If you could go anywhere in a moment, how cool would that be?
I said I wasn’t going to do the daily prompts anymore, but after commenting on JED’s post at Jed’s Playhouse, I realized I had an answer for yesterday’s Daily Post prompt:
Your local electronics store has just started selling time machines, anywhere doors, and invisibility helmets. You can only afford one. Which of these do you buy, and why?
This is an easy one, Surfer Rob. Stay away from time machines — you’re too old for invisibility helmets! I’d gladly take the anywhere door, however, with one caveat: it has to be a two-way device or it just doesn’t make sense.
I know teleportation is probably hundreds of years off, if it’s even possible to do it practically, but imagine the places I could go with a door like that! Every weekend Clan Ross could visit a different place in the world. Visiting relatives would be a lot easier in Michigan and Illinois because hey, you just step through the door and there you are!
I could visit my fellow bloggers — go to Ireland and meet Juls, the Indecisive Eejit; have coffee and conversation with Kenneth Justice, the Culture Monk; tea with Mrs. AngloSwiss; talk writing and history with Andra Watkins, the Accidental Cootchie Mama; surf with Tiare and Karen from Wahine Wednesdays . . .
Of course, this is all a pipe dream, you know. They would never let something like this on the market because of the profound impact it would have on the world. Economies would shift and transform overnight. Immigration would run rampant. Hardcore conservative republicans would blather and rage, spewing their mindless nonsense on the popular news channels about the lack of oversight in using this technology; the next thing you know, a door will open up in some important diplomatic building and someone will chuck a nuclear detonator through it and slam it shut.
Mayhem. Chaos. The financial tolls and billions of human lives lost — decades of unceasing war, all because I wished I could meet some of my compatriots face-to-face.
This is why some shortcuts are not worth the risk.
Rob's Surf Report 
Hmmm… anywhere door? My daughter wants a Portal gun.
On a more serious note, I think sci-fi writers use fiction not only to promote their scientific ideas, but to explore the possible consequences of them, and other technological ideas. You’re doing that here, in part, so… why not consider making it into a short story?
It’s a good idea, for sure; I’ll have to dream up a premise!
Wow, that prompt just turned huh. The weird thing is it made perfect sense. A door to anywhere that ultimately leads to mayhem and chaos. Very profound thoughts Rob and I enjoyed your take.
Thanks! I’m only sorry that my first spontaneous prompt answer in a while wasn’t for Ok, What If?
Doors are worth opening, just to see what’s there.
I can agree with that; plus I tend to be very curious.
It was great up until the part that Clan Ross were visiting myself and other people. Then the door got all dark and twisted. Saddest thing is, that you’re probably not far off the mark in this weird world.
I’m glad you see where I’m coming from — the Daily Post people like to imagine cool stuff, but sometimes I wonder if they consider the ramifications . . . or maybe they want us to!