Time travel... Past or Future?

@mrscallands22 (2851)

United States

February 19, 2013 4:26pm CST

I am sitting here thinking.. as I always do.. and the thought crossed my mind about time travel. Age-old theory.. if only we could time travel, right? The concept alone is why the movie "Back to the Future" and the many sequels were so intriguing. I asked my community on Facebook (#TeamNoSleepTM) this question today. If you could time travel.. would you travel to the past or future? A lot of people said they'd travel to the past for various reasons.. which I guess it would either be great to see.. or make me miss it even more.. being that a lot of people died in my past and never made it to the present time. Personally, I would prefer to travel to the future.. because whatever is in the past... it's in the past. It will remain there.. it cannot be changed. However, if some unfortunate event may happen in the future.. you could possibly change it to create a better outcome. They say what's meant to be will be.. no matter what obstacles are thrown to deter it. However, I know deep down we do not all believe in a life strongly on fate alone.. The bigger picture here.. is if you had 24 hours to time travel.. would you revisit the past or glance into the future?

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20 responses

@Aja103654 (5644)

• Philippines

20 Feb 13

I'd go for the future. I'd rather be somewhere new than be somewhere I already know what will happen. New gadgets and technology, everything is new in the future. Though I am not sure what the future would be like. The past is the past. Plus, there are so many wars going on, if I stayed in the past for a few hours I think I'd get hit with a bullet or worse, a nuclear bomb!!

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@mrscallands22 (2851)

• United States

22 Feb 13

Why a nuclear bomb or bullet? lol yea I know what you mean though. We are blessed for each day we receive because today, yesterday and tomorrow are promised to NO ONE. I would want to know whether I made it to the future and what I could change about my present to ensure a brighter future! Thanks for sharing!!

@Aja103654 (5644)

• Philippines

22 Feb 13

Wars are scary. When I learned about what nuclear bombs can do to people, it made me really sad. Just look at what happened to those people from Nagasaki and Hiroshima. The war that was long gone has still affected the people even after many years. That's true. At present, we are blessed being merely alive. I think learning about the future will motivate me more to obtain a future I want, to work on it and everything.

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@Aja103654 (5644)

• Philippines

24 Feb 13

Thanks, scalla! I am a little annoyed that there are young people who are such war freaks due to too much exposure to war games. My boyfriend is no exception,

That zombie freak really surprised me when he could identify all kinds of weapons and stuff.

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@blackrusty (3519)

• Mexico

19 Feb 13

That is a tuff question to answer you can go to the past to change your future or you can go to the future and see how well your life turned out so of the two I think i would go to the future and see how my life turned out

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@mrscallands22 (2851)

• United States

19 Feb 13

Haha.. yea it is bit of a difficult question to ponder.. but I feel more as if revisiting my past will sadden me and I'd want to see how everything was the same.. whereas in the future, I could focus more on the purpose as to why I was there to begin with. Thanks for sharing your views!!

@blackrusty (3519)

• Mexico

19 Feb 13

well even more if you go to the past and change it then you may not have a future to go back too

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@mrscallands22 (2851)

• United States

20 Feb 13

I guess I could agree with that somewhat, a lot of people may not have a future to go to, if I could go back to the past to change my current living situation presently, I would do that also..

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@cher913 (25782)

• Canada

20 Feb 13

i am a history fanatic so of course, i would love to go back at any time during the past century of history. maybe back to the start of the 20th century or later. so much happened during that century which makes every year of that century interesting.

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@mrscallands22 (2851)

• United States

25 Feb 13

Sounds interesting. Would you change anything important in history like an assassination? Thanks for sharing!!

@Archie0 (5652)

•

27 Feb 13

If it is going to be just a glance and no living then i think i would stay in my present because i am really scared if something wrong is going to be in my future and i don't want to be worried bout it from now. If i could go back in my past then i would just go and change all the wrong that i did. About which i am guilty even today.

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@mrscallands22 (2851)

• United States

2 Mar 13

I can understand your point of view. Most people are scared/nervous/anxious about what their future may hold. If I had the chance to take just a glimpse, it'd definitely be to the future. Haha what can I say.. I'm a Leo and we're very curious lol. I feel that the future would be more interesting and beneficial to gain knowledge from. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!!

@else22 (4317)

• India

20 Feb 13

If I had a time machine,I would travel into the past.History is my interest.I love to be in the days when there were dense jungles full of animals and birds,when rivers were free of pollution,when air was pure and when life was so simple and strauight.Of course,there were wars and superstitions,but no problem.I have got fed up with the too complicated present and so want to live,at least view how life was in the past.In my opinion,it was certainly better than the present and the future we are heading to.

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@mrscallands22 (2851)

• United States

25 Feb 13

That's all we really can do!

@mrscallands22 (2851)

• United States

24 Feb 13

You would not try to alter your past to affect your current present and future? Thanks for sharing!!

@else22 (4317)

• India

24 Feb 13

Yes,but I will try to learn from the mistakes that people in the past had committed.

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@priyaxxx85 (108)

• India

23 Feb 13

A very tricky question indeed. Our past contains some very beautiful memories while the future can tell us what lies in store ahead. Personally, I would prefer to travel back into time to revisit and relive the special days. My past has been amazing so far, although a bit difficult to handle. The future is still in my hands and I can create it with my present actions and decisions. So I would definitely choose my past.

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@mrscallands22 (2851)

• United States

25 Feb 13

A lot more people definitely chose past than what I would expect, I must admit. I can see you guys valid points as to why.. I just don't really understand how you'd benefit from it. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!!

@chiyosan (30183)

• Philippines

20 Feb 13

If it was me, and I would have 24 hours to travel either in the past or in the future, I think this is what I would want - Travel the future. I think I would no longer want to change my past so i would not be interested to see what i would have changed... i think i would just leave it at that anyway. As for the future, that is something that I think I would want to do... see what my future is like and why it has happened (in the future) so i can change it in the present and never get to that point. I think it would really be wonderful to have a glimpse of the future, it is something that i think most people would be excited or curious to see, right?

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@mrscallands22 (2851)

• United States

22 Feb 13

I feel the exact same way! Finally someone who views it very similarly to the way view it.. everyone has regrets in their life.. but the things that happened.. is what made me the person I am today and I'm proud of myself. I just would like to impact my future in such a way that it's brighter and sustainable for me, my daughter and family. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!!

@urbandekay (18278)

•

20 Feb 13

If I had but 24 hours, I would travel for 23 hours to the future, then travel back 23 hours in time to start my 24 hours again, spending this 23 hours travelling to the past! all the best, urban

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@mrscallands22 (2851)

• United States

24 Feb 13

Brilliant!! haha I would definitely use that.. I love how you thought of that. I guess you could do that to view the different outcomes or at least until you got bored! Thanks for sharing your views!!

@Jul14nch0 (1414)

• Argentina

20 Feb 13

This is actually kind of hard for me to decide

... First of all, I think the future would be more interesting to see (we already know almost everything from the past). However, if I had to live in the past or the future, I would prefer the past. Of course this decision depends on where and when would I arrive (For example, I wouldn't like to live in a country that is in war, of course) but if I could chose where and when I would definitely choose past since I prefer the music, the landscapes, the way people dressed and many other factors that are getting worse with time and will probably be awful in the future

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@mrscallands22 (2851)

• United States

24 Feb 13

I can definitely see your point, but I do agree with you when you say that we almost know everything from our past so some things will be enlightening but nothing will be especially "new". Thanks for sharing your thoughts!!

@jenny1015 (13366)

• Philippines

20 Feb 13

If I were given the chance, I'd most probably go back to my past. I feel that time has gone quickly, and I would just want to see them all again. Not really wanting to change any of it, but just to be able to have more time to be with the important people in my life.

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@mrscallands22 (2851)

• United States

22 Feb 13

I would love to see some of my family members that passed away when I was younger and a kid.. but I feel it would sadden me so and not really help me.. but only result in my missing them more. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!!

@jricky1 (6800)

• China

20 Feb 13

It would be really cool no matter travel back to the past or to the future.No one has such amazing experience definitely,so i'll choose to go back to the past therefore i can have chance to decide what my future be like.To be honest,i'm afraid the future maybe disappointing me.lol,interesting topic.

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@mrscallands22 (2851)

• United States

22 Feb 13

My past would sadden me too much and I'd want to spend time with certain people or doing certain things I used to love versus trying to improve my present and future. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!!

teotimoponcerosacena

@teotimoponcerosacena (1551)

• Philippines

20 Feb 13

Time travel maybe possible someday in the future but to think of what will I do if it will. I am not a fool to do it be realistic stop dreaming you might end yourself in a room where no one is with you.

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@mrscallands22 (2851)

• United States

24 Feb 13

I would hope that it'd be possible someday.. but if too many people knew about it.. the miracle could be easily abused and as always turned into a weapon of some sort. If only we could progess to where if things like that do come into reality, we'd all be able to benefit in positive ways from it vs. trying to steal and market the idea or using it for a negative advantage over someone else. What we lack as a whole (population) in today's times is compassion for the next man. HAHA why when you mentioned the white room by yourself I thought of the episode where Squidward from "Spongebob" was in a time machine and his last destination to the future put him somewhere where he was alone lol. It's a hilarious episode if you've never seen it. Thanks for sharing your views!!

@paperdolls28 (222)

• Philippines

20 Feb 13

I don't want to look back so I would just take a peek at my future to see if I will have a child of my own hahaha.. (wheee.. tough question)

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@mrscallands22 (2851)

• United States

24 Feb 13

Haha yea it is a bit of a tough question.. definitely something to daydream about when bored lol. If you want a child in the future, then I'm sure you'll be blessed with one =). Thanks for sharing your views!!

@extremefun4fun (2908)

• India

20 Feb 13

For me, if I could get chance of travel to the time, I would travel to the future to know about my future as I am so curious on that. even that could give me chances that in case of doing wrong then I could change my way of life from now to make changes on my future and make it better. But if going to the past, I could correct one of my big mistake that I have done in my life. sometimes I think How much was good and excited if really that could happen to travel to the past or future!

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@mrscallands22 (2851)

• United States

24 Feb 13

I feel the exact same way, I feel like I would achieve more by trying to change my future from now vs. attempting to revisit my past and alter the present. The present could be better but I would still want to have my daughter and the people whom I have in my life right now. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!!

@stealthy (8181)

• United States

19 Feb 13

There are all kinds of paradoxes that have been written about in science and science fiction as to what can or can't be done in both directions. To me it seems most likely that you could observe the past perhaps but not be able to change anything if going into the past were even possible. It seems more likely to me that if going to future were possible and still being able to return that you could change things. So from a selfish perspective I might want to change things that would would improve my health, life expectancy, happiness and financial well being. From an unselfish perspective it would be to try to do something along the same lines for almost everyone. Then there are the theories, science fiction speculations, that if something is changed than another parallel universe is created and the future observed would not be changed and similarly if change in the past were possible than it make for a totally different present than the one you left to which you would return while the old one continued except possibly without you.

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@mrscallands22 (2851)

• United States

20 Feb 13

Brilliant theory. I really like your observations. I somehow feel that changing the future is better than the past, also.. for a number of reasons including the fact that the future to me is more important now than the past. Best response goes to you for such an excellent observation on the topic. Kudos! Thanks for sharing your thoughts!!

@redredrose (1105)

• United States

20 Feb 13

I'm not so sure which one i'd do so maybe if i could i'd do a bit of both. Go into the past and see what i can change or what the world was like back then in times before i was born and then go to the future and see what my life and the world will be like then. I always wondered hat the world would be like if we had time travel and if we could change things about the past. Wouldn't that be interesting if we could?

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@mrscallands22 (2851)

• United States

22 Feb 13

It would be very interesting, indeed. Though many people wouldn't be able to handle the power of time travel and possibly abuse the luxury. What if you could only pick one specifically? Would it be the past or future? I would definitely pick the future. Thanks for sharing your views!!

@maezee (41988)

• United States

19 Feb 13

You're really going to make us answer this?! I think I would rather go to the past than the future. I feel as though things will continue to be overindustrialized. Even though it would be cool to see Jetsons-type aircraft cars flying around the city - should that ever happen. I think it would be cool to see where I live (and other areas) from the start - when things were less industrialized, with more nature, and a more "simple" life. I also think it would be interesting to see what my parents were like during the Woodstock years. Ha ha.

@mrscallands22 (2851)

• United States

22 Feb 13

Well.. it's not mandatory that you specifically answer it.. but I wanted other's opinions and feedback on the topic because I know many individuals many vary in perspectives and I am a pretty open-minded person so I like to think of myself as accepting diversity and trying embracing what I believe to find is true in new ideals. I guess the past would be cool in a lot of ways.. but I don't think I'd benefit much from know what I've already been through unless I could seriously impact my future by doing so... Thanks for commenting!!

valorieesquilona

@valorieesquilona (442)

• Philippines

20 Feb 13

i love surprises so how could I be surprised if I would take a peep into the future? I'd rather travel back to the past so I could see my mistakes and to understand why I am like this at the present. And by traveling back to the past will also help me to go back to the happiest moments in my life. I will leave the future to his hands.

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@mrscallands22 (2851)

• United States

22 Feb 13

That's a very religious way to look at things. The future isn't promised to anyone.. wouldn't you like to know whether you HAD a future or not? Or what you could change between the present and future to ensure a brighter future? These are the elements I pondered when I came to the conclusion I have. Changing the past may be able to change the present.. but what if you liked aspects about your present.. like the person you're in a relationship with.. that you would've never known otherwise. Or what about people with children.. going back and altering their lives may mean that they never have children or the SAME children.. so many things could change for the positive or negative.. it seems more risky to me somehow. Thanks for sharing your views!!

@AkamaruKei (5219)

• Malaysia

20 Feb 13

I dont know if we can create time travel machine. There are those who admit they come from the future, but there is no sufficient evidence to prove their from future. For me I afraid to go to the future. I dont want to see what will happen in the future. It is better for me i dont know what will happen in the future.

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@mrscallands22 (2851)

• United States

22 Feb 13

Wow.. are there really people claiming to be from the future?? I have never heard anything about that. Is there tangible proof of this.. like on the Internet? Why does the future seem so scary to everyone? Thanks for sharing!!

@greenthumb018 (595)

• Philippines

20 Feb 13

Maybe I'll visit the past, correct my past mistakes then go to the present.

I don't want to see the future yet. Even though the risk is high when changing the past, I'll do it. And I also want to go back on my teen days when I'm not worrying on anything and just live a happy life with friends and family.

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@mrscallands22 (2851)

• United States

20 Feb 13

Haha.. but what if you didn't have that long to revisit the past or go to the future. More like 24 hours? And only that. I miss my teenage days sometimes too.. the carefreeness of it.. but the drama and seeming lack of freedom under strict parenting. lol Thanks for sharing!!