Hmm. What if technological progress as a whole is inherently limited by the probability of time-machine construction? Like, what if the reason we don’t already have practical zero-emission fusion power and antigravity and such forth is because that technological arc would be co-current with the development of time travel?
“Actual happiness always looks pretty squalid in comparison with the over-compensations for misery. And, of course, stability isn’t nearly so spectacular as instability. And being contented has none of the glamour of a good fight against misfortune, none of the picturesqueness of a struggle with temptation, or a fatal overthrow by passion or doubt. Happiness is never grand.” —Aldous Huxley, Brave New World
“It was so much easier to blame it on Them. It was bleakly depressing to think that They were Us. If it was Them, then nothing was anyone’s fault. If it was us, what did that make Me? After all, I’m one of Us. I must be. I’ve certainly never thought of myself as one of Them. No one ever thinks of themselves as one of Them. We’re always one of Us. It’s Them that do the bad things.”― Terry Pratchett, Jingo
Hmm. What if technological progress as a whole is inherently limited by the probability of time-machine construction? Like, what if the reason we don’t already have practical zero-emission fusion power and antigravity and such forth is because that technological arc would be co-current with the development of time travel?