You have three magic genie wishes, what are you asking for?

I have a funny feeling I’ve answered this before, but I might as well answer it now, seeing as the opportunity is there.

The cop-out answer would be more wishes, or more genies, but there’s a clever answer, should you wish to exploit the maximum benefit of the wishes. Wish to be omnipotent.

Once you’re omnipotent, you don’t need any further wishes. You can now do anything and everything, and the only question becomes what to do with the genie. I’d set the genie free, so no one else could potentially wish my powers away.

If such a wish is not possible, then the wishes would require more thought. There are some obvious ones, but the trick lies in the phrasing. Immortality is all well and good, but what if that came with aging? If you’re not precise, a wish can be a curse. Of course, immortality in any circumstances could be a curse, but if you wanted it, then as a man, I might say ‘I wish to forever have the health and vitality of a 25 year-old Cristiano Ronaldo’. That would ensure a pretty fit immortality!

Would I even wish for it though? As mentioned, immortality could be considered a curse by some. I would have to watch everyone I love depart this mortal coil, and being young forever would raise questions. What choice would I have but to move from place to place, effectively hiding who I am from a potentially curious, and intrusive world? On the other hand, I would have plenty of time to learn new skills, and arguably no excuse not to learn!

Wise investments would hopefully mean I wouldn’t need to use my second wish for say, infinite money, because I could learn financial skills to help me, but then again, would I want to expend time and effort on such a task, or instead wish to always have enough money to have a comfortable, luxurious life?

What of the third wish? If I have youthful immortality, and unlimited funds, what else would I want? I’ve covered off two of what are probably the most obvious choices anyone could make (assuming my earlier desire for omnipotence is beyond the genie’s reach). Do I wish for the powers of a genie? What would that even involve? This is another careful wish. In Disney’s original Aladdin, Jafar wished to become a genie, and he got his wish, along with all the consequences. He was bound to servitude, and I certainly don’t want that! The powers of a genie… well, if we go by popular depictions, I’d be able to do almost anything, and thus would be virtually omnipotent anyway. This would seem to leave the first two wishes somewhat redundant!

Do I make someone else immortal alongside me? If so, who? This would, in many respects, be a selfish wish. I would be acting in my own interests. That person would have only me for company for the rest of eternity. They’d have to watch their loved ones die. I’m not sure I could inflict that upon someone, at least, not without asking, and first explaining all the consequences.

This is not a simple, easy prompt!