SuperPower Extra Credit

In this week's homework (linked below) Scalzi also asks:

Extra Credit: Oh, all right, fine: If you could have one genuine, honest-to-goodness super power, what one would you want and why?

I didn't answer this before because I didn't have an answer for it -- but then I remembered my standard answer to the "so, a genie grants you three wishes..." thing and I thought it might work here.

For my superpower (and/or my "first wish") I'd want what I like to call "omniscience by request."

Sounds pretty good, doesn't it?

First, the omniscience part.  Knowing everything would be pretty cool, I think.  Think of all the great things I'd know.  Like say:  how to cure AIDS -- I'd know that.  Where Osama bin Laden is hiding -- I'd know that, too.  How to save the social security system so there'd be money left in it in perpetuity -- AND how to get Congress to pass the necessary amendments -- yep, I'd know that.  All things considered, I'd know, well, all things.

(And not just important things.  I'd also know things that I'd just like to know.  Like how to get my body to do a triple axel, where the perfect man is hiding, and what the heck my cat is really thinking when she looks at me with those big, pitiful, saucer-eyes.  Not to mention how to cook a decent meal, how to end internet spam once and for all, and whether Oswald acted alone.)

Yes, knowledge is a good thing.

But the thing of it is, too much knowledge could be a little overwhelming.  I wouldn't want all those thoughts jumbling around in my head making so much noise I couldn't put them into use in an orderly fashion.  Nope.  I want the answer to any question to be ready in at instant at my request, but I'd like all answers to be napping quietly out of the way until called for.  Omniscience By Request.

(Of course, this neatly solves the "three wishes" problem.  Because if I get my "omniscience by request" for the first wish, I'll know what I should use my other two wishes for.)