Regrets

[Cyanist]

I'm gonna be making a lot of trips in this scenario, then! While I do like the fact that I'm allowed (in this case) to go back and give myself advice, thus making myself more informed than I am today (when my past selves reach that age [speaking of, are we talking multiple pasts? or just one?])

Wow, you really like to knit-pick, man! I got no prob withit tho, I enjoy details.
Let us hypothetically assume your younger you is not altogether you, but is an exact replica of you. NOW, for an unspecified reason you wish for this other person to avoid mistakes and choose the better path that will lead to the ultimately useful life available and possible. I get that maybe some bad stuff led to other bad stuff (like if I grabbed a cookie from my friend's house without asking and then found it tasted better than honest cookies and then I became a kleptomaniac) but if it's not directly related, I think that would take a separate trip, wouldn't you?

Okay, now I'm confused as shit. I can use my mistakes to try to be a better father for my children. Orrrrrrr I could go in the past and give myself advice, (thus affecting my current self?) so that I have even more to teach my children. But what if informing my past self means that I know more, but I can't call on mistakes I've made as examples to teach or inform my children because I didn't make as many because I got better advice.

If something happened to my children because I went back to try to fix something, then I'd really regret it. So I'm leaning on taking my chances with how I am now.

Hmm...

You may do as you wish, of course. Go ahead, dear papa. And I am sure any child will listen to your woeful adventures with eager ears. Good luck. You're still welcome to share if you change your mind.

I was going to post something similar to what LH posted. You can't change the past, only the future... so there's no point in wasting time in regrets. The only time mistakes are not a great thing to me is when you don't learn from them and keep repeating them. Not to mention, I'm very happy with how my life is right now. If I went back and tried to change something I could change where I am now and that's not desirable for me.

I've made some pretty wicked mistakes in my life growing up, but they've led me to where I am now.


Its easy IMO to say these things mind you, but harder to try and put them into action. I'm human and I do regret things, bad choices etc. But I needed to make those mistakes to learn and grow and be who/where I am today.

Okay, um maybe this has gotten out of bounds a bit (though it has been fun ) you say mistakes make people who they are? I find that true and if you're afraid that sharing those mistakes would somehow steal your sole, okay then, you may be excused.

ETA - Interesting if you could go back of course. I wouldn't change anything either. I'd probably become OCD about it and each time if something didn't happen the way I wanted it to, I'd go back and try a different way, then again and again. At what point would you stop trying to change your past if you had infinite means to do so and start living for your future?

Also - I didn't vote on the poll.

I suppose nobody could just answer the question, hmm? we all have to throw in some obstacles to tongue-tie the slow-witted Cyan, hmm? But will I get tired of putting up with it? Never.

Well, yeah. We could all go live the rest of our lives right now as a matter of fact! Kick in our com screens and fling our mice aside, burst from our houses and take flight! And nestle safely into the arms of our futures! Riiiiiight after I finish this pro-life post.

P.S. How dare you not vote on my poll. How am I supposed to gather random info for the aliens if people won't provide input?