Post: #1

Let's say you have a time machine & can go to any period of time in any part of the world. What would you do?

Honestly, I would have to pick going to Renaissance Italy. I would love to visit Rome, Venice & all the cities.

Beyond that, I would like to visit the Eighties in America. I would like to see the Bears win the Superbowl in 1986.

Assuming I could be a fly on the wall & not get harmed, I would love to see historical battles like the siege of Constantinople & the Battle of Agincourt.

What time periods/events/etc. would you go to see?

Post: #2

I don't care all that much about visiting the past. I'd rather go hundreds of years into the future and see when faster than light travel is discovered and when we make our first official contact with an intelligent civilization on another world.

But I guess if I did have to go into the past I'd like to see if a historical Jesus actually existed and if the story went down just the way it is written.

Post: #3

@speakeasy: Interesting view.

Just out of curiosity, as I am developing a series of posts on Christianity, but what are your thoughts on Jesus & Christianity?

I am currently writing a piece about Tolstoy's Ivan Ilyich for the forum, but that is a prelude to thoughts on Christianity.

Any ideas/thoughts/etc?

Post: #4

Eastern Europe prior to EasyJet and Ryanair flights.

Hell, just send me to anywhere at anytime where traditional family values were still in place.

Post: #5

@speakeasy: I don't doubt that Jesus was a real dude. I do however, suspect that perhaps he accidentally stumbled across some Datura (or something with similar properties), rather than actually experiencing a lot of the tales of divinity he was preaching. That, or he was clever enough to realise that people respond best to fear and greed, and used those 2 as a way to make society behave in the way he thought was right. Also, it's not entirely impossible that, someone who much resembled Jesus decided, after he was nailed to a cross "well hey, this is my chance to shine," and decided to stage what was, potentially, the single greatest con in all of history. But yes, it would be very interesting to see how all of that really went down.

OT: Do we get the luxury of choosing where we're located? And can we go to multiple places? Or is it only single use (with maybe a return ticket)? There are so many places I can think of. I know you said history, but every moment in time is historical to the next - even the present is already in the past. The future is just a history we haven't got to yet.

I'd like to go back to t=0, and examine how our universe really unfolded.
I'd also like to witness the ultimate destruction of our universe.
I'd like to observe the first homo sapiens. And the last.
I'd like to see the ways all the different species evolved, and the very first terrestrial life forms coming into existence.
I'd like to see how various cultures reacted when they were confronted by people of colours/shapes they'd never seen before.
I'd like to see how a viking berserker rampage went down.
I'd like to witness the initial colonisation of another planet.
I'd like to find out whether we really are alone in the universe, and when we discover otherwise, I'd like to witness that first contact.
I'd like to see where the political power shifts in the next 100 years.
I'd like to witness the ancient civilisations in their glory days, and the battles they engaged in.
I'd find it interesting to see myself die.
I'd like to see what happens when the oil reserves run out.
I'd like to be there when the secret to time travel is uncovered, so I can patent it just the right amount of time before the technology exists to ensure I get to use it first, and all the benefits associated with time travel.

I'd also like to ride a hoverboard.

Post: #6

(07-01-2013 04:00 AM)speakeasy Wrote:  I don't care all that much about visiting the past. I'd rather go hundreds of years into the future and see when faster than light travel is discovered and when we make our first official contact with an intelligent civilization on another world.

I was thinking this too, I rather go into the future and see how things end up.

(07-01-2013 04:00 AM)speakeasy Wrote:  But I guess if I did have to go into the past I'd like to see if a historical Jesus actually existed and if the story went down just the way it is written.

Yeah, that would be fascinating as well and pretty amazing to get the whole story.

Another one I thought about is that I would like to travel back and see when the Spaniards came to Central and South America and how the natives were originally before the Spaniards, how the Spaniards were received by the natives, seeing how the Spaniards took power, and seeing how the natives adapted. The history books are written by the Spaniards so I wonder how much of it is the real story.

Post: #7

I would like to visit any time period in the past at least for a short time but these particular places and times come to mind.

Paleolithic period during the last ice age.
Alexandria in Egypt during the Ptolemaic dynasty 305 BC-30 BC
Age of exploration and the Spanish conquest of the Inca empire.
Republic of venice during the 18th century.
VE day and VJ day in London, Paris or New York.

I would also like to be a backpacker traveling around the world during the 70s, 80s or 90s with a solid understanding of game. Far less tourist trails, mainstream tourism and much more danger.

Post: #8

(07-01-2013 07:18 AM)liberman Wrote:  I would also like to be a backpacker traveling around the world during the 70s, 80s or 90s with a solid understanding of game. Far less tourist trails, mainstream tourism and much more danger.

I'd love to do that too, but with access to today's language learning materials, and in times and places that would have barely seen a westerner before then. Imagine a white fella, that speaks the language of the time fluently, and has knowledge of the culture, popping up somewhere they'd never been seen before.

Post: #9

pretty much every point in history SUCKED for black people... so...I don't think it would be a good idea for me...

Post: #10

I would go back to woodstock and the 17th century and be a pirate arrrr.

Post: #11

I would go back to New York City in 1981. I would go to a donut shop and talk to the scrawny girl behind the counter with the weird name: Madonna Ciccone. And I would tell her "Hey, I have these tunes I wrote called 'Borderline,' 'Lucky Star' and 'Holiday' plus some more about virgins and stuff. Let's go make millions!" Then I would sex her up like all her other benefactors.

A few years later I would seek out Rick Rubin and the Beasties and continue to work my magic. Except for the sex part.

Post: #12

I'd love to see the pyramids being built.

Post: #13

(07-01-2013 08:17 AM)Muk Wrote:  pretty much every point in history SUCKED for black people... so...I don't think it would be a good idea for me...

Not true. There was a time in history that was good for black people. Watch that Michael Jackson video from the early 90s cleverly titled "Remember the time".

Post: #14

This would probably sound infantile, but I would of gone back to the time of the Dinosaurs, with safety secured, I would of loved to have traveled from plain to plain, and see how they would lived and socialized with each other, plus the fact of seeing 30 plus T-rex's walking about, fighting & killing each other would of been f****** amazing.

Post: #15

Ten years into the future when Lindy West is president and solves all our economic problems

Post: #16

(07-01-2013 09:50 AM)el mechanico Wrote:  Ten years into the future when Lindy West is president and solves all our economic problems

We probably wouldn't have economic problems, 'cause the world would fall apart into anarchy in the first week or 2. This doesn't actually sound that bad, to be honest. At least society's problems would be sorted out by society, rather than corrupt politicians...

Post: #17

(07-01-2013 08:17 AM)Muk Wrote:  pretty much every point in history SUCKED for black people... so...I don't think it would be a good idea for me...

Black people were around long before colonialism and slavery. Critically ask why you have found it hard to find those accounts of history wide-spread.

Quick fact is that Blacks (along with others) were present in North America far long before Columbus.

The history holds the key for Blacks globally modern "history" has painted a picture of a group of people always in a lesser or sub-ordinate role when this is far from the case.

Post: #18

The Greco-Persian war
It would be pretty cool to watch the soldiers and the navies of both side going at it

I'd like an aerial view of the battles with a a cup of red grapes and some bitches.

Post: #19

I would actually travel to the battle of Lexington and Concord to see who REALLY started the American Revolution, although my money is on the trigger-happy colonists.

Post: #20

I'd travel to 1910 and watch the 20th century unfold. I really enjoy 20th century Americana and find the rise and (i guess fall) of the culture would be entertaining to watch.

Oh and live through the 60s with the game knowledge I have now. We all know the sexual revolution benefited alpha males and ugly girls. Perfect mixture

Post: #21

I'd like to observe the first canoe arriving in New Zealand.

Post: #22

I think anytime during the last century would be optimal for using the game that we have developed. Go back too far and you are dealing with getting your head cut-off if you talk to another man's wife or something.

Post: #23

Ancient Rome (50-200 BC) with all the orgies going on there.

Post: #24

Provided that I speak all the languages and be treated like a nobleman instead of a peasant or slave ....

- Rome and North Africa during the Punic Wars : an Officer in Hannibal's Army
- Greco-Persian wars ... become one of Xerxes' special advisors : Imagine the flow scantily clad belly dancing middle eastern pussy ( before islam ruined everything)
- Roll with the Conquistadors in the 16th century ... ( although Latinas did not exist back then, but I'm still down with native girls)
- The Crusades ... A knight in the Norman Army preferably the earlier ones when the Christians kicked ass

Also

- A pirate Captain in the 17th century terrorizing Spanish Galleons in the Caribbean.
- Captain of an English, Dutch or Portuguese ship exploring the South Pacific and Australia for the first time.

Post: #25

(07-01-2013 04:00 AM)speakeasy Wrote:  But I guess if I did have to go into the past I'd like to see if a historical Jesus actually existed and if the story went down just the way it is written.

Yes me too, I'd go to first century Palestine to see who Jesus really was.

Besides that, it would be interesting to visit Rome at the time of Julius Cesar, Marc Anthony and Cleopatra; or Greece at the time of the Persian Wars, or to see the city of Mexico-Tenochtitlan before it was destroyed; or to watch the Maracanazo live.