Turning back time...

[kv88]

I've always wondered about this and wished it could happen (because I enjoyed my childhood days) but I realized it's a selfish thing (as that there are many people out there who had horrible pasts).

I believe things happen for a reason and that's what makes us today, but if we ever did tweak something in the past do you guys think we would be the same person today?

I think maybe we could either be the same, an even better person, or something totally unexpected.

And if we did prevent something catastrophic from happening, what would come out of it? I believe bad things will always happen (I'm a bit of a realist) but what comes out in the end is usually positive (like people building stronger bonds and protective of one another, lessons learned, ways to handle certain situations,etc.).

Well I wish I can at least whisper to my past self to save money lol.

Your thoughts?

I SERIOUSLY HOPE WHAT I SAID MADE SENSE!

[Gambit]

What you said does make sense. It is a very interesting question. After reading your thread it was the first time I realized that wanting to change the past is a selfish act. Good point.

I also believe that things happen for a reason and they make us what we are. It is like climbing a mountain. Life wants you to get to the summit of the mountain, and you feel the need to get there, although you dont know what there is at the top of the mountain. You can take any road you like to make it to the summit, but all the paths are different and you will find different challenges in each of them. Nonetheless, all those paths lead to the top of the mountain. Even if you went back to the base of mountain and choose a route different from the one you chose in the first place, you will end up on the summit eventually. What's at the top of the mountain? There could be anything: a new friend, a lover, a personal goal, happiness, etc. Life gives us many mountains to climb during our life spam. (I hope it made sense)

And if we did prevent something catastrophic from happening, what would come out of it?

Well, I think those catastrophic things happen for a reason as well. I think they teach humans to love and care about each other and try lo live in peace. So, even if you went back to the past and change something, that catastrophy will find its way to happen. (I guess we agree in this point as well haha)

[MusicIsLife]

I guess you could take a leaf out of any film or book that deals with time travel. If you prevent something bad from happening by going back in time, something of equal disaster will occur.

I do agree that everything happens for a reason, and I had a lot of bad things happen to me in the past. However, i wouldn't change anything, it all added to how I am today. If i went back and changed something, I'd be a completely different person.

[Just Adam]

nothing good can come from changing the past, some points in time are earth defining points those events must happen and what you do no matter how subtle can always change them without you knowing.

it is selfish to think ones past is important than others everyone suffers tradgedy its these moments in our lives that define us and our character, our strength and compassion.

would i still change my past, yes because im not a good creature despite the risks, but would make a few rules. dont eat and exercise more, draw more, play more music, sing more, love more, but despite getting better grades at school to still go where i did and meet who i did and do what i did and still come here and so forth.... because its not the life i regret its the details within the life

but great question

Also changing your history would impact on other peoples lives. For all you know you could have made someones life that much better!! if you went and changed something whos to say that persons life then got worse instead of better. There is things id love to change but it sure aint gonna happen, cos then you would have to think of all the other things you would miss out on.

[Mogget]

It's an inherently unknowable thing, and best not to dwell on. If things had been otherwise, they would be different is the closest we can say. Better or worse, or just different, that's not something given to us to know. "Things cannot be other than as they are" as Pangloss says in Candide, or if you prefer "All things must be as they are" from Jacqueline Carey.

Would I change things if I could? Yes, and without fear of making other things worse. Both because I'm selfish and because, since I can't know about the endlessly spiraling effects of my actions; if I concerned myself with them I'd never do anything.

[Ben]

If I could change the past then of course I would.
I'm not into all this 'things happen for a reason', 'things will be just as bad' stuff. If I could go back in time and change the unnecessary and accidental sufferings of people I've known, then I'd snap that opportunity up in a heartbeat. And I don't see there being much logic in assuming that things would become disastrous if you changed the past.
Yes, it would rock the boat. And yes, there's a deep philosophy there. But there are certain things that I would take the risk for. And I don't for one second believe that the decisions I've made in my life so far have led to to best possible conditions for those around me; afterall, selfless decisions made in hindsight are more likely to be positive ones, no?

[Just Adam]

if I could turn back time...if I could find a way...


*ears bleed*

[Austin]

If I Could Turn Back Time~~~ Do Do Do Do Do ~~~ If I Could Find A Way ~~~ Do Do Do Do Do~~~

[Kenko]

I do not believe everything "happens for a reason", however who you are now is shaped by all your experiences, struggles, and whatnot. Changing something, even minor could drastically impact who you are as a person.

[Katherine]

I, like some of you, stand fully behind the belief that everything--everything--happens for a reason. Every single thing that's happened in my life so far, no matter how small, has somehow contributed to who I am today. And even though some parts of me might possibly be improved by removing something from or adding something to my past...I wouldn't be me anymore if I decided to change it. I would be a different person, because I'd had different experiences.

Don't get me wrong...there are a lot of things about myself that I want to change and that I do think might be better now if it hadn't been for things that happened in the past. But--and I think the few other slightly spiritual people here on EC might agree with me--I just don't think it's up to me to decide what should have been. All I can do is work on changing who I am in the future.

[Black Cat]

Originally Posted by Katherine

I, like some of you, stand fully behind the belief that everything--everything--happens for a reason. Every single thing that's happened in my life so far, no matter how small, has somehow contributed to who I am today. And even though some parts of me might possibly be improved by removing something from or adding something to my past...I wouldn't be me anymore if I decided to change it. I would be a different person, because I'd had different experiences.

Don't get me wrong...there are a lot of things about myself that I want to change and that I do think might be better now if it hadn't been for things that happened in the past. But--and I think the few other slightly spiritual people here on EC might agree with me--I just don't think it's up to me to decide what should have been. All I can do is work on changing who I am in the future.

I love that. I feel the same way about the whole thing.

[JCB89]

Originally Posted by Kenko

I do not believe everything "happens for a reason", however who you are now is shaped by all your experiences, struggles, and whatnot. Changing something, even minor could drastically impact who you are as a person.

I agree... and it's deep stuff!

[Pepsi]

Originally Posted by Kenko

I do not believe everything "happens for a reason", however who you are now is shaped by all your experiences, struggles, and whatnot. Changing something, even minor could drastically impact who you are as a person.

Um I'm confused. I think I must be misunderstanding you because it feels like you're saying, "I do not believe everything happens for a reason but everything does effect what happens" which sounds to me like a complete contradiction. I'm not saying that it is a contradiction I'm just saying I don't understand what it is you are saying.



And I personally would love if my past were different but I wouldn't change anything for fear of what effect that would have on everything else.

[malachite]

I've often had these thoughts too. I didn't have a great childhood (verbal abusive father, emotional unstable mother) but I think having to deal with all that stuff has made me tougher, and I'm s stronger person because of it.

[kv88]

Originally Posted by Megamomey

What you said does make sense. It is a very interesting question. After reading your thread it was the first time I realized that wanting to change the past is a selfish act. Good point.

I also believe that things happen for a reason and they make us what we are. It is like climbing a mountain. Life wants you to get to the summit of the mountain, and you feel the need to get there, although you dont know what there is at the top of the mountain. You can take any road you like to make it to the summit, but all the paths are different and you will find different challenges in each of them. Nonetheless, all those paths lead to the top of the mountain. Even if you went back to the base of mountain and choose a route different from the one you chose in the first place, you will end up on the summit eventually. What's at the top of the mountain? There could be anything: a new friend, a lover, a personal goal, happiness, etc. Life gives us many mountains to climb during our life spam. (I hope it made sense)

Well, I think those catastrophic things happen for a reason as well. I think they teach humans to love and care about each other and try lo live in peace. So, even if you went back to the past and change something, that catastrophy will find its way to happen. (I guess we agree in this point as well haha)

I agree with ya, climbing mountains helps up build who we are.

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Originally Posted by MusicIsLife

I guess you could take a leaf out of any film or book that deals with time travel. If you prevent something bad from happening by going back in time, something of equal disaster will occur.

I agree with this as well, it's like postponing an important assignment, which then later results in an even bigger assignment.

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Originally Posted by Just Adam

nothing good can come from changing the past, some points in time are earth defining points those events must happen and what you do no matter how subtle can always change them without you knowing.

it is selfish to think ones past is important than others everyone suffers tradgedy its these moments in our lives that define us and our character, our strength and compassion.

would i still change my past, yes because im not a good creature despite the risks, but would make a few rules. dont eat and exercise more, draw more, play more music, sing more, love more, but despite getting better grades at school to still go where i did and meet who i did and do what i did and still come here and so forth.... because its not the life i regret its the details within the life

but great question

Thanks. I think maybe if I told myself to be more outgoing back in high school, would I be surrounded by the same real friends I have this day? Maybe, but I might have to go through a lot of sorting, to find the real friends in life.

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Originally Posted by Katherine

I, like some of you, stand fully behind the belief that everything--everything--happens for a reason. Every single thing that's happened in my life so far, no matter how small, has somehow contributed to who I am today. And even though some parts of me might possibly be improved by removing something from or adding something to my past...I wouldn't be me anymore if I decided to change it. I would be a different person, because I'd had different experiences.

Don't get me wrong...there are a lot of things about myself that I want to change and that I do think might be better now if it hadn't been for things that happened in the past. But--and I think the few other slightly spiritual people here on EC might agree with me--I just don't think it's up to me to decide what should have been. All I can do is work on changing who I am in the future.

If I did change the past, I probably wouldn't have found this site and have great advice from people.

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Originally Posted by gaz83

Also changing your history would impact on other peoples lives. For all you know you could have made someones life that much better!! if you went and changed something whos to say that persons life then got worse instead of better. There is things id love to change but it sure aint gonna happen, cos then you would have to think of all the other things you would miss out on.

Hmm that is interesting especially on changing other people's lives but then maybe later on the harder lessons will come later on than early on. Well just my opinion.

[xequar]

I've thought about this topic quite a bit actually.

Thing about this: Every time you make a choice, you've created yet another of an essentially-infinite number of parallel and/or alternate Universes. The choices you make keep this version of you anchored here, but some other version of you that had been running parallel to that point made a different choice, and suddenly they're going in a different direction. Even seemingly minor things make huge differences.

For example, on October 17, 2007, I decided that because it was going to be an unseasonably warm fall day, I was going to commute to work by bike. Ordinarily when I do that, I grab a small bowl of cereal for breakfast, but that particular morning, I decided against it. That one little decision that, on the surface, seems pretty inconsequential, actually turned out to be radically life-changing. By leaving that five minutes earlier, it timed out that when I got to a certain intersection, I was going through the intersection on a green light when a woman driving a Buick Rainier SUV ran through the red light. She hit me with her car, which smashed my left leg and led to two and a half years of surgeries and pure unmitigated hell as I struggled to recover.

Supposing I went back and created a delay of some sort, so that my past self left home even one minute later, it would be a radical change. I would not have been in that intersection when the SUV ran the red light. I would have most likely passed through that intersection as I had so many other times before, have gone to work just fine, and would have continued on with my life as it had been before. My mood and some of the depressive bouts I had during the whole affair would not have been a thing, but being injured and muddling through it better than most people would have would have altered my interactions with people quite a bit. I possibly wouldn't have met my boyfriend at that party because I might have just been another face in the crowd. I wouldn't be in a position to buy a house because I wouldn't have the funds from the legal settlement. But, I'd still be in really good shape and would not have gone through the pure unadulterated hell of the past couple years, especially 2009.

So, in some alternate Universe, I didn't get into that accident, and accordingly, my life since approximate 7:00 a.m. on October 17, 2007, unfolded quite differently. Would I choose that path over the one I've traveled? It's really hard to say, but I don't think that I would. Yeah it was hell, but I've had a life experience that is exceedingly rare, and I as a person am much stronger for it I'm sure.