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If You Could Go Back In Time

by lanfear63
30 replies
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And meet your young parents or a favorite relative or friend and could take some tech with you and have a link to the modern day internet, for a week. What would you take and what would you show them or like to discuss with them or say to them. Also, what places would you like to visit.

For purists here. When you return to the present, everything is reset. They, if still around would have no memory of this ever happening. This of course is just a thought experiment.
  • Profile picture of the author Odahh
    Non of the technology I would bring would actually work 60 years ago. And my parents could barely understand technology before they died.

    I may have gone to a redsox game with
    My uncle and his bookie from the mob to see my uncle actually bet if the next ball hit would go fair or fowel. And it would be nice to see all the infrastructure while it was still new. But otherwise I really would not go back to 1960 when my parents would have been in their 20s. The made in china stamp on much of what I own probably would get me arrested as a communist
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  • Profile picture of the author Claude Whitacre
    Originally Posted by lanfear63 View Post

    And meet your young parents or a favorite relative or friend and could take some tech with you and have a link to the modern day internet, for a week. What would you take and what would you show them or like to discuss with them or say to them. Also, what places would you like to visit.

    For purists here. When you return to the present, everything is reset. They, if still around would have no memory of this ever happening. This of course is just a thought experiment.
    My Friend;

    If I went back and met my parents when they were young (or even alive), I would frighten them. They wouldn't believe I was really from the future....or their son. My mother would assume I was a demon, and try to kill me. My Dad would simply not believe me.

    Trauma all around.

    But if, by some miracle, they wouldn't react this way, I wouldn't take anything with me. Just the time spent with them would be worth the trip.

    But again, I would never accept such a trip, because of the trauma it would cause them.

    There is no place in the past I would like to see. The future? Sure. I'd love to know the fate of the world in 100 years, 500 years, a million years.

    If the result is inspiring? It will give me a great sense of peace. If it's desolate or violent...I'll be happy that I won't live to experience it.
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    • Profile picture of the author Odahh
      Originally Posted by Claude Whitacre View Post

      My Friend;.

      There is no place in the past I would like to see. The future? Sure. I'd love to know the fate of the world in 100 years, 500 years, a million years.

      If the result is inspiring? It will give me a great sense of peace. If it's desolate or violent...I'll be happy that I won't live to experience it.
      Really depends what you decide to look for in the world 100 or 200 years from now and your ability to adjust your mindset from the current time period to the future time.

      100 years ago even in the US 80 percent of the population worked in agriculture and didn't have running water or electricity. And it was and the fastest way to get rich was smuggling alcohol.

      As fast as thing are changing I think the future 50 years from now will be both amazing and have it's issues as the population will probably be in decline or around where it is now.

      With the technology advancing much of the meat commercial l produced in 50 years will be grown in tanks and probably nutritionally customized for a specific end consumer.

      Think about the effects on the environment of removing industrial meat production . Think about ai based education and there being no school s or classrooms as we have them. In fifty years with a basic income being a human right

      Much of the artificial scarcity that create s almost all the wealth today will be eliminated.as well

      There will be plenty of nasty stuff as humans will find many new technology drugs to get high in new Way and a range of other depraved activities people take pleasure in that makes the stuff now look tame
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  • Profile picture of the author Mark Singletary
    To go outside the bounds of your question, even though I have many regrets, by far the biggest one was in about 1989 and I would give anything to have a second shot.

    It is that after being rejected for marriage, I didn't ask again the second time. I wasn't persistent. I just gave up. I was so devastated and humiliated that I never really even considered it at the time.

    So, the answer stayed no from about 1989-1990 to 2009 and there was zero contact with her. Then one day I came into the office after lunch and the secretary asked me if I had spent some time in Taiwan many years ago. I knew it was her and it was. About a year later, she finally said, "Yes!"

    Now she's mad at me because I didn't try a second time. Our lives weren't "right" after the rejection. Only now, together which is our destiny, do we have that happiness. Our lives would have been so different together those 20 years (our mutual guesses about what would have been) if only I had tried a second time.

    Mark
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    • Profile picture of the author lanfear63
      Originally Posted by Mark Singletary View Post

      To go outside the bounds of your question, even though I have many regrets, by far the biggest one was in about 1989 and I would give anything to have a second shot.

      It is that after being rejected for marriage, I didn't ask again the second time. I wasn't persistent. I just gave up. I was so devastated and humiliated that I never really even considered it at the time.

      So, the answer stayed no from about 1989-1990 to 2009 and there was zero contact with her. Then one day I came into the office after lunch and the secretary asked me if I had spent some time in Taiwan many years ago. I knew it was her and it was. About a year later, she finally said, "Yes!"

      Now she's mad at me because I didn't try a second time. Our lives weren't "right" after the rejection. Only now, together which is our destiny, do we have that happiness. Our lives would have been so different together those 20 years (our mutual guesses about what would have been) if only I had tried a second time.

      Mark
      I suppose she could have contacted you early on and said that she had reconsidered her rejection and was now ready for marriage, but she did not?. So what changed, you might ask her that.

      Despite that, I'm glad that you are together now and very happy to boot.
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  • Profile picture of the author discrat
    Up to your old antics again I see ( worthless threads without any intrinsic value)

    I'll play though.

    I would rewind to February 1994. I had a short term relationship with a girl. And she broke it off and I ,then feeling hurt , wrote her an extremely harsh letter full of terrible insults.

    If I had to do it all over again I would crumple that letter up and NOT delivered it to her friend to give it to her.

    Really regret writing that letter. Totally uncalled for.
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  • Profile picture of the author Kay King
    Now she's mad at me because I didn't try a second time.
    But, then, she could have said yes the first time....so...not all your fault.
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  • Profile picture of the author lanfear63
    This, all obstructions removed, was about seeing how these people reacted to news of the future and the "working" tech you brought. to show. Also saying the things you always wanted to say to them. But, to avoid any ripples in the timeline, resets when you return and never happened.

    My grandfather on my mothers side died a year before I was born. I would have liked to have met him. He worked for our family business delivering coal. In the 50's he was probably the only person on our long street to own an early stereo system. He was definitely the only person to own a TV. In the early 50's. So much so that when the Queens Coronation was to be televised, many neighbors came over and crammed themselves into our front room to watch it. A 9" screen with a giant magnifying glass in front of it. He would have loved the tech I brought.

    And yes, I had a few romantic relationships that I ended for reasons that I can now not fathom a reason. A few very loving women who would have been highly suitable as life long partners. But, when you are in your 20's, you can be immature and want to go out and have fun and not be tied down and when you are, you just want out again. A stupid mentality, but their it is.
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    • Profile picture of the author Odahh
      Originally Posted by lanfear63 View Post

      This, all obstructions removed, was about seeing how these people reacted to news of the future and the "working" tech you brought. to show. Also saying the things you always wanted to say to them. But, to avoid any ripples in the timeline, resets when you return and never happened.

      My grandfather on my mothers side died a year before I was born. I would have liked to have met him. He worked for our family business delivering coal. In the 50's he was probably the only person on our long street to own an early stereo system. He was definitely the only person to own a TV. In the early 50's. So much so that when the Queens Coronation was to be televised, many neighbors came over and crammed themselves into our front room to watch it. A 9" screen with a giant magnifying glass in front of it. He would have loved the tech I brought.

      And yes, I had a few romantic relationships that I ended for reasons that I can now not fathom a reason. A few very loving women who would have been highly suitable as life long partners. But, when you are in your 20's, you can be immature and want to go out and have fun and not be tied down and when you are, you just want out again. A stupid mentality, but their it is.
      Do you think you could explain things going on in the world today to anyone before they year 2000 and just not sound crazy or just stupid. Non of the technology you would bring would function properly. Without the internet wifi and cellular technology.

      Then so much of what is going on in the world is just dumb.. the stuff people think is important is generally dumb.
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      • Profile picture of the author lanfear63
        Originally Posted by Odahh View Post

        Do you think you could explain things going on in the world today to anyone before they year 2000 and just not sound crazy or just stupid. Non of the technology you would bring would function properly. Without the internet wifi and cellular technology.

        Then so much of what is going on in the world is just dumb.. the stuff people think is important is generally dumb.
        This is just a thought experiment where the phantasmagorical internet connect is there and all the gadgets work. Get into the spirit of it. If you went back to say the 15th century then sure, people would think you were a Wizard, and probably think you were evil and burn you at the stake. But, explaining to my father in the early 60's that I was his time travelling son from 2023 and backing it up with some wonderful gadgets to show and be able to stream clips and news from the future would be fascinating to him. He was a technical author.
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        • Profile picture of the author Odahh
          Originally Posted by lanfear63 View Post

          This is just a thought experiment where the phantasmagorical internet connect is there and all the gadgets work. Get into the spirit of it. If you went back to say the 15th century then sure, people would think you were a Wizard, and probably think you were evil and burn you at the stake. But, explaining to my father in the early 60's that I was his time travelling son from 2023 and backing it up with some wonderful gadgets to show and be able to stream clips and news from the future would be fascinating to him. He was a technical author.
          You would really want to show him clips from what we call news today. What part of the 60 pre or post moon landing. I think the More interesting thing is that we had my destroyed our selves and your visiting the past was not for some mission to save the future but some personal emotional experience.
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          • Profile picture of the author lanfear63
            Originally Posted by Odahh View Post

            You would really want to show him clips from what we call news today. What part of the 60 pre or post moon landing. I think the More interesting thing is that we had my destroyed our selves and your visiting the past was not for some mission to save the future but some personal emotional experience.
            Yes, An emotional visit would be a big part of it for me. Not to change anything in the past. And like I said, upon my return, it never happened.
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          • Profile picture of the author Matteo Tzenetopoulos
            So you are trying to tell me that we landed on the moon in 1969???
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            • Profile picture of the author lanfear63
              Originally Posted by Matteo Tzenetopoulos View Post

              So you are trying to tell me that we landed on the moon in 1969???
              Why Do you have a problem with that?
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            • Profile picture of the author Odahh
              Originally Posted by Matteo Tzenetopoulos View Post

              So you are trying to tell me that we landed on the moon in 1969???
              There where several moon missions the earth is round and the people in position s of power are humans not shape shifting 4 the dimensional lizard people.

              I would not go back in time to meet any family members I'd go back and have discussion s with the best so Fi writers in history. And explain how easy it is to get people to believe dumb ideas are truth.

              You honestly think the Soviet union would have let the USA fake moon landings. The whole thing was a public relations competition with the USSR.
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            • Profile picture of the author DWolfe
              Originally Posted by Matteo Tzenetopoulos View Post

              So you are trying to tell me that we landed on the moon in 1969???
              Nope it was just a publicity stunt according to the flat earthers. Heck even John Doe's YouTube channel goes into detail about how it's a government conspiracy.


              About the first post - Speaking of going back in time. What would you tell your deceased parents if they asked what happened to them?
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              • Profile picture of the author lanfear63
                Originally Posted by DWolfe View Post

                Nope it was just a publicity stunt according to the flat earthers. Heck even John Doe's YouTube channel goes into detail about how it's a government conspiracy.


                About the first post - Speaking of going back in time. What would you tell your deceased parents if they asked what happened to them?
                Don't forget, in my scenario, everything is reset when you return, it never happened in their lives, they would have no memory of it.

                But, if they asked while you were there, I could say, you had a long and happy, relatively pain free life and old age, which is true. But, if for some reason they absolutely insisted in you telling them how old they would be when they expired, I would. I think my parents would be satisfied that their lives were long enough.

                Yes, you see, moon landing, a tricky one, if it went too high after takeoff it would just crash into the dome. But, as the Flat Earthers point out, all spacecraft after climbing so high will curve away from us. And no, it's not that it's trying to make orbit around a curved Earth, oh no, it's going to crash land in some obscure place after ejecting the capsule. Then the astronauts, if indeed they were on board in the first place, would be whisked away to Stanley Kubrick's soundstage in the UK to film the fake landing and walkabout. I mean come on, we all know the moon is just a holographic projection.

                There are some anomalies though, pretty certain the mock up was built. Perhaps it was a contingency plan as to not to lose face if the mission landing failed. So much pressure to succeed and all eyes on the US. So, perhaps the astronauts did film some footage there for that reason, but did not need to be used, who knows. Also, for some reason, the TV feed of the craft exit for a walkabout was filmed by TV camera's looking at a large screen at NASA. They were denied a live feed directly which would have been much clearer. Bottom line though, Jodrell Bank's Radio Telescope clearly tracked the lunar module's descent to the moons surface.
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  • Profile picture of the author hassanrsd
    If I could go back in time, one of my cherished moments would undoubtedly involve taking a long ride while donning a classic leather vest. The allure of the open road combined with the rebellious charm of a leather vest would create a timeless adventure, a journey through history and style. The wind in my hair, the rumble of the engine, and the rugged elegance of the leather vest would encapsulate a perfect escape into the past, reminding me that sometimes, the simplest of experiences can become extraordinary memories.
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  • Profile picture of the author Dan Riffle
    Okay, I'll bite.

    I'd go back and spend a week in September with my dad. That way, we could watch baseball and NFL and NCAA football games together one last time. As I look back, some of my favorite times with my dad were while we were watching sports together, but I didn't realize it at the time and didn't do enough of it. In fact, the day before my dad died, I was supposed to watch a baseball game with him but I bailed - some girl wanted to go to the movies, so I skipped out on pops. Even if the date had gone perfectly, it wouldn't have been worth it.

    Assuming I could convince him I was his son from the future, I don't think any tech I showed him would bewilder him. He was a bit of an amateur futurist. He had a way of looking at current advancements in science and predicting exponential improvements. I think he'd be more surprised at our lack of advancement in certain areas such as medicine, agriculture, and space exploration. Not that we haven't advanced in those areas, but he would expect greater advancement than we've seen.

    Oh, and he'd love the opportunity to say, "I told you so," after I told him about Bill Cosby...
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  • Profile picture of the author Kay King
    If I had the opportunity to visit people I cared about in the past - the last thing I'd want to do is bore them with 'look how great tech is now'. There are family and other things in the past that I'd like to know more about - questions that somehow were never asked or answered when I had the chance.



    I can imagine trying to explain 'social media' to my Grandfather - the smartest and most honest man I've known. He would listen and nod and maybe ask a question or two and then ask "why do you want to talk to people you don't know?" Good question.
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  • Profile picture of the author Article Of the day
    , I would use my knowledge and experiences to make better decisions and positively impact the world around me.
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  • Profile picture of the author Po Last
    I would bring my smartphone to show them photos and videos of their future family, and to reassure them during difficult times. I would tell them how their values have been passed down, and listen to their stories. I would eat my grandmother's cooking and thank them for everything.

    This visit would remind me how blessed I am to be part of a generations-long story.
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  • Profile picture of the author Alex Tod
    Hello! Cool question! Let's dream a little. I would invest in Apple stock knowing that they are going to become a giant in the technology world. Taking advantage of the knowledge of which industries will flourish in the future, I would learn programming and information technology.
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  • Profile picture of the author beautyofhands07
    I wouldn't go back in time to change things because I would never have realized that I needed to stop blaming everyone and everything else for my problems. I would never have discovered that my failures and mistakes were a product of my own doing. I created the problems. I helped to fester them in my own mind.
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  • Profile picture of the author Edward Matthew
    I'd cherish each moment, not leave it to chance.
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  • Profile picture of the author Hina zaib
    If I could go back in time, I might explore different historical periods to witness key events or eras firsthand. It would be fascinating to see how societies, cultures, and technologies evolved over time.
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  • Profile picture of the author sbrewingcompany
    If I should return in time, I would take a smartphone with me, outfitted with a hyperlink to the contemporary internet. I'd exhibit them photos, videos, and statistics about their future and the world's advancements. I'd talk about their desires and aspirations and provide advice. I'd go to locations of magnitude to them, like their childhood residences or preferred hangouts, to create cherished recollections together.
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    • Profile picture of the author tagiscom
      Originally Posted by sbrewingcompany View Post

      If I should return in time, I would take a smartphone with me, outfitted with a hyperlink to the contemporary internet. I'd exhibit them photos, videos, and statistics about their future and the world's advancements. I'd talk about their desires and aspirations and provide advice. I'd go to locations of magnitude to them, like their childhood residences or preferred hangouts, to create cherished recollections together.

      If you did that you would draw a crowd then the FBI would probably step in and interrogate you in a cellar.

      In the 80's an Amiga Computer drawled huge crowds because it could render 3D worlds which only Supercomputers could do with any reasonable degree of realism back then.

      A Nintendo OED hand held is 6000 times more powerful than the Cray -1 costing 12m and filling up a room. So taking that back to 1985, would look like a magic console to them current smart phones, about the same since some back then some large clumsy phone in car or briefcase was state of the art.

      No if l did l would hide it and only peek at it if l got an alert that someone was getting too curious about my cloaked time machine.

      I would only go back anyway for a break from this mentally retarded world and to stock up on plastic straws,..oh and matches, (modern day ones don't work that well).
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      • Profile picture of the author socialentry
        Originally Posted by tagiscom View Post

        If you did that you would draw a crowd then the FBI would probably step in and interrogate you in a cellar.

        In the 80's an Amiga Computer drawled huge crowds because it could render 3D worlds which only Supercomputers could do with any reasonable degree of realism back then.

        A Nintendo OED hand held is 6000 times more powerful than the Cray -1 costing 12m and filling up a room. So taking that back to 1985, would look like a magic console to them current smart phones, about the same since some back then some large clumsy phone in car or briefcase was state of the art.

        No if l did l would hide it and only peek at it if l got an alert that someone was getting too curious about my cloaked time machine.

        I would only go back anyway for a break from this mentally retarded world and to stock up on plastic straws,..oh and matches, (modern day ones don't work that well).

        but wat if u visit ur parents and u realize theyve been lizard people all along
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  • Profile picture of the author Princess Balestra
    Where is my frickin' phone?

    Jus' ansa that SOB, plz, time.
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