You once made a poor choice which had long lasting and widespread consequences for you and those you love. Let's be honest, most of us have done this multiple times. You have the means to travel back in time to change that decision. Do you?
It's a classic hypothetical question. Time travel, as far as we know, is not possible. It is however the subject of countless films, television shows and novels. It is even a recurring theme in love songs. Recently I watched Back to the Future for the umpteenth time. I've previously written about Time Travelers on Netflix. Today I watched an episode of Dark Matter. Same subject: time travel. Science fiction series always have time travel episodes. It's fascinating and mind blowing stuff, but it's fictional. Purely speculative.
Why is time travel such a rich vein to mine for stories? What makes it such a popular theme?
We all have regrets. At some point in our lives, we've all said those fateful words, 'If only...' Even though we cannot change the past, we still obsess about it. It's very human to think this way, but it isn't very helpful. As the writers of science fiction clearly explain, any change to a single event in the past would automatically impact on many other events. The ripple effect is a slave to the laws of physics. Time is not exempt. We can't selectively change the past, but even if we could, would we really want to?
The answer depends entirely on how you feel about yourself. The fact is the person you are now is primarily the cumulative result of your experiences. You have been shaped by what has happened to you. If you can accept that, you can break the chains and find peace and move forward. If not, you're in big trouble because you can't undo what has been done and the burden of history is far to heavy a load for anyone to carry.
Time travel stories, with narratives driven by the need to explore "what if?" scenarios are fascinating. Typically, some error in the past has caused a problem in the future, so with the possibility of time travel existing, someone simply needs to go back in time and fix the problem. Everyone is as familiar with the concept of "sliding doors" as they are with the regrets, often accompanied by shame and disappointment, over poor historical choices. That isn't science fiction; it is reality.
Searching for something to watch once I had binged on three seasons of Stranger Things, I discovered a show called Travelers. Sadly, it too only lasted three seasons but what a choice show. Briefly, in Travelers, people are sent back to the 21st century to inhabit the bodies and minds of "hosts" via a process called "consciousness transfer". An artificial intelligence being called The Director does the sending and gives these teams of travelers missions to change the future for the better. Of course, it is much more complex than that, as are the relationships the hosts have, and the moral dilemmas they face. Travelers is very thought provoking, cleverly written, suspenseful and genuinely funny at times.
In episode 3 of season 3, the leader of the team upon which the series is largely focused - FBI Agent Grant McClaren - has his memory wiped so as to not suffer the anguish of remembering having to kill a boy who will turn out to be a monster of a man. However, McClaren can't handle the memory holes, so retraces his steps and learns that he spent three hours with this boy, and did not end up killing him. Why? The three hours were of such transformative value to the boy that his future changed, and the Director then spared his life. Regardless of the obvious impossibility of the premise, a remarkable thing happens here, and it is a truth we should grab and hold on to.
This boy had nothing but abuse in his childhood, he was abducted, mistreated, rescued then abandoned to the foster care system in which he suffered further abuse and increasing social isolation. There had been no positive influences in his life. No one stood up for him, protected him, loved him. He behaved badly which caused everyone to shun and revile him as a bad boy: a menace, worse, a dangerous anti social psychopath. He made others feel threatened because he did not feel safe.
Until McClaren spent just three hours with him, talking to him, listening to him, even eating rabbit (the travelers are all vegetarians) which had been trapped and killed by the boy, then cooked on an open fire. This relatively small period of time had a profoundly positive impact on the boy.
We may not be able to travel back in time to correct our mistakes, or the mistakes of others, but we can certainly have a very powerful influence on the future. Investing in relationships now will result in tremendous generational benefits. The impact of our words and actions on other people is often underestimated. We would do well to build people up. to encourage and to inspire them. Emotionally healthy people have healthy relationships, and despite what we are often told, healthy relationships are the heart, soul and spine of society.
Ryan Reynolds stars in Selfless: a 2015 science fiction action film about a billionaire who is diagnosed with a terminal disease, but takes advantage of some expensive technology to get a second bite of the cherry in a healthy, younger body.
Naturally, there are complications which result in some very intense and thrilling action scenes, as the protagonist discovers that his second chance has some disturbing ramifications. The film is not only an interesting variation on a well explored theme, but is also very entertaining and action packed.
The idea that as a person faces mortality they begin an earnest examination of their lives makes sense. Indeed, it is likely that everyone at some stage during their time on earth will contemplate the value of their existence. The concomitant notion is that one will also, as a consequence of this self reflection, find some cause for regret: things they would have done differently. Words and actions which they may add or subtract from their personal narrative, given the chance.
Unfortunately, we don't get a second chance at life. There is no rewind button. What's done is done. The romantic notion of being able to change the past perhaps partially explains the popularity of time travel and body swap films, as well as religious beliefs like reincarnation. However, the reality is considerably more sober.
The bible says "It is appointed unto all men to die once and then face judgment." (Hebrews 9:27) We are born and we will all make mistakes, possibly some terrible ones, on our journey to the grave. I once thought I would have no regrets because at the time, I had none. Now I do, and I have even uttered the words "if I could go back, I would do things differently." But I can't, and neither can you.
The challenge for us is first of all to accept responsibility for our mistakes, and secondly to deal with the consequences of what we have done.
How are you going with that? Do you have regrets? Do you wish you could turn back time? If such technology as is depicted in Selfless actually existed, would you use it?
You once made a poor choice which had long lasting and widespread consequences for you and those you love. Let's be honest, most of us have done this multiple times. You have the means to travel back in time to change that decision. Do you?
