Time Travel discussion
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The Time Traveler's Almanac
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"The Most Important Thing in the World" - Steve Bein (3/8/15)
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Amy wrote: "It seemed like one was for how long the wearer would experience time standing still and the other was for how much time in the future that the wearer would pop back into time? "The one was for how much time you "borrow" from the future and the other was for when, in the future, you are borrowing it from.
Amy wrote: "Another thing I'm wondering is whether or not young Ernie was telling the truth about the consequences of borrowing time or if he just made up the story to get old Ernie to fess up."
My take is this: the kind of guy who would leave a time control suit in a cab is not the kind of guy to mastermind much more then a brunch.
Amy wrote: "The ending seemed a little anti-climatic to me. I expected old Ernie to experience the consequences of his borrowed time. But the fact that he didn't makes me think that young Ernie must have been just making up the consequences all along ... or that he was just wrong about the consequences. "
Ernie only actually turned it on for minutes at a time. I'm assuming that, over the couple days he had it, he only used it for an hour or so. And he borrowed from short periods in the future, so he had already experienced the "lost time", as well.
Ernest explained that the consequences were cumulative over long periods of use.
And I think the whole point, though it was never explicated, is that the suit is addictive. The more you use it, the more you need to use it. And it causes you to lie and steal, to justify and support it... basically an elicit drug.
Amy wrote: "So, what's your take away about what the "most important thing in the world" is? Is it time? Is it time with the people you love? Is its the suit? Is it your health and sanity?"
Love. Happiness. Live. That kind of thing.
I liked it a lot.I especially liked how it felt real. Ernie felt like a real guy. He didn't intend to do bad and, ultimately, he made the right decisions.
I like that his learning a lesson and making reparations didn't automatically mean that he had fixed things. Some happiness, some sadness... but he accepted it all.
His life, his job, his love life... nothing is where he would have preferred it to be... but he's happy.
Nice story. Nice lesson.
Amy wrote: "This one seems to be more of a time-standing-still story than a time travel story."Yes. I suppose some of the stories-to-come will be variations on time control/manipulation, without actual time travel occurring.
But I can work with it.
Mod
Amy Said:
The ending seemed a little anti-climatic to me. I expected old Ernie to experience the consequences of his borrowed time. But the fact that he didn't makes me think that young Ernie must have been just making up the consequences all along ... or that he was just wrong about the consequences.
This was a bit unclear for me as well Amy however when he melts his spoon and misses the phone call was one time he jumps ahead....and a second time his clock changes from 11:59 to 12:10 in a blink.
It seemed to me that the end kind of just petered out.
Mordechai wrote: "It seemed to me that the end kind of just petered out."How do you mean?
Ernie learned a lesson that probably benefits him, in living his life. The end.
In looking up the writer, I find that he translated a book on the writings of an ancient Zen master and he also wrote a philosophy book.Compassion and Moral Guidance, by Steve Bein.
This does not surprise me.
I sort of liked this one. I liked the jokiness but I'm not sure I can tell you what the most important thing in the world is. I suppose there's a moral here. Maybe always tell the truth or life has consequences or don't steal. I looked up what the ring of Gyges was (guess they didn't teach that when I went to school either!) Anyway, I will give it 3 stars.
Glynn wrote: "I'm not sure I can tell you what the most important thing in the world is"I change my answer. The most important thing in the world is:
Now
Glynn wrote: "I suppose there's a moral here. Maybe always tell the truth or life has consequences or don't steal"
I think it's probably a Zen moral. About living in the present, where you are, rather then dwelling on the future or the past.
Sorry for coming in late.I couldn't quite calculate the borrowed time bit either, but I understood the consequences well enough, I think. I agree with James' comments on it. I would give it four stars.
Amy, you say 'young Ernie' and 'old Ernie.' They aren't the same person, unless I'm extremely confused. I think they had the same name to make it easier for them to empathize with each other, and for us to empathize with the universality of human nature.
And, yes, the most important thing in the world is Now, as in Be here now, live in the moment. Next is love etc.
But... in a way the suit is hugely important - because if a bad guy got a hold of it, imagine the planet-scale havoc that could be wreaked...
Anybody have any thoughts about it being told in present tense?
Cheryl wrote: "Anybody have any thoughts about it being told in present tense?"Have you?
Mod
Oh, ok, Amy, tx - I've been known to totally miss big ol' symbols like that. :)Well, I know plenty of folks dislike present tense. I didn't even notice it this time, until I skimmed it over again after reading these comments. I liked it. I think I feel that the immediacy provided a sense of import & authenticity... but by that I'm probably saying something almost axiomatic. Maybe it gives weight to your "Now," James.
There's something more going on, too, that I can't quite put my finger on today....
Yes, I think the tense was deliberate.And I also can't quite identify what he was doing with the tense, but there was something.
~~~~~~~Discussion Below ~~~~~~~~~~~~
I didn't quite get why there were 2 timers on the suit. It seemed like one was for how long the wearer would experience time standing still and the other was for how much time in the future that the wearer would pop back into time?
Another thing I'm wondering is whether or not young Ernie was telling the truth about the consequences of borrowing time or if he just made up the story to get old Ernie to fess up.
The ending seemed a little anti-climatic to me. I expected old Ernie to experience the consequences of his borrowed time. But the fact that he didn't makes me think that young Ernie must have been just making up the consequences all along ... or that he was just wrong about the consequences.
So, what's your take away about what the "most important thing in the world" is? Is it time? Is it time with the people you love? Is its the suit? Is it your health and sanity?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I'll give it 3 stars.