(no subject)

[deckardcanine]

Today marks a personal milestone: two years living in the same apartment. I may just be here much longer, because my landlady recently called me an ideal tenant.

On the subject of time, I've revisited the question of how one would change the past if time travel were an option. Like many others, I used to say I'd pass up the opportunity for fear of making the present worse via the butterfly effect. What hadn't occurred to me was that in reality, every time we make a decision, we cut off a potentially better future. The only difference between normal actions and changing the past (assuming that no universe-breaking paradoxes apply) is that we get to find out for sure where more than one path leads. Let's not treat the present like the end of time.

Ultimately, I think my answer should not be one of attempted practicality but one of basic ethics. So yeah, I probably would try preemptively killing Hitler or whatnot. Even if it somehow screws up the present, it may be for the best in the longest run.

Also on the subject of time... ever say something like, "That's two hours I'm never getting back"? Well, the same applies to any set of two hours. Why single out the ones you didn't like?

Comments

[thatcatgirl.livejournal.com]

Regret. It's two hours you *wish* you'd spent differently, as opposed to hours spend relatively well.

And the time travel question... That's a hard one to answer.

[nefaria.livejournal.com]

I'd go a little farther back and save the Titanic. The Titanic had treaty drafts on board that might have prevented WWI. With no WWI, there's no WWII, no Communist revolution in Russia, and no lots of other nasty things.

[deckardcanine.livejournal.com]

Including the popularization of a Celine Dion song. ;P

[stevenroy.livejournal.com]

I'm reminded of this delightful little yarn about time travel: "Wikihistory"

"Everybody kills Hitler on their first trip."

[deckardcanine.livejournal.com]

Ah, I was hoping to find that again! Thanks.

Time tenants

[akktri.livejournal.com]

"I may just be here much longer, because my landlady recently called me an ideal tenant."
Them's fighting words!
Judging by the following time travel comment, I think we both agree that David is the ideal Tennant.
Your landlady caught me leaning against a pole the other day, but she said, "It don't bother me, as long as I get my rent next friday." And after that she was so nice. Laws, she was lovey dovey.
"Also on the subject of time... ever say something like, "That's two hours I'm never getting back"? Well, the same applies to any set of two hours. Why single out the ones you didn't like?"
Because that time contained a song called Doctor In Distress, and Billy the Mountain by Frank Zappa.