If we knew then what we know (or think we know) now, would we change things?
If we knew then what we know now, would we be amazed at all of the wonderful things in the now that we take for granted while we’re trying to send a warning about all of the negative things that we’re so focused on?
What is there today that our 10-years-from-now selves would like us to know?
How do we listen for that message from our 10-years-from-now selves?
Which would be more useful, a warning about an upcoming crisis in order to help us avoid it, or a message of hope and joy in order to help us through the dark nights?
Again, if the latter and we can think of joyful messages to send back even if today is dark, what kinds of hopeful messages might there be for us down the road, even if we can’t see them now?
If you couldn’t give a message to your own past self, but you could to another, who would you communicate with and what would you tell them?
Part of this train of thought comes from an article the other day about the common SF theme of using a time machine to go back to see the dinosaurs, which ignores that the planet’s atmosphere back then (depending on when you go back to) could have been quite toxic to us.
Similarly, say for example that you recently met someone, fell in love, and wished that you could have met that person twenty years ago, in order to have all of those extra years together. The problem is that the you of twenty years ago isn’t the same person as the you of today, and the lover of twenty years ago isn’t the same person as the you of today, so even if you did meet, it wouldn’t be the same. You would not connect the same way.
Shaking off my post-dinner reverie, I feel like there could be a country song in there somewhere. Wait, someone beat me to it…
We Love The Stars Too Fondly 