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Time travel

DaisyRose

DaisyRose

Well-Known Member
I had an interesting idea I wanted to pitch to the forum. What would you do if you could time travel? What would you go back and change or do?

Personally for me, I would like to go back to my younger self and tell myself I am going to be okay. Back in the day, I had to take a lot of special needs classes because of my autism. I was delayed in ever aspect of my life and I had a hard time adjusting. Knowing what I know now, will give my past self confidence and passion that everything will turn out great. Even though it was hard to get through, I still made it out better than ever.
 
Interestingly, when I got my diagnosis, one of the first questions the doctor asked me is whether, if I had the ability to go back and change anything, would I.

My answer remains the same - I wouldn't, simply while some of my experiences were unpleasant to the point where I wouldn't wish them upon others, and there are certain things I could have done which may have had significant changes in my life and put me on different paths altogether, the experiences I had ultimately formed a part of the fabric that makes up who I am today. And while I'm far from perfect and there's a lot about my life that I wish was different, overall, I'm okay with who I am and where I am in life.

Sometimes the fun is in the journey and not the destination.
 
Warning: I'm completely incapable of keeping my responses to hypothetical questions neat and clear. I need to follow the consequences of the question to their conclusion, no matter how nonsensical.​

It depends on what you mean. If it's time travel as in "you travel back in time", then no. I don't think there's anything I would like to say to past me or anyone else, and I wouldn't want to risk a paradox. It would only be for leisure, like experiencing some natural wonders before it disappears. I would probably re-experience the east of my country before it disappeared under a dam lake in 2006 (since I don't have teleportation powers to go with the time travel).

If it's about reversing time, so that I'm back in the me body at some previous point in time, then yes, I would. I actually discussed this topic with another forum member last year. First off, whether I could travel back in time, change one thing, and then travel back forward, or whether I would travel back in time, and then live the rest of my life (till my current age and beyond) at regular speed, would strongly affect my choice. The latter would be more boring, and also risky. I would forget more, and would likely make some different choices inadvertently. I also don't think I could keep the secret of time travel completely by myself for decades without needing to indulge it, which would put me in a completely different life path.

Now, what I personally think, contrary to most people when they discuss time travel, is that I don't think current "me" is inherently better than some other iteration which might have made different choices. Sure, the choices I made and experiences I, erm... experienced are the reason for who I am now, but I'm also fine with being a different person who developed differently. In a time travel situation, I would however not choose to make major changes which pertain to myself since I'm quite happy with my life now.

However, what I would change if I could are moments when I hurt others around me whom I care about, some of them deeply. Though I do care about my reputation, that's not the reason why as I wouldn't change every single mistake or want to seem flawless. I'm not a religious person, so I don't follow the concept of redemption, but some of my actions were truly inexcusable. The actions I have taken which I regret the most do not pertain to myself, as life carries on, but other people who I had no right to wound. I would absolutely take those decisions back in a heartbeat if I could, even if it would "change who I am".
 
I'd go back in time to my teens and tell my teen self to come out the closet as transgender, just do it. It doesn't matter how scared I am about doing it, just do it so I wouldn't be nearly 27 years old and still closeted IRL and depressed and angry and frustrated about having hidden who I really am for 13 years and am still afraid to come out of the closet.

Also maybe tell my teenage self that that whole feeling she's had her whole life about being 'different' from the others in ways not explained by her being transgender? Like she exists in her own separate bubble from everyone else? Yeah hey, you're not alone, you're just autistic.
 
I love the premise of this post. I feel confident that to look back at our histories is normal and natural.

It’s been said that hindsight is 20/20. We see our past more clearly given the passage of time and the accumulation of more experience. Maybe this is why perspective after the circumstances seem so much more clearer and smart.

I have to be careful in my retrospective thoughts. My nature is to use my past to chastise my actions over and over to the point that render my past actions as a hinderance to moving forward with my future.

Certainly the creation of paradox is assured and without doubt, once the past is altered and I reevaluate, I would again see opportunities to travel back and change another set of perceived circumstances. I would find myself in a continual loop and render my life to a point of stagnation and be frustrated.

I think to look back and say, “I would do this or that differently but I can’t” is the reality. To do what DaisyRose has done is healthy in my opinion.

My responsibility for the realizations of my past errors or uncomfortable situations is to apply the education of perspective to my today and my future.

Going back in time is a hoot to ponder. I think this is a great post. It is one that made me think and consider. I am grateful for the summary that DasiyRose ended with. It gives me confidence in my position on the idea as I am comfortable with my perspective.

Peace and comfort to all.
 
Yes. I would use this. I would not go back far into the past because that could have some adverse effects but I would use this to rewind time every time I make a mistake. If I say something I shouldn't have said or if I did something wrong or if I could have done something to prevent something from happening on the same day.

The maximum time I would give myself is 24 hours into the past. I think that should be good.
 
That would be easy to answer. I'd go back to a very specific date and attempt to right the wrongs of that day to save a relationship with the love of my life.

So I could marry her.
 
I would bring some nice weapons, travel back to when the first hominides started to walk on legs and kill them all for the sake of biodiversity and all the sentient beings mankind has extint.

That way I would have not been born so I could not travel back time to prevent hominides to cause the holocene mass extintion. So I would be born again and travel back again in an endless bucle of trying to stop the mass extintion just to see how it happens again...

Ouch. o_O
 
I would take my own virginity on a consentual basis on my 18th birthday. Then I would tell myself to never drink a drop of booze. I also would assassinate Hitler’s mother before Hitler is born.

All joking aside, I would be too terrified to change anything. I know about The Butterfly Effect.
 
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I would tell my family about my Asperger's diagnosis, and I would tell myself to take science A levels, not languages.
 
DaisyRose said:
I had an interesting idea I wanted to pitch to the forum. What would you do if you could time travel? What would you go back and change or do?

Personally for me, I would like to go back to my younger self and tell myself I am going to be okay. Back in the day, I had to take a lot of special needs classes because of my autism. I was delayed in ever aspect of my life and I had a hard time adjusting. Knowing what I know now, will give my past self confidence and passion that everything will turn out great. Even though it was hard to get through, I still made it out better than ever.
Click to expand...
I wouldn't change anything or much, but I would love to physically travel back to all the nostalgic moments :) The only thing is, I wouldn't enjoy reliving the bad stuff that has made me the tough, but still sensitive person I am today <3

If I choose a specific moment it would be...
- My Year 3 ending party
- Any moment in Year 4
x NOO moment in Year 8, 9, or 10 pls!!!
- Any moment before school/childhood that was positive, with family or something I've completely forgotten now.
That's it :)

I love your story btw!! You're so lucky to have grown so much, and I have too. I would do the same thing you want to do, give my past self a boost ^_^
 
George Newman said:
I love the premise of this post. I feel confident that to look back at our histories is normal and natural.

It’s been said that hindsight is 20/20. We see our past more clearly given the passage of time and the accumulation of more experience. Maybe this is why perspective after the circumstances seem so much more clearer and smart.

I have to be careful in my retrospective thoughts. My nature is to use my past to chastise my actions over and over to the point that render my past actions as a hinderance to moving forward with my future.

Certainly the creation of paradox is assured and without doubt, once the past is altered and I reevaluate, I would again see opportunities to travel back and change another set of perceived circumstances. I would find myself in a continual loop and render my life to a point of stagnation and be frustrated.

I think to look back and say, “I would do this or that differently but I can’t” is the reality. To do what DaisyRose has done is healthy in my opinion.

My responsibility for the realizations of my past errors or uncomfortable situations is to apply the education of perspective to my today and my future.

Going back in time is a hoot to ponder. I think this is a great post. It is one that made me think and consider. I am grateful for the summary that DasiyRose ended with. It gives me confidence in my position on the idea as I am comfortable with my perspective.

Peace and comfort to all.
Click to expand...
I love when you say it's normal and natural, cause I actually do this a loooooot. Experience everyday deja vu pretty darn often ,:D Applying education of perspective to my today and my future sounds super good and mature! I might keep that in mind :)
 
Princess Viola said:
I'd go back in time to my teens and tell my teen self to come out the closet as transgender, just do it. It doesn't matter how scared I am about doing it, just do it so I wouldn't be nearly 27 years old and still closeted IRL and depressed and angry and frustrated about having hidden who I really am for 13 years and am still afraid to come out of the closet.

Also maybe tell my teenage self that that whole feeling she's had her whole life about being 'different' from the others in ways not explained by her being transgender? Like she exists in her own separate bubble from everyone else? Yeah hey, you're not alone, you're just autistic.
Click to expand...
Bro I feel that :((((( Like, a lot actually, despite not being trans... It must've been really something to go through... Thanks for sharing your story. <3
 
VictorR said:
Interestingly, when I got my diagnosis, one of the first questions the doctor asked me is whether, if I had the ability to go back and change anything, would I.

My answer remains the same - I wouldn't, simply while some of my experiences were unpleasant to the point where I wouldn't wish them upon others, and there are certain things I could have done which may have had significant changes in my life and put me on different paths altogether, the experiences I had ultimately formed a part of the fabric that makes up who I am today. And while I'm far from perfect and there's a lot about my life that I wish was different, overall, I'm okay with who I am and where I am in life.

Sometimes the fun is in the journey and not the destination.
Click to expand...
Even though I listed a few things that would be fun to experience again because I loved those moments, things and people so much, I wouldn't because of your reason. Me too, I love being older and the journey and struggle is more fun than the rewards most times :D
 
Rodafina said:
I would go a thousand years into the future. Just curious what happens next.
Click to expand...
Dang that's actually super cool! Many have said they've wanted to go backwards but you've got the right idea :))) WHO KNOWS what's gonna happen next! That's plenty exciting! Also, I like your new profile picture! ^^
 
Kisa the tea said:
Is that roughly when the dragons become the majority of the population of our society?
Click to expand...

Not according to Futurama it isn't!

Speaking of which, as a Futurama fan I would also be curious to see what New York looks like c. 3000.

And now I'm going wayyy off topic, but can you believe that the "future" in Back to the Future is now 8 years ago?
 
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