To The Past, Present or Future: When to be or not to be that is the question

Recently, while enjoying a drink on a beautiful Wednesday evening but feeling slightly lacking in conversation and spousal communication. Really rather intending to pull her out of her persistent Boggle fixation, I wondered when in the course of human events she would most like to live. That is if you were to live at any time and in any place when and where would you choose and why? Of course, knowing Marian as I do the answer is written all over the many books that she loves so dearly to read. It charms me to know that she would like “Most Ardently”, literally and literarily, to live the reincarnate life of Elizabeth Bennett from Jane Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice”. Or perhaps even one of her sisters, though she is too clever to be anyone other than Lizzy and would most likely settle for no one less worthy than Mr. Darcy or me.

Personally, I might easily gravitate toward any of the great men in history of interest including: Van Gogh, Da Vinci, Lincoln, Jesus Christ or Plato. Similarly, there are places in time that are remarkably interesting to me including: America in 1776, Egypt in the time of the Pharaoh’s or Columbus discovering America . And while I could argue that the present is pretty awesome, feeling remarkably privileged to be a white male living in America in 2009, my privileged youth. I am so curious for life 100 years from now that I cannot help but long to know what will become of us. What will time say about this generation and how will the world, policy and people, evolve from here. Evolution and revolution will no doubt propel us toward cures for disease and past the social ills that plague us today and I want to see that day. Consummate technological progress regardless of issues of war and peace that befall every generation continue regardless across all segments of industry and society. Ultimately it is with a profound sense of hope and faith in generational progress that will provide for a better future.

Anyway, deciding to embark on a not so random survey of the individuals that I communicate with regularly has lead to some pretty insightful conclusions.

They are as follows:

If an individual is inclined to being a bit of a recluse by nature then their place and time will follow accordingly. So that ideally they would select a time when the earth was less populated and live where people are not known to inhabit.

Women are more likely to pick romantic destinations based on seemingly heady historical times specifically for women.

Men seem particularly nostalgic for the exciting rough and tumble times in modern history such as the Wild West, Vikings and Chicago in the 1920’s.

Individual historical figures often catch our attention and draw us to a place in time that otherwise would be ill suited, like Hitler and Germany in WWII or Genghis Khan and the Mongols.

For both men and women equally, across all races the 1960’s gets high marks for music, culture, and social activity.

Individuals that feel strongly about the nature of their work are more likely to want to live in the present than at any other time. That is to say those who are currently providing for public good and hope to truly achieve positive outcomes for society are most likely to want to live in the present day.

Old people...well, when your most active days are behind you it is natural to want to go back to the "good old days". More than that though usually that time in their lives associated with a big change in their personal lives. I also received some response regarding important news events but usually a move or decision to act. Something I think about the satisfaction of risk taking and pride in return a sort of highlight at the twilight. Very interesting...

Anyway, I am interested in continuing this exercise. If you like please contact me with your response to this inquiry it is very interesting to me. Thanks.