that would encourage the kind of thought needed to improve technology.

In the case of the second, technology is likely to be held back by magic since no real development will occur on a global scale due to the focus on personal magics. While the magic may well be stronger on an individual basis, the method of use would encourage the kind of creativity that would be more seen in artists and other performers than scientists. In this case, I would go with a technological world because I am fairly sure that I wouldn't get much use out of spells of procrastination and sleeping spells (what I think I would end up with) so the trade off isn't really worth it in the short run.

That said, why is magic so different from technology that they can't exist simultaneously? After all, Clarke's law states that any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic but surely the opposite is true to. Any sufficiently analysed magic is indistinguishable from technology. So why would we need to decide. The magical world just needs a few people to cause a boom in the study of mundane sciences and a magical world can get the best of both in the long run while a technological world can't.

Put me down for leaning towards magical then.