Poll: What would you do if you found a Death Note

[Ubersupersloth]

I would lock it up, not burn it because if it was burned, someone else could use it (they change owners if burned, right?), I wouldn't use it because then I "can neither go to heaven nor hell" I'm not too keen on the idea of purgatory...

 

[The Lugz]

For anyone who hasn't seen the anime, the death note is a mystical book where you can kill anyone by simply imagining their face and writing their name, so you can kill anyone if you know their name and face. They come from Shinigamis whom are death gods.

burn it, find it's own name and write it down.. whatever it takes just anything that means it's safe from mark zuckerberg clearly it's the last piece of his global annihilation machine.

 

[Vareoth]

Absolutely burn it. I can't trust myself with such power nor do I trust anyone else with it. Killing "evil" people is all fine and dandy until you realize that their deaths will have have unforeseen consequences that might be even worse in comparison to the original situation.

Though I might use it if I could booby trap it in a way that would kill anyone else who tries to use it later.

(they change owners if burned, right?)

If that is the case I would have to lock it away as well.

 

[lacktheknack]

Burn it instantly. People don't have control over the world, and causing random deaths (especially of public figures) is pretty much guaranteed to have huge ramifications and effects that we don't like.

As amusing as it is that many people in this thread think that they know the best way to send the world on ("I'd kill these extremely important government figures, what could go wrong?") it's distressing that they haven't figured out that there IS NO "right" answer.

Also, if anyone found out, the first act they'd do upon stealing (or even accessing) my death note is burn it or write MY name in it. I'll beat them to the punch and burn it myself.

EDIT: If they change owners when burned, I'd black the whole thing out with markers and lock it in my safety deposit box and throw away the key.

 

[RoonMian]

I have a severe depressive disorder... Let's just say I better don't find that thing...

 

[sanquin]

I'd start out using it for 'good'. My version of it at least. All people that are known severe criminals, like the gang leaders running their gangs from prison would go in there right away if I could find out their name. Serial rapists, anyone that committed a planned murder, willing torturers (or if not, the people forcing them to do so), etc.

Later on I'd probably start using it for personal gain. I don't consider myself such a good person that I think the 'power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely' saying won't affect me.

 

[tangoprime]

Burn it. If I remember correctly, there's a part in the anime where Light is told that by using the death note, he will never be able to go to heaven. Kind of a double edged sword scenario with the thing. If I'm just imagining things, sparingly.

Yeah, the OP left off the part in the poll wherein by using the Deathnote you're denied access to heaven or hell, you just cease to exist. Despite your feelings on the subject now, if a Deathnote is confirmed to exist by the premise of this poll, then in that case, so is an afterlife, which you would be giving up in order to end others' lives.

 

[Techno Squidgy]

I see myself in this situation as Boromir. An object of such overwhelming power that I could shape the course of history and improve the world, removing those who are truly evil and self-serving. Not those in a bad situation with no way out, those who put others into bad situations and keep them there for their own personal gain.

But who could wield that kind of absolute power and not be changed by it. Would I still be the same person after I wrote the first name? To know that I had the ability to make someone cease to exist with but a few marks of a pen would irrevocably change my psyche and my world-view. I could so easily become the greatest monster humanity ever faced and who would there be to stop me?

I'd burn it.

EDIT: Seeing as others haven't taken this quite as seriously as I did, I'd write the pope's name. Struck by lightning. At the moment he chooses to bless or thank god in whatever speech he happens to be making.

 

[Kotaro]

I'd immediately take it home and destroy it; no one should have that kind of power.

 

[tangoprime]

Original poll question

You left out the rather important bit that if you use it, you give up access to an afterlife, which by the premise of the poll, would exist.

Anyway, I'd burn that thing*

Regarding inquiries about burning, I'm pretty sure I properly remember that once a deathnote brought into the human world is destroyed, it cannot be used any longer by humans unless a new one is brought in. The only way someone may potentially "get use of another death note" by you destroying yours is if there were 7 or more death notes in the mortal world at the moment. In destroying yours, rendering it unusable, the one brought in 7th would become the 6th, and now be usable by the holder.

*Just to be careful that in the extreme case of there being greater than 6 notes in our world, I'd lock that thing up and give it a VTMB Kuei Jin Ending off he side of a cruise liner in the middle of the Fjords or somewhere else crazy deep, and in giving up ownership, I'd be losing memories of where I dunked it, so I think that's about as safe as we can get- one slot of six permanently out of use.

 

[tangoprime]

I'd start out using it for 'good'. My version of it at least. All people that are known severe criminals, like the gang leaders running their gangs from prison would go in there right away if I could find out their name. Serial rapists, anyone that committed a planned murder, willing torturers (or if not, the people forcing them to do so), etc.

Later on I'd probably start using it for personal gain. I don't consider myself such a good person that I think the 'power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely' saying won't affect me.

So, you'd basically be exactly following Light's path from the original story, as that was exactly what he intended before he was corrupted.

 

[Tayh]

Sounds like a powergaming or god modding item from an RPG.
I'd burn it. It's too cheap.
Wanna kill someone? Get some blood on your own hands.

Edit:
I'm mildly frightened by the amount of people who are indiscriminately handing out death sentences to people who they think need to die.

Somewhat related:

Spoiler

 

[CrazyGirl17]

Tough call. There are some people I'd like to see die... but I'd rather not risk going mad with power in the process...

 

[ToastyMozart]

Not sure if I would actually be able to muster up the will to use it, but I'd probably just use it to off North Korea's upper leadership, the known leaders of terrorist organizations (in a way that would make them blasphemers, to avoid martyrdom). And maybe a few Drug cartel heads and, give Kony a fatal thumb infection.

Then I'd dissolve the thing in a jug of Hydrochloric Acid.

 

[verdant monkai]

M8 I'd burn it.

I don't want to go to fucking Hell. There is also no one I hate enough to kill.

 

[Grimh]

I'm pretty sure I'd give it to Frodo and we'd go on the long and arduous journey to Mt. Doom, or I'd just throw it in the bin, douse it in gasoline and light the sucker up.
I could go either way really.

I'd like to think I'm above murder.

 

[Xpwn3ntial]

M8 I'd burn it.

I don't want to go to fucking Hell. There is also no one I hate enough to kill.

Well, one of the rules of the death note is that you don't go to heaven or hell. So you're safe in that department.

I'd use it for personal gain. I'm not going to pretend to be noble and death note known criminals or businessmen/politicians I don't like. I'm going to death note people in my way and the occasional celebrity just for the hell of it.

 

[BlumiereBleck]

Oh shit. This thread takes me back to 2008. Now I feel old. Seriously, you wouldn't believe how popular these threads were back in the day.

 

[Anomynous 167]

You users who would use the death note and this poll lack vision!
What I'd do if I found a Death Note is out of (A:My entrapernuermanship; B:Shirking my responsabilities onto someone else; or C:my own nievity) outsource the Death Note to a third party, then I'll mysteriously die from a heart attack as the person I lent the Death Note to tries to eliminate anyone who has knowledge of him renting the book.

Option 1. I mean the power I have in my hands is quite scary. I could cause WW3 by writing down a couple names, that is really scary for me. People are not meant to have that much control over life and death. Even the best of people could become cold killers, killing people for the stupidest reasons. That thing is getting burned.

I doubt you could start an overt war, if the show is anything to go by. Worst case scenario: The Faceless Men of the Australian Labor Party will end up ruling the world.

Just to see what'll happen. Because I'm really curious wether this would work (not that I'd really would notice if it did...)

That's a tricky one since the effects of the Death Note is unable deliver fatal colateral damage due to the following rule:

Even though only one name is written in the Death Note, if it influences and causes other humans that are not written in it to die, the victim?s cause of death will be a heart attack.

In otherwords, you planning to give the universe a heart attack (which'll result in everyone dieing cause the universe they live in just died?) Then I guess you're outa luck.

M8 I'd burn it.

I don't want to go to fucking Hell. There is also no one I hate enough to kill.

Don't worry. Users of the Death Note don't go to hell if you use the Death Note. Unless Hell is an equitorial island where everyone speaks French, located in the middle of the Indian Ocean

 

[verdant monkai]

Well, one of the rules of the death note is that you don't go to heaven or hell. So you're safe in that department.

Yeah the fucking Shinigami king gets you, then he makes you suffer all the deaths you caused. Then you disappear completley. From the minds of everyone who knew you on earth and from all documented records.

No thanks.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ue8fM2FBL_A (explains all)