Discussion If you acquired a time machine but you couldn't use it to go back in time after you were born... What would you do with it?

[Severen]

I'd go back in time and prevent Gaius Julius Caesar from being assassinated. I'd warn General Varus about Arminius betraying him in the Teutoburg Forest. I'd convince the Romans to conquer Germania by telling them exactly what will happen if they do not. I'd save the Celts from being a mostly extinct race. I'd kill Heinrich Himmler and Hitler and their henchmen before they could start WW II. I'd stop Christianity from spreading. And I would personally get to know Alexander The Great, Gaius Julius Caesar, Cleopatra, Mark Antony, Hannibal and Napoleon. I'd save my ancestor who was killed during the American Civil War and prevent my grandfather from fighting in the Korean War. I'd join the Union army to kill some Confederate bastards and join the Allies to kill some Nazi bastards as well. I'd help free African slaves in the south in the 1800s. And also fight alongside Alexander The Great. Of course, I know, just altering one little thing in history could prevent everything else from happening but I'm just fantasizing at this point. I'd also kill Genghis Khan. And prevent that Confederate bastard from killing Abraham Lincoln. I'd also stop Martin Luther from rebelling against the Catholic Church. I'd also warn the Aztecs, Mayans and Incans about the Spaniards coming to kill or enslave them all. So they would get their heads out of their asses and start developing weapons of steel or something, so at least they can fight off some of the Spaniards. Then I'd spend some time, partying in the 70s and early 80s then settle down some time around 1000 years ago, perhaps with a wife and some kids.

 

[Oblivion Lover]

That's... Quite an interesting plan you have there. I think that a time machine would be better in your hands than mine. I'd probably use it to wipe out humanity in the current times. Since you can't travel to the future with this time machine, probably there is no future defined yet, so this would be essentially paradox-proof.

 

[chlorine]

Set date as: before the Big Bang
Have a sudden universal realization or just not be no more because there may be nothingness
Then die because space.

 

[Severen]

Set date as: before the Big Bang
Have a sudden universal realization or just not be no more because there may be nothingness
Then die because space.

Then finds out, you were destined to go back in time and create the big bang. :P I told you not to eat so much spicy food...

 

[chlorine]

Then finds out, you were destined to go back in time and create the big bang. :P I told you not to eat so much spicy food...

everything makes so much sense now. That chili was.. Bomb.

 

[Orin]

I'll try to prevent my birth....though this might not work as it might cause a paradox.

If it would be impossible to prevent my birth:
I'd kidnap my younger self and raise him on my own (yes, my parents are the worst). He would essentially have foresight of his potential future, which is a HUGE advantage. I'll teach him martial arts at an early age, steer him towards the correct career path, and give him all the advice that i wish i knew when i was a kid.

 

[been_there]

No religion. Integrated colonialism. Pick up a senate and future tech along the way to oversee human progress. Pop forward and evaluate. Rinse and repeat.

 

[LaBrava]

I'd go back and kill my stepfather, saving myself a lot of suffering.

 

[Dead beat dad]

I'd go back and meet my grandfather as a young man. He was the best .man I knew, wish I could have known him more

 

[TAW122]

I would go back in time and made sure voluntary euthanasia is legalized across the world, then also attempt to legalize prostitution, and other things that would benefit humanity and society as a whole. Also, made sure that religion never took control of a particular nation and indoctrinate it such that it seeps into public policy and governance.

 

[Imgonnadie]

win the lottery

 

[PatKat]

I would go back and be a volunteer Gladiator in the arena that would be amazing...

Or I would go back and be a Knight. Sir PatKat has a good ring to it.

 

[Severen]

win the lottery

How would you know the winning numbers before you were born though?

 

[riverstyx]

The question of preventing WW2 is fascinating.

So you travel back to 1939 or something and convince Hitler to stop the invasion of Poland, but how would you get access to him and would he believe you?

I guess you could travel back in time to when Hitler was still a wee little boy and just kill him with cold blood, but what happens then? Are you capable of killing a child in cold blood even if it's Hitler?

Seems like Europe was destined for war anyway, especially with a communist Russia as its nearest neighbour and rivaling interests between the great powers.

Changing the future seems like it would be a headache with unseen consequences.

 

[jake3d]

I would choose to be born in the 60s and live the hippie lifestyle, wouldn't mind to be dead before 30 due to drugs (which is what's gonna happen, but due to other stupid reasons).

 

[Pony]

Go back in time and prevent my birth

 

[Wayfaerer]

I'll try to prevent my birth....though this might not work as it might cause a paradox.

If it would be impossible to prevent my birth:
I'd kidnap my younger self and raise him on my own (yes, my parents are the worst). He would essentially have foresight of his potential future, which is a HUGE advantage. I'll teach him martial arts at an early age, steer him towards the correct career path, and give him all the advice that i wish i knew when i was a kid.

You couldn't travel back in time after you were born but I really feel you.

I'd travel back to the paleozoic and marvel at what was basically an alien-like planet. Then future paleontologists would find a human skeleton in rock from 350 million years ago and be like "WTF?!?" it'd be awesome.

 

[ScorpiusDragon]

I would travel back to the reign of Henry VIII and watch the historical drama with his six wives unfold.

 

[Kikoo Loool]

I'd go to the great century of Athens in the Antiquity.

 

[CFLoser]

The time of the dinosaurs. Would probably die painfully but I want to see dinosaurs with my own eyes.

 

[Wayfaerer]

The time of the dinosaurs. Would probably die painfully but I want to see dinosaurs with my own eyes.

I'd want to be right at the K/T boundary so I could see the dinosaurs and also ctb at the same time

 

[CFLoser]

I'd want to be right at the K/T boundary so I could see the dinosaurs and also ctb at the same time

I want to eat dinosaur.

 

[woxihuanni]

Obviously murder my parents? Duh