So what would you take?

Light and small?

Easy.

My memory.

~M~

A Blackberry.

So...what? Did I ask this before people drank their morning coffee?
You have no way of knowing what the language will sound like - no idea of the fashions and you'll probably stick out like a sore thumb, no idea of the currency used, the technology, social structure.

Jodi - a blackberry? Um....you're not going to the grocery store - you're going to the future.

A clean pair of undies?

My ex.

.....

Seriously though...

I'd probably have to give this question more thought. Especially after your last post (where the future sounds scary), it sounds like I should bring along something to protect myself (a weapon).

But again, I'd have to give this more thought in order to come up with a decent answer.

LOL Kay - I just thought it was an interesting question because I was reading something that said that people have become generally unimaginative and don't react more to things that can cause future downfall because there is no way for them to actually SEE what will happen. The article suggested if you could go into the future and bring back pictures of total destruction, people would be very likely to activate now to stop it from happening.

So I was thinking of what might have been if someone had come back to us in the early seventies or late sixties and showed us what the world was like right now and what we might have done to prevent many things from occurring.

Of course there's a conundrum to the question - such as if we had the time travel developed already wouldn't someone from the future come back before it was too late to change everything then.

But for the light part of the question without thinking of all the holes in it....
I thought the first thing I'd want to do is get appropriate clothes so I wouldn't be so noticeable, then I wondered what the money system would be. So I thought harder and came up with this:

I'd take an equal amount of two things - pure gold and pure platinum - as many ounces as I'd be allowed. Platinum is becoming endangered and gold has always had value, so I figure I'd at least have a valuable and desirable means of trade on me - that could produce food, clothes, secrets, etc.

It might not be the right answer, but it's what I came up with on short cue.

Gold and Platinum - one has to go, you can only take 1 thing

I was thinking along the same lines as Jodi - I'd take an iphone or something.

Reason:

1. if there is telecommunication I might as some point find people that can help me in my quest and I'd be able to keep in contact with them.

2. if they have internet (and being the future I'm guessing they would still have it) then I can do any research I need to about where I am and what I'm doing

3. I can take photos of any necessary evidence regarding my mission - even though I can't bring it back with me, I can email them - although I guess you can't email back to the past hey! Can't I sneak an SD card or something back with me!

Kay - the question was more or less more a question of survival than of whether people are satisfied with society or not. The setting is just the story. You are going off somewhere that you have absolutely no way of knowing what you'll find. It's not dealing with whether we can or can't change things or would or wouldn't. It's more an exercise in what you would take knowing you have no way of predicting ability to blend in, purchase, etc.

As far as the perspective of the question you are considering. Someone would have been interested in attempting to do the right thing or change things to make them work out okay or there'd be no mission but you're right. Many people have devolved beyond being able to do much but chew their cuds. And those enjoying how life is now, may not care how anything turns out after they're gone. We may or may not be able to change anything.

Like I said there's a lot of holes in the plot.........but I was basically interested in seeing what people would think of as a survival tool for walking into an unknown society (if one was left).

As far as the Blackberries for pics -- that's probably why the question stated you couldn't bring it back with you - to keep us thinking about how we were going to maneuver when we got there more than about what info we could bring back.

If Blackberries are out of the picture, I'd have to go with H2O - can survive without food, but not water.

Well, the internet is ALREADY in the midst of changing. Within 2 decades, the current IP method may not be very compatible. ALSO, if it were, the IPs would be rerouted, etc... Phone companies probably WILL change. You can bet your phone will NOT work, unless someone in the earlier time follows it and pays your bills, MAYBE!

Power would likely change. Do you realize there is no real legitimate standard? There are several voltages, at least 2 frequencies, and even more plugs. In 20 years, THAT could change. Look at the plugs and phones NOW versus pre 1970, in the US.

pre 1970 POWER non polarized, ONE type for consumer products. NOW polarized, a few types for consumer products. Granted, SLIGHT difference, the non polarized still work, but it is different. And some newer products don't plug into older sockets.

pre 1970 PHONEs were 4 pin blocks. NOW they are RJ11-RJ14. TOTALLY incompatible! NEITHER item works with the other. The newer plugs don't plug into the older sockets, and vice/versa.

about 1970 CELL PHONES were analog A/B. TODAY, many phones won't work on analog networks. The older phones don't work on the newer networks.

About 20+ years ago, the standard network was 10b2. After that it was 10bt. NEITHER is physically compatible with the other.

About 10+ years ago, the protocol was IPv4. NOW they want to move to IPv6. For the next decade or so, they will likely support BOTH protocols. LATER? Probably not.

Heck, even laptops! PCMCIA, then PCI express, and now often NOTHING. USB used to be the regular USB, then mini, and now MICRO! And micro is really STUPID! I mean it is only a little smaller, etc... Where is the real benefit for the inconvenience?

Portable media? 5.25,3.5,CD,DVD,flash.

And then there is the ecology, etc... Frankly, I NEVER understood why they didn't have a standard 12volt jack. Think of it! NO transformers all over the place, simplified wiring and circuits. You may be able to reduce a laptop's weight by TWO pounds! And almost every circuit made for consumers works on 12 or 5 volts. Changing 12 to 5 volts can be done with ONE circuit that weighs FAR less than a penny! It could ALSO reduce the cost of appliances by as much as perhaps $20 EACH! And it would generate LESS HEAT! What if they did that. You better hope that transformer can be plugged in and doesn't fail.

Steve

@ Sumit - will the water be drinkable?

i will take money.

How about, if only I can take the time..