If you could improve just one quality about the human race...

[UltraXan]

Right away, two things come to mind.

#1: IMPROVE CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS. I think this speaks for itself, tbh. I've noticed that too many people barely use basic thinking skills enough as it is, and when logic is foisted on them by a good critical thinker, they probably realize "shit, how did I come to THAT conclusion? What was I thinking?" Problem is, those who don't think critically don't come to proper conclusions themselves. -.-

#2: Fucking wings. I've always wanted to be able to fly since I was a kid, and wings would be THE SHIT! But not just any old wings, I'm talking fucking DRAGON wings! Like the colossal red dragon D&D figure. I'd post a couple of pictures, but I forget how to post pictures and I'm feeling particularly lazy right now and don't feel like figuring it out. Just google it if you're curious enough. OH! Or maybe Ancient Elchulus' wings from Vindictus. Those things are BAD ASS.

You know what? Fuck it, just make me an Elchulus-like dragon and I'll be happy. Cmon, who doesn't wanna be a fucking dragon?

 

[AnarchistFish]

Longevity. Life's too short.

Slower ageing process to go with that.

 

[Collegeboy21]

Humanity definitely needs to dump more skill points into Tolerance.

 

[Frankster]

Mmmm OP cut me off from the start with empathy, things like that are needed far more then any magical superpowers or increased abilities.

Actually the good ones like increased sympathy and tolerance have already been said so guess i aint alone in wishing this.

My vote goes to humility then to say something new, us humans have a tendency to toot our own horn a bit too much even when we have no frame of reference, theres still a good chance we will wipe ourselves out before ever colonizing space and be nothing more then an extinct civilization to be later discovered as a curiosity by xenos archaelogists. Or maybe there really is only life on earth and we totally blew it...

On a more personal level, increased levels of humility will lead to more honesty and reduced need to brag or exagerate ones accomplishments to get a job or impress people, we would all be far comfier in our own skin and more accepting of each other (or at least i hope).

 

[Rickolas Walrus]

Can I spend a level up token on "Being ruled under an iron fist by me"?

Honestly though I'd do everything that's already been said: longer life, increase empathy, more common sense, straight up more intelligence, magic, less greed, fuck-mothering dragon wings

 

[Whispering Cynic]

Improvement of logical, critical thinking, insight, of being able to predict and appropriately weigh the potential consequences of your actions. I guess you could say Wisdom, in one word.

What I want is for people to *think* before they act, to observe, to consider what they are doing and what consequences might their actions have. So many problems could be avoided this way...

 

[Lynx]

My vote goes to humility then to be say something new, us humans have a tendency to toot our own horn a bit too much even when we have no frame of reference, theres still a good chance we will wipe ourselves out before ever colonizing a space and be nothing more then an extinct civilization to be later discovered as a curiosity by xenos archaelogists. Or maybe there really is only life on earth and we totally blew it...

On a more personal level, increased levels of humility will lead to more honesty and reduced need to brag or exagerate ones accomplishments to get a job or impress people, we would all be far comfier in our own skin and more accepting of each other (or at least i hope).

I second that. Maybe it's got something to do with my typical Swedish shyness, but I get so aggravated by people who can just sit for hours and brag about themselves, like they do in reality shows. And just once in my life, I'd like to hear a high profile politician say to his/her opponent: "You know what, you have a good point." or "I'm sorry, I seem to have gotten my facts wrong."

 

[Storm Dragon]

The ability to fly under our own power, either from wings or just Superman-style floating. Sure, I could have picked something that would bring about world peace or whatever, but come on! Unaided flight!

 

[Drops a Sweet Katana]

Six digits on each hand.
Because then we can math better.

 

[Heronblade]

I'd upgrade everyone's "wisdom modifier", AKA the unfortunately uncommon sense attribute.

Any person I desire would not be able to resist my advances.

He did say the human race, not just yourself. So, in order for this to apply to the thread, everyone of (genetic group x) would get these super pheromones or however it works.

 

[DkLnBr]

Remove trolls. Everyone of them. No more of them, ever. I think the improvement to the world would be quiet great.

This, especially after reading this: [link]http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/121603-Science-Proves-That-Trolls-Ruin-Everything[/link] Removing trolls will make the world a better place for everyone!
Either that or I would "upgrade" humanities moral compass. A more noble world would be a great place to live

 

[deathzero021]

honesty. if we were all honest, things would be a lot easier. i think politics would move much faster

 

[Frankster]

And just once in my life, I'd like to hear a high profile politician say to his/her opponent: "You know what, you have a good point." or "I'm sorry, I seem to have gotten my facts wrong."

Oh god yes, id love it if during a political debate something like that would happen instead of the usual bickering and slandering that more often then not seems to be decided by who is the most pompous and arrogant.
Political parties working together for the good of the country, almost defies imagination doesnt it? xD
Self promotion and excess of pride is all too common, a bit of the humble pie really would do wonders for humanity.

Also first time i hear about Swedish shyness stereotypes. So they got a rep for being good looking AND shy?
Brb, looking up flights from London to Zurich.

 

[AngloDoom]

To never ever forget a single thing you learn from the age of about five.

That would be beautiful. You tend not to forget the awful things in life, so wouldn't it be nice to dip back into that memory of when you first learnt to ride a bike, first tried your favourite food, or accomplished something you thought was impossible?

Also, we'd become a lot more intelligent as a race I imagine.

 

[Mycroft Holmes]

A deeply empathic individual would sit themselves down and meditate on what it truly is like for these people, think "If it were me, what is it that I would need...", and probably realize early on that in order to answer that question they first need to go read a book or two on economics.

Empathy is a genuine, long-term interest to understand the situation of another human being. People who have no such deep interest tend to create destructive "quick fixes" in order to make themselves temporarily feel less crappy.

It would help people to see what they are going through. It wouldn't help people to necessarily become smarter about helping them. And it isn't even necessarily going to help to have people reading economic textbooks to best determine how to help them. There's a lot of hack economists out there publishing. And there's no easy 100% story for how economics works. It's a gigantic field studying spending habits of entire societies and their wide ranging effects.

If economics was simple and straightforward then we wouldn't have capitalism, syndicalism, communist, market socialism, fascism, mercantilism, corporativism all competing against each other. We wouldn't have competing ideas on privatization and collectivization. The economists themselves argue on this shit all the time, adding another 100 million voices to the discussion likely wouldn't really help at all. Empathy is not enough, we need more knowledge.

Spoiler

 

[spartan231490]

If I could improve humans I would make it harder for them to be willfully ignorant. That is the best anyone could hope for

 

[Lynx]

Also first time i hear about Swedish shyness stereotypes. So they got a rep for being good looking AND shy?
Brb, looking up flights from London to Zurich.

I do hope you mean Stockholm!

And yeah, the typical Swede is ashamed to admit they're good at anything, ever. It's considered a little weird, and sometimes bordering on rude to brag about your skills. But don't worry - if you're a foreigner we will forgive you. Swedes forgive foreigners for everything.


We also enjoy our personal space.

 

[uchytjes]

We need the ability to not give a shit about temperature change. The only time we do give a shit is when we are in danger of damage to our bodies.