Poll: What would the world be like if people could Waterbend, Earthbend etc. (Avatar Thread)

[Josh123914]

So I was rewatching Avatar: The Last Airbender and I thought to myself what would today's world would be like if people could bend the elements.

Obviously parts of the world would be mixed like in America, Australia and Europe.
I'd imagine that Earthbending would be similar to that in the show: Half of the world is territory of Earth-nations but there is only a minority of them in any given area.
Airbenders would probably be in mountainous areas or places with lots of wind, like in the Himilayas and the Alps. They would probably be a minority but if either of your parents can do it you are practically guaranteed to inherit it.
Waterbending would be pretty much anywhere with a coast or tons of rain (Ireland, South Asia, South America) but because of this would be mixed with other benders as well (so in South Asia you'd probably have Firebenders and Earthbenders around).
Firebending is hard to pin but I'd guess anywhere on the equator, plus the mediterranean. They'd most likely be spread all over the world today due to the likes of the spanish and Bristish colonies all over the world.

So what do you think?

 

[Scarim Coral]

Seeing how there are droughts in Africa, polar caps are melting and floods in Britain and other places, I would assume being a Waterbenders would be the most wanted benders of them all.
Their abilities can provide clean water and maybe rainfall in African, feeze the polar ice cap (if that even possible) and a powerful waterbender can probably redirect the flood water to away from populated areas.

 

[Josh123914]

Seeing how there are droughts in Africa, polar caps are melting and floods in Britain and other places, I would assume being a Waterbenders would be the most wanted benders of them all.
Their abilities can provide clean water and maybe rainfall in African, feeze the polar ice cap (if that even possible) and a powerful waterbender can probably redirect the flood water to away from populated areas.

Well assuming others couldn't fill the roles as well, Earthbenders could raise the land in areas like holland and I assume Airbenders could cool the air or change the air pressure for clouds.

Though for Warfare firebenders probably have the advantage, talk about a scorched earth policy!

 

[ultrachicken]

Firebenders, via lightning, would be able to provide clean, renewable energy for the cost of soul-crushing labor. They would also have the edge in military encounters.

Waterbenders could help deal with floods and tsunamis, and could potentially purify water (not entirely clear on how that worked in the show).

Airbenders might be able to affect weather to an extent, but otherwise I can't think of any large effect they would have on society. They'd have some bitching moves, though.

Earthbenders wouldn't really be able to use their talents without screwing up the surface of the earth. When they bend earth, it has to come from somewhere, and that's typically underground, meaning we'd have large pockets of empty space underground. Though I suppose they could mine pretty well.

 

[hazabaza1]

Utter
fucking
chaos

But it would be pretty bitchin'.

 

[Keoul]

Utter
fucking
chaos

But it would be pretty bitchin'.

Yup, basically everyone would be a living weapon, except the non-benders
CCHHAAAOOOSSS!

 

[FalloutJack]

The world may be 3/4 covered in water, fire may be a destructive power, air may be what's necessary to breathe, but...earth is the whole goddamn planet. Not all the way through, obviously, but it does well. If this world suddenly went 'bendy', the air and water people could make storms and floods...but you can create structures resistant to weather much faster now! Knowledge has made some things just better than others. Fire gets the REAL short end of the stick since no fire-bender will EVER outdo a missle barrage. Also, more than water people freezing or drowning folks, how would you like to be buried alive with 100 feet of rock over your head? Even a bender can't escape that one. Even Bender Bending Rodregoz.

 

[soren7550]

As said before, it'd be chaos.

Who'd dominate? It'd be close between the firebenders and earthbenders. Whole lot of cities would be leveled fast due to these two.

Given the choice I'd want to be an earthbender, although I'm certain I'd accidentally level my place. Still, eathbending!

 

[teudys]

airbender they can just bend the air around a person and deprive then of oxygen. they can fly as well given great mobility and how wouldn't want to fly

 

[Winthrop]

We live in a world dependent on energy using primarily combustion and electricity. Fire benders can control both of those. They would be rich and rule corporations and most likely capitalist nations as well.

 

[Euryalus]

airbender they can just bend the air around a person and deprive then of oxygen. they can fly as well given great mobility and how wouldn't want to fly

They could just expand the air in someone's lungs until they pop. No need for fancy vacuum-based suffocation

 

[Aerosteam]

It would be glorious.

When it comes to wars.

Thinking school-wise it would be fun. Thinking criminals-would-have-that-power-wise it would be horrific.