On the other hand, if we had a Time-Space Machine, this would be different. As the name suggests, we could travel through space and through time. And, of course, predictably, this is my list of the top 10 places (and their corresponding times) I would visit if I had a Time-Space Machine. If indeed life is deterministic, as a new paper seeks to suggest, then bloody well get determined to create a Time-Space Machine.
Get on it, bro.
To make things interesting, let's have two caveats:-
1. You cannot travel into the future.
2. You cannot change the past.
3. You can visit time periods, not just a specific time.
These caveats remove hypotheticals for this hypothetical - You are only allowed to see something that has happened (therefore giving us real entries) and you can view proceedings without worrying if you'll end up killing your grandmother before she gives birth to your mom (thereby eliminating your existence; but if your existence was eliminated, how did you kill your grandmother? *Cue spooky music*) Part 3 is just to make things easy for me. It's my blog, sue me.
Alright then, here we go.
10. The time of Jesus of Nazareth
Where: Wherever Jesus was
When: Whenever Jesus was (assuming something like 60 BC - 0 AD)
I know, I know. For those of you who know me and know how much I rip on religion, it may be strange that I chose this. But you know, I really do believe that Jesus once existed. And if indeed his deeds and his words were recorded in the Bible, that's all we know. I would love to meet this guy, see the manner in which he speaks, the tones he takes, the hand gestures, that sort of stuff. I mean, this dude is one of the most influential people ever, if not the most influential. I want to see how he does it.
Hopefully, not like this:-
9. The Beatles at the Ed Sullivan Show
Where: Audience at the Ed Sullivan Show
When: February 1964
It's the Beatles. It was called the greatest entertainment event of the 20th century by Variety magazine. It's the Beatles. If I were in the crowd, I would've totally been one of those squealing girls. Am not ashamed to admit it.
8. The Crusades
Where: Antioch, the Byzantine Empire, Iberia (wherever the Crusades took place)
When: Between 1095 and 1291
People rode out into the battlefield on horses fighting with swords, bows and arrows, charging the enemy. How more Lord of the Rings can it get? Plus, visiting this time-space would make me better than Indiana Jones. He only saw ONE Crusader.
Loser
7. Age of Expansion
Where: Spanish/Portuguese ships
When: The 1400s/1500s
This is when the world was discovered! When people stopped believing that the world was flat and that people could sail round the world! Talk about unchartered waters and unexplored terrain. From my previous post, you'll know how much this appeals to me. The sense of adventure. Going where people have never been before. Finding new lands. Marco Polo, Columbus, Magellan, Vasco Da Gama. Brilliant.
6. The Chicago Bulls, 1991-1998
Where: Wherever the Bulls played
When: 1991-1998
Yes, yes, I recognise that in the greater scheme of things, this is kinda irrelevant. But, this is my blog and this is my personal subjective list, so there. This is when Michael Jordan, my idol, won 6 championships in 8 years. To see all the moments - "A Spectacular Move", "The Shrug Game", "The Double Nickel", "72-10", "The Flu Game", "The Last Shot". All that good stuff. I would give an arm to have watched all these moments live in person.
5. The Cretaceous Period
Where: Colorado area
When: 67 million years ago
Tyrannosaurus Rex. Look, if ever I was going to be eaten by a creature (mind out of gutter please), I would choose a T Rex. And I would be proud. Enough said.
So awesome we need a second picture:-
Please no feathers. No feathers. No feathers. No feathers. No feathers. No feathers...
4. The Gettysburg Address
Where: Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
When: November 19, 1863
Of all American presidents, my favourite, by far, is Abraham Lincoln. And this speech, to me, is the single greatest speech of all time. And I have not come across any combination of words which have been more inspirational. What a sight to have witnessed in person.
He WAS wrong about one thing though, when he said this:- "The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here."
Somebody turn on the heat cos I just got the chills.
3. The first Man on the Moon
Where: Wherever there was a collection of people watching it live.
When: July 21, 1969
Ignore the conspiracy theories. If we're talking achievements, it's difficult, for me, to think of a greater achievement for mankind, thus far. Think about it, outer space. "One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind." I would have loved to witness this live with a group of people, just to see their faces when it happened. My face would be like Homer Hickham's face in that one scene in October Sky where Homer Hickham just stares at the moving Sputnik in space, transfixed and completely enthralled.
The Big Bang Theory puts it even more succinctly - "...there are man-made objects on the moon put there by a member of a species that only 60 years before had just invented the airplane." Wow.
And speaking of the Big Bang Theory
2. The moment of the Creation of the Universe
Where: Wherever the Universe started
When: Whenever the Universe started
Wouldn't you want to be there? How it all started. You could know if the universe was created by a Higher Being or if it was created by the Big Bang. The very moment of creation. Wouldn't that be a sight?
What could top it, you might ask?
1. The very edge of the Universe, whenever
Where: The very, very edge of the Universe
When: Whenever
This is based on the assumption that the Universe was created by the Big Bang and that it is still expanding as I type this or as you read this. From 12-14 billion years ago to today, it is still expanding.
Now, imaging going to the very edge, where it is expanding. What would you see on the "other side", or in other words, the place where the universe is yet to expand? How do you even begin to conceptualise it? What does it mean to be truly and completely 'nothing'? Can you touch it? What happens if you jump there? Is it black? But if it's nothing, how can there be a colour? This blew my mind when I first considered it and this continues to blow my mind. "True nothingness."
Well, there you have it. The points along the time-space continuum to which I would venture, given a Time-Space Machine. Will it ever happen? Unlikely in my lifetime. Or any lifetime, in fairness, because of that whole speed of light thing. Unless, of course, someone invents a teleportation machine that could go through wormholes or whatever. Something like the Infinite Improbability Drive from the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.
But till then, I'll just have to deal living in this time and this space:-
Bollocks.
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