The Future Freaks Me Out

I’m terrified by the future. Specifically, the vast array of possibilities it holds. It’s not that I want the future to be fated or predestined or anything, because I don’t. I’m very glad the future is in flux and what I do today can change tomorrow. It makes for interesting concepts such as the many-worlds interpretation. My issue is in the fact that there are so many variables that planning, while not entirely pointless, is not as useful as I’d like it to be.

For example, when applying to colleges and universities, a high school student could have a mental plan of attending a certain university and getting a certain degree. They may even have a future job in mind. However, in order to achieve this plan, the student must be accepted into the desired university, they may have to be accepted into their desired major, they must pass classes associated with their desired major, graduate on time, and if they had a job in mind then that particular employer or field needs to be hiring when they graduate. (These are just a few examples of variables.) It’s true that certain of these variables are somewhat, if not mostly, in the hands of the student by way of their grades and efforts. However, certain variables are out of their control, such as the state of hiring in the student’s desired field or at their desired employer. That’s not even considering the incredible myriad of outside variables that can’t even be accounted for, such as natural disaster, economic shifts, etc.

The latter two groups of variables, the uncontrollable and outside variables, that terrify me the most. When I look to the future and try to decide what my ideal future is, it’s hard to hope for something when there are so many potential issues in the way. And yet, I can’t help but hope. It’s in my nature as a human and optimist, and it’s part of my personality. So I’m forced to ask myself: is it wrong or bad to hope for a future in a world of such vast possibilities? Is it best to set expectations low and be surprised when the future turns out how you may have wanted it, or is it best to hope for something so you can work towards it? I can’t claim to have the answer, but I personally believe that hope is one of the most crucial parts of being human. Without hope, many people fall into states of depression and perceived helplessness. It’s why things ranging from horoscopes to religion exist. They provide people with hope, some promise of a good future.

I can’t pretend I’m not terrified of the future, that I might not even approach the future I hope for. The best I can do is hope for a good future, be it a specific future or a generally good future, and work towards that future.

Hoping for nothing but the best for you,

I’m Michael, and this is my life.

Nostalgia vs. Speculation: Being Torn Between the Appeal of the Past and of the Future // Coca-Cola

            There's just something about a letter, a board game, a polaroid picture. Something that reaches into your heart and tugs on a deeply rooted nostalgia. Heck, even opening a classic Coca-Cola™ bottle causes this feelings to bubble up. These older activities, methods, and objects bring to us a longing for what is now considered a quaint way of living.

            This concept is fresh on my mind because I've had a pen pal for awhile now and have recently made a new one. Ironically, however, I met both of these people on the internet and, thus far in my life, have not met either in person. Interestingly enough, though, is that despite our cheaper and easier ability to communicate instantaneously via the internet, we still feel drawn to this archaic idea of sending and receiving post. There's something oddly appealing about this concept, and I'm forced to wonder: does this feeling exist simply because we dipped our toes in that era, but never needed to actually dive in? Technology developed with us, and we consequently didn't necessarily experience writing letters, playing board games (as opposed to video games), or taking photos on a film camera. These things go back to our earliest memories, but have long since been expired. Does the generation before us feel the same nostalgia for these things as we do? Or are they happy to see an improvement, as they've dealt long enough with the hassles of these outdated methods? What about the generation below us? Do/will they experience this nostalgia for these things, or will they instead feel this way for, say, a traditional video game controller? In other words, is the nostalgia we feel for these activities innate in the activities themselves, or is it assigned? 

            Conversely, each generation feels some rush of excitement when speculating on what's to come. Such is the basis of and a driving factor for the appeal of science fiction. We long for a future that has flying cars, useful robots, and a knife that toasts bread as it slices. This craving for what is to come is what creates demand for companies such as Apple. People want the new, improved, and closer-to-the-future technology. Yet, one can never actually acquire "the future technology". That would make it present technology. We strive for the future, because it's so tantalizing to us, and yet we will never be satisfied when concepts that were once of the future suddenly become the present.

The unfortunate truth is that both of these things, past and future, and inaccessible. We can get tastes of them, previews or flashbacks, but we cannot hold them. The human race is, for whatever reason, destined to forever simultaneously and paradoxically want to reach the future and relive the past; the present will seem lackluster in comparison.

The foot on which we are standing will always feel sore to he who wants to take a step.

Those are my musings for now.

I'm Michael, and this is my life.