I Wish I Read More
Literature and media provide us with a rich diversity of time travel stories. Of course, physics explains that time travel requires an astounding amount of energy, and the technology to manage this energy is impossible with our present knowledge.
According to present theories, the best outcome is that our bodies will freeze in a single moment without the ability to see, feel, or interact with the future or past. At worst, our bodies would be disintegrated long before traveling even a second forward or backward. So, the popular time travel plots are woefully unrealistic.
Placing physics aside, seeing dinosaurs and meeting famous people like Teddy Roosevelt, Tesla, Columbus, Einstein, or Pocahontas would be amazing. How about having a beer with George Washington or showing Edison a smartphone?
My grandfather passed away in 1992, and I recently learned he was a badass OSS agent. What adventures did he have? I will never know. The only way to learn would be to time travel and talk to him about it. Our family has a minor mystery. My great-grandfather got dementia in 1955 and took out a large loan with his company as collateral. He could not remember what happened when asked about it, and the company folded. Another way to use time travel.
I made many mistakes, and I have wondered what it would be like to correct those mistakes. A good example is not brushing my teeth. I wish I could go back and tell myself to brush, but there is a problem. Let’s pretend present Bill meets six-year-old Bill. “Brush your teeth!” “No way. Old man!” I remember six-year-old Bill. He’s a seventies kid who did his own thing and would not listen to anybody.
My biggest past-changing desire would be to read more. Growing up, my mother took us to the library, and I selected the typical books like the Hardy Boys. Unfortunately, I did not read beyond boy’s fiction. Part of the problem stemmed from the poor selection of seventies books, and another was the tedious task of returning them.
Let’s explore this time-traveling concept. Old Bill convinces young Bill to read more. The result would be a more educated adult Bill with better English skills.
Now, hold on. Part of childhood is wasting time doing kid things like riding bikes, talking to friends, watching useless TV, sleeping in and annoying parents. This bookworm change would alter that balance, resulting in a reduction in Bill’s present social skills. Would this tradeoff have made me a better person? I cling to the belief that it would, yet my heart disagrees.
Childhood is complex, and the playground taught us more lessons than the classroom. How does a boy deal with the bully? How does a shy boy ask a pretty girl out on a date? How does a boy learn how to ride a bike? Those are all skills not contained in books.
Let’s do another time travel experiment. Young Bill’s family is transported to the present time, and he grows up. Because there are higher quality and more books, Bill would have read more and become a better person. Umm, no. Cell phones, the internet, and modern pressures have turned modern children into introverts who do not read. Having my family time travel would tune me into a different person who is not necessarily better than the present person.
Hmm. It sounds like we need to leave the past in the past alone. Fortunately, present and future Bill will not have the option to do any time travel meddling. Or will they?
You’re the best -Bill
November 20, 2019 Updated October 19, 2024
According to present theories, the best outcome is that our bodies will freeze in a single moment without the ability to see, feel, or interact with the future or past. At worst, our bodies would be disintegrated long before traveling even a second forward or backward. So, the popular time travel plots are woefully unrealistic.
Placing physics aside, seeing dinosaurs and meeting famous people like Teddy Roosevelt, Tesla, Columbus, Einstein, or Pocahontas would be amazing. How about having a beer with George Washington or showing Edison a smartphone?
My grandfather passed away in 1992, and I recently learned he was a badass OSS agent. What adventures did he have? I will never know. The only way to learn would be to time travel and talk to him about it. Our family has a minor mystery. My great-grandfather got dementia in 1955 and took out a large loan with his company as collateral. He could not remember what happened when asked about it, and the company folded. Another way to use time travel.
I made many mistakes, and I have wondered what it would be like to correct those mistakes. A good example is not brushing my teeth. I wish I could go back and tell myself to brush, but there is a problem. Let’s pretend present Bill meets six-year-old Bill. “Brush your teeth!” “No way. Old man!” I remember six-year-old Bill. He’s a seventies kid who did his own thing and would not listen to anybody.
My biggest past-changing desire would be to read more. Growing up, my mother took us to the library, and I selected the typical books like the Hardy Boys. Unfortunately, I did not read beyond boy’s fiction. Part of the problem stemmed from the poor selection of seventies books, and another was the tedious task of returning them.
Let’s explore this time-traveling concept. Old Bill convinces young Bill to read more. The result would be a more educated adult Bill with better English skills.
Now, hold on. Part of childhood is wasting time doing kid things like riding bikes, talking to friends, watching useless TV, sleeping in and annoying parents. This bookworm change would alter that balance, resulting in a reduction in Bill’s present social skills. Would this tradeoff have made me a better person? I cling to the belief that it would, yet my heart disagrees.
Childhood is complex, and the playground taught us more lessons than the classroom. How does a boy deal with the bully? How does a shy boy ask a pretty girl out on a date? How does a boy learn how to ride a bike? Those are all skills not contained in books.
Let’s do another time travel experiment. Young Bill’s family is transported to the present time, and he grows up. Because there are higher quality and more books, Bill would have read more and become a better person. Umm, no. Cell phones, the internet, and modern pressures have turned modern children into introverts who do not read. Having my family time travel would tune me into a different person who is not necessarily better than the present person.
Hmm. It sounds like we need to leave the past in the past alone. Fortunately, present and future Bill will not have the option to do any time travel meddling. Or will they?
You’re the best -Bill
November 20, 2019 Updated October 19, 2024
