Wednesday, March 11, 2009

When Would You Go?

I've been uninspired for blogging of late. There are a couple things I'd like to blog about, but at this point, I cannot find the words. So then I stumbled on this question on Konstantin's blog.

"If you had a time machine where would you travel first? Assuming the fact of course of universal invincibility."

He suggested such ponderables as going to see the Big Bang and see the asteroid that killed the dinosaurs. Then Ilya had something to say about the nature of time travel and using it for personal gain. Then Nathan picked it up and before you know it, you've got a meme going.

So when would I go?

Konstantin had said he might go see the asteroid that destroyed the dinosaurs, which sounds interesting, but I think I'd rather go see the dinosaurs in their prime. I'd also take a trip to Roswell, New Mexico to witness the infamous spacecraft crash. I'd also like to see a pyramid being built, or possibly the Sphinx. I would also like to see vikings. There are so many possiblities that I don't think I could name them all.

Then there's the future. It would be interesting to see the future, but then it might be pretty freaky too. And how do I know that the future that I'm visiting is the actual future? Maybe it's an alternate future, or a future that only exists because I went there.

One must be careful when traveling through time. The meathods can be dangerous.



Ultimately, what better purpose for time travel is there than for the truly academic?



So when would you go?

5 comments:

Ilya said...

I wrote a small dissertation in response to your comment on my post, Matt, about my view on alternative futures. I think they only exist as a possibilities in our imagination, and eventually even imagination catches up to the fact of their immutability with passing of time, when future becomes past. Or something to that effect :)

Vikings, now, are definitely on my list of former civilizations to visit.

Some dude stuck in the Midwest said...

As far as Civs go, I would visit Mayans and Incas. And most definitely ancient Vedas.

mattw said...

Mayans and Incas were definitely on my short list.

Botogol said...

so much depends on the practicalities of the trip (he said, pedantically)

- is it one-way, or return
- do you get to hover invisibly watching the pyramids being built from a porthole in your tardis... or does the travel involve landing a conspicuous heavy space ship - or do you get beamed down into the Gisan desert with only what you can carry.

- do you get a babelfish, or do you have to learn the language?

- am I taking this Qu too seriously?

Me? I'd travel back a week, and take the lotto results with me.

mattw said...

Welcome Botogol. I guess I thought of it as more of an observatory trip, kind of like The Watcher from Marvel comics, but without the giant head and the constant speaches about not getting involved but then getting involved anyway. And I think a babelfish would definitely be in order.