[Question] A tricky time travel question.

[Yoshimickster]

You are given the chance to back in time as many times as you want, you do not age when you go back in time, and you can bring whatever you can carry yourself. However there are a few rules that you need to adhere to.

Rule number one: You can only go back in time to years when you were alive. This is a precaution meant for the traveler's safety as going too far back might cause a butterfly effect causing your existence to cease and creating a paradox. You still however are the same age as you were when you went into the time machine and since that version of you does not exist in that current time-frame you will most likely be able to be whoever you say you are.

Rule number two: Whatever causes the time travel be it science or magic can only take you back to places in the exact same spot you originally started time traveling. You will still have to travel to specific places by your own devices.

Rule number three: You are not a god. This isn't so much a rule as it is advice for the traveler. Many people believe that when one goes back in time they can simply tell people about future tragedies and this will stop them. Some people may ignore you, and some may put you in an insane asylum. And on the topic of terrorist cells, keep in mind they are very hard to infiltrate and may be impossible to stop. You may try if you like but remember it will be incredibly challenging. The choice is yours.

So, what would you do?

Edit: I put this here since it technically counts as philosophy and since this is the "Politics religion & More" sub-section and all.

Edit: I put in the "bring whatever you can carry". Keep in mind, like no more than a small to average size suit-case. Gotta have limits here.

 

[Covar]

High-five myself.

 

[Yoshimickster]

Very nice Covar! Add a whacky adventure to it and you've got a movie.

Now, I originally thought of doing crazy investments but considering the rules I've given for said question A.) All most no-one would believe that I was from the futureB.) Each Stock decision I'd make would cause a ripple effect that may change future stocks and I'd have to keep going to the future to check up on what changed. It would be MAD confusing.

So I figure I'd just see all the movies I never got to see as a kid in theaters. That or scare the hell out of every bully I ever had, JUST scare though. Simple but fulfilling.

 

[Dave]

Step 1: make investments on things I know will be around for years.
Step 2: ...

That's pretty much it. Make investments or bets on sporting events. Get rich.

 

[Cheesy1]

Make investments or bets on sporting events.

 

[klew]

Are we allowed to bring things with us in both directions? I might be able to convince my younger self of future stock investments with newspapers. How about a bundle of cash so I can do stuff without a credit/debit card for accounts that might not exist (or avoiding the problem of my younger self detecting the missing money if I only went back a few years)?

I would probably travel. If it would be difficult to change events, there is little need to meet my younger self or warn people of danger. I grew up in a time when you didn't need ID to take a bus/train, maybe not even a plane. With enough cash, I could take a train across the country, visit some famous parks and landmarks, look in on people before they became famous, or buy currently valuable comics or sports cards (if we are allowed to bring things back to the future).

 

[Yoshimickster]

klew
Yes on bringing items with you of proof. I would however suggest showing such objects RIGHT as the events happening would happen in order to properly convince said younger self. And cash yes, but keep in mind said future cash would have serial numbers that would not currently exist yet. So, giving someone money from the future would may cause some time anomalies, or may not. I say not worry about it since it ends up in the U.S. economy either way.

 

[DarkAudit]

Watch the moon landing from the perspective of an adult, not a six-month old infant.

Enjoy the Steel Curtain era as an adult, not a grade-schooler.

See Roberto Clemente play live.

Visit all the classic ballparks and arenas that closed before I was old enough to appreciate sports.

Tour my hometown and favorite other towns as they were when I wasn't old enough to leave my front yard.

Drive to those towns and cross-country without the benefit of much of the Interstate Highway system.

 

[Covar]

Step 1: make investments on things I know will be around for years.
Step 2: ...

That's pretty much it. Make investments or bets on sporting events. Get rich.

Dave I'm disappointed in you. If I had your range of options I'd sign the Declaration of Independence.

 

[DarkAudit]

If I can take money back with me to use, a few preliminary trips makes "future money" a non-issue.

Just make a series of trips going back gradually, making change and exchanging currency. Just far back enough that what you have on hand will not arouse suspicion. Eventually you will have the proper currency for your target era.

 

[Yoshimickster]

Now with me the investment plan isn't so much about paradox but more about tedium. You'd have to keep checking on if the investments you made based on future knowledge and it just sounds like the change in reality would be too much of a hassle mentally and physically. Probably more mentally as I'd literally be changing history every time I'd time travel and that would maybe catch up to me psychologically.

 

[bhamv3]

Kill my younger self JUST to see what'll happen.

 

[PatrThom]

Oh yes, I would profit indeed. I would only have to go back in time 6 times in one year for approximately 45 minutes each time (total lifetime lost to time travel? About 3 hours) yet I would easily reap several hundred million dollars without significantly disrupting the timeline (during my lifetime, at least). I mean, worst case, I would end up sharing the jackpot with 6 other people rather than them getting it all to themselves.

And then the fun would begin. I could:
...bring back a dubstep CD and really mess up one of those "you bring it, we play it" club nights.
...find out what happened to Jimmy Hoffa.
...track down a few items I have lost over my life, see where they went.

This is all only counting the things I'm willing to talk about, of course.

--Patrick

 

[Ravenpoe]

 

[Yoshimickster]

Okay this one is tricky but I'd always wanted to do it. Number one, go to where they were filming Phantom Menace. Patton Oswalt you take it from here: