Totally random thought, but for any cool imaginations we might have about the possibility, imagine the devastation introducing magic in our society would bring.
Like, we fight wars and kill countless innocents, people in our world oppress and kill whoever disagrees with them, or whoever’s existence we disapprove of, equipped with limited resources and—perhaps most importantly—resources that have limits. Imagine what would happen if everyone suddenly became equipped with a resource that is potentially limitless? How many people would fall victim to magic gone rogue because of a heated discussion? How many sudden awakenings would leave destruction and death in their wake? And worse yet—how many lives would be taken by someone’s will, simply because they can? Because their opinions clashed and someone found that simply unacceptable? Imagine that one drunk customer at McDonald’s being refused service creating an explosion instead of kicking the chairs? That regular Karen that just can’t seem to understand that “customer is king” doesn’t mean you’ll sell to them at no cost, taking away your voice because “you’re so rude” instead of calling for the manager? An especially powerful racist targeting every poc within a radius of ten miles at once, with no warning, and possibly nothing to trace the event back to him?
Not to mention how it would affect wars and oppression—that kind of power in hands of the government? An entity with the capacity to invest and train it? I doubt democracy would survive long. We are having trouble keeping it going properly as is. We’d be lucky to have an oligarchy left at the end of all the power struggles that would no doubt rise from the sudden discovery of magic. At least at first, law enforcement would have no idea how to deal with this sudden change and be left powerless against people whose intentions we cannot control. We’d be collectively screwed.
Sure, there’d be some good—magic to heal mortal wounds or regrow amputated limbs perhaps—and eventually things would probably stabilize. But most fields would benefit from people with magic, and as a result such individuals would be favoured over “normal” populace. We’d have another form of discrimination on our hands, and who wants to bet at some point people with magic will believe themselves superior? Perhaps consider those without as lesser than?
Hoo boy, magic is a cool concept to think about, and perhaps if it had always existed as a prominent feature of our society it could have been great, but I sure hope it doesn’t ever suddenly turn up now.
