#Past Present and Future 1985

[inmyworldblr]

Trikal (1985)

[houseofpurplestars]

The Palestinian cinema

Recording the past

Animating the present

Illuminating the future

Abdel Rahman Al Muzain, circa 1985

[lanalosty0uu]

⋆.˚ chapter ii: girls on film ᝰ.ᐟ

previously on: 🕰️ BACK TO THE FUTURE 🕰️

“Ma'am, are you sure you’re okay? or do i need to call a doctor?” His face is fully concerned of your well being right now. Instead of answering him, your eyes travelled from the television back to the man's direction.

“What year is it now?"

“it’s 1985? duh..?”

And that's the moment when you knew.

You are doomed.

⋆.˚. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁༉‧₊˚.⊹₊ˎˊ˗

warning: slight cussing

main masterlist

pairing: steve harrington x fem!reader

⋆.˚. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁༉‧₊˚.⊹₊ˎˊ˗ ⋆.˚. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁༉‧₊˚.⊹₊ˎˊ˗ ⋆.˚. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁༉‧₊

“You’re kidding, right?” A chuckle slipped out of your mouth, starting to feel nervous of your own uncertainty.

He shakes his head. "Nope. Do I look like I'm kidding?" He asks, wondering what was so funny. He looks at you, now beginning to get a bad feeling about you.

"Are you feeling alright?" He asks once more, in a more concerned tone this time. He leans across the counter a little, wanting to get a better look at you. You on the other hand, let your eyes wandered around the room once again, noticing a calendar that says 20th of July 1985.

“Shit, it is the 80s.”

"You seriously just figured out what year it was?" He asks. "Did you just wake up from a coma? Hit your head too hard on something?" He asks, now feeling a mix of confusion, annoyance, and concern.

"What? No! Did she put you up to this?" You asked, wondering if this is all Mrs. Byers doing, due to your birthday is gonna be in a week, and all you can think is maybe she's putting up a surprise or a prank... a week before your birthday maybe?

"Who put up to what again?" He started to get even more confused. You noticed the other lady from the counter was also looking at us and you can clearly see this man is also getting annoyed.

"Mrs. Byers! Don't you know here?" Hawkins is a pretty small town, so you assumed people must know more than who their neighbors are here.

"You mean Joyce? Joyce Byers?"

"Who the hell is Joyce Byers? No, it's Nancy Byers!"

The man squinted his eyes out of irritation. "There's no Nancy Byers here, lady. There's only either Nancy Wheeler or Joyce Byers, so pick one. Wait, are you even from around?"

You thought of the two names he mentioned, but you don't seem to recognize any of them. You just recognize the name "Nancy" and "Byers", but not "Wheeler" or "Joyce".

"No, actually not. I'm just an exchange student here in Hawkins High School, and I stayed at the big house on North Ave Street."

Once you mentioned your address, he slightly widened his eyes, you can read his emotions as shocked or confused.

"Ma'am... Nobody lives on that house..."

Well, no shit. You thought. Remembering that the house looks abandoned the second you woke up on that dirty bed, surrounded by flying all over your head. "Yeah, obviously. But, it wasn't! The house wasn't suppose to look like that! It looks nothing like that before."

"Well, but it looks like that now, ma'am. Are you sure you're not a runaway patient from any asylum?"

You gasped dramatically on the mention of 'asylum', placing a hand on top of your chest, offended by his words. "First of all, stop calling me ma'am, wil ya? Second of all, I'm not a fucking asylum patient! I'm completely fine, You're all just being crazy! Thinking that this is year 1985."

You continue bickering with the man, which it's starting to feel like you made the man's day much more worse then it was before. You noticed all along he seemed to hate his job, and now he has to face an annoying customer, not believing that this is year 1985. You finally gave up after some long bickering session with the man and you accepted the fact that this is reality. The reality is you just time travelled or went through some time portal, transferring you from your present in 2025, to the past in 1985, you went 40 years back way before you were born.

“Look, this sounds impossible, but I might’ve come from the future.” You confessed, hoping that he'd believe you.

There was an uncomfrtable silence between the two of you before he started laughing. The laugh sounds... mocking. Of course he wouldn't believe you. Just imagine, this is your average day of working, and suddenly there's a customer, coming up to you just to claim that they're from the future.

"Yeah, no. I'm not buying that. You're probably just drunk or high or something," he says, trying to come up with a reasonable answer.

"You're not seriously trying to believe you're from the future, right?" He asks, letting out a small disbelieving chuckle.

You let out a scoff, feeling so done with all of this. This... This just feels like you're in the movies, like you're some sort of main girl character on films, time travel films... Back to the Future! You haven't actually seen that movie, but you're pretty sure that what you gotta do.

You gotta go back to the future.

༊࿐ ͎. ｡˚ ° ⊹ ˚.. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁༉‧₊˚.

"Hey, dingus! Is that one of your kids that you're babysitting?" A short, dirty blonde haired lady opened the window behind the counter, glancing at me before she turned her head to this man.

"No, idiot. This girl... She... She claims that she's from the future..."

"You've gotta be shitting me."

The man gave her an 'I know, right?' look, agreeing with her confused expression. I noticed there were other customers showing up, a group of girls with funky hairstyles and bright colored clothes. I quickly stepped away, realizing that I'll be holding up the line if I keep standing there.

"Please... Steve, was it? You really gotta believe me, man..."

He glanced at the customers next to you before turning back his attention to you.

“Go to the back, Robin’s there, just tell her I told you to get inside.” He simply said before fully turning his attention back to the customers.

note: hey guys! here’s a pretty short chapter hehe.. i figured i should post more and keeping it a cliffhanger to make you guys wait :p really hope you enjoy this first interaction between the reader and steve! stay tuned guys <3

taglist: @xprloki @pupwrites @gorlillaglue25 @lovestrucklyuniverse @keerysfolklore @www-interludeshadow-com @pleasantsoulcolor @mochminnie @steviespookie @damon-loves-pie @imjustdreamingig @starkleila

[acesw]

a short patch timeline on reverse 1999

So I've been going back and forth for almost a year now on comprehending and helping people comprehend the timeline in Reverse: 1999 because oh my god, it's so, so convoluted that it's still taking a long time for me to even write down the information without overexplaining it. And that's just the main story.

However, I've been able to piece together the timeline events by patch and chapter to make things easier for everyone. (...unless you want me to even include the anecdotes, which is another can of worms I'd like to not open.)

However, since 2.0 forwards will be taking place after 1.9, I won't be including the patch names. But, I will put their placements in the timeline without making specific notes to avoid spoilers.

I'd like to first note that 1.6 (Notes on Shuori) has no definite placement on the timeline. The reason why is that 1.6 is personally considered a timeline anomaly; there are plot holes and information that made it difficult to deduce when it took place. (i.e. Yenisei's origins, Getian's character story, Bessmert's* presence) For now, I will leave this out.

Additionally, a lot of the character stories take place between the past and the future. Thus, the character story that chronologically takes place the earliest by far is Lucy's while the latest would be Ezra's.

—

First of all, we start with 1.8 (Farewell, Rayashki) in its entirety. From Windsong's past, to her arrival in Rayashki, to when the second "Storm" took place, and Vila and the kids needed to adjust to this new normal.

Next is Chapter 3 (Nouvelles et Textes pour Rien) and Chapter 5's interchapter. (The Star) Both the story of Vertin's becoming of the Timekeeper, and Greta Hofmann's experience with the Apeiron group are both aligned. Greta even mentions Vertin in her log after returning to the Foundation.

Afterwards we skip to 4 years later, and we're now in 1966. (Post First "Storm") Three events occur here. First, 1.1, (Theft of the Rimet Cup) then 1.3, (Journey to Mor Pankh) and then finally, the Prologue of our story. (This is Tomorrow)

Its then quite straightforward afterwards. We immediately follow up with the first 4 Chapters taking us through 1929 to late 1913. Then afterwards, we have Chapters 5-7 taking place within the first 3 weeks of January 1914, and then we're immediately taken to August 1990 at the end of Chapter 7.

I'd like to also add that within those 3 chapters, both rougelikes (Echoes in the Mountains and Series of Dusks) took place within the same time. Although, Series of Dusks ends before Chapter 7 due to Semmelweis and Lorelei leaving with the Foundation right before the "Storm" hit.

Now, in 1990, we start with 1.2 (Nightmare at Green Lake) followed by patches 2.0-2.2, all of which take place in immediate succession. And then for now, we end with 1.5. (Revival! Of the Uluru Games)

So if I put all of these in one list, it looks like this:

Notes on Shuori (1.6) - Undetermined placement

Farewell, Rayashki (1.8) - 1999+1 (1996) -> 1999+2 (1985)

Nouvelles et Textes pour Rien + The Star (Ch. 3 and Ch. 5 Interchapter) - 1999+4 (1987)

Theft of the Rimet Cup (1.1) - March 1966

Journey to Mor Pankh (1.3) - April-May 1966

This is Tomorrow (Prologue) - Jun. 3 1966 -> Feb. 14 1929

In Our Time (Ch. 1) - Feb. 14 1929

Tender is the Night (Ch. 2) - Feb. 15 1929 -> Aug. 1913

Nouvelles et Textes pour Rien (Ch. 3 - Present Time) - Aug. 25 1913

El Oro de Los Tigres (Ch. 4) - Aug. 26 -> Oct. 10 1913

Prisoner in The Cave (Ch. 5) - Dec. 24 - Jan. 4 1914

The Star (Ch. 5 - Interchapter) - Jan. 4 1914

Echoes in the Mountain (Rougelike 1) - Undetermined time, before Jan. 8 1914

E lucevan le Stelle (Ch. 6) - Jan. 6-12 1914

Series of Dusks (Rougelike 2) - Jan. 8-13 1914

Vereinsamt (Ch. 7) - Jan. 12-13 1914 -> Aug. 1990

Nightmare of Green Lake (1.2) - Sept. - Oct. 1990

Patches 2.0 - 2.2 - Sept. - Nov. 1990

Revival! Of the Uluru Games (1.5) - Jan 1991

The story can only get even more convoluted from here. As of the moment, I've been sort of working on a larger timeline to piece the entire story together, especially since we've yet to finish it before the story ends. New stories and information continuously flows in the meantime.

[greenfiend]

i just read your time travel theory and all i keep thinking about is how in back to the future 2 marty and doc travel to the future and biff finds the time machine and works it in his favor so when marty and doc travel back to present time everything is wrong and they have to travel all the way to the beginning. have you had any thoughts on such a twist? (by the way i love all your theories and you blow my mind with every single one)

Short answer: a big huge YES!!!!!!

I actually allude to this idea in this post!

I believe that we have already seen aspects of the show inspired by Back to the Future Part II.

For example: newspapers indicating different timelines. Just one example is the differences between the Will articles… the Henry-Edward Creel articles are another major example of this. -> click here for info on that. Credit to @aemiron-main for these amazing finds.

Another one is the Dustin and Mike walkie-talkie scene- it’s a reference to the first sequel of BttF (since it was the only one of the movies where they used walkie-talkies!).

Now for some stuff I think we WILL see referenced from the movie…

Now, I believe it’s very telling that they put “William” rather than “Billy” on the gravestone and that they played the song “Dear Willy” in the background of this scene. They are obviously alluding to the other William here as well, and possibly to a separate timeline where he died on November 6th, 1983. Not unlike how George Mcfly was murdered in the alternate 1985 in Back to the Future part II.

If true, then I’m even more inclined to believe that Lonnie is the #1 suspect. Lonnie being our Biff… and possible step father to Will…

Look at their similarities… “[He] always did have a way with women.” 🤢

Then, of course, we must have a scene like this one.

The alternate timeline!!! There’s absolutely at least one of these, possibly more. For this scene, I like to envision Dustin being the one to explain this to everyone.

Now for my favourite idea…

Our characters travelling back to a previous moment within the show! Ah… movie magic. I cannot tell you how much I love this concept. Blew my mind as a child. Look at how the events of the first Back to the Future movie were occurring as a second Marty was on a separate mission desperately avoiding detection from his past self. Time travel can be confusing as heck but damn it’s fun.

I will say that I do not think time travel within Stranger Things will occur in the same way as it does in Back to the Future. It’ll be different somehow. I mention a pretty *wild* idea here.

Now. Here are some things I’m nearly confident about:

Will will (or has) travelled to the past. SO much evidence of this, it’s nearly undeniable.

Mike *somehow* is their “ride” back in time. This is heavily implied when Dustin calls up Mike for a “ride” while the DeLorean is shown on the big screen.

Multiple timelines exist, and we will likely see them or at least learn about them.

Vecna, Mike, and Will are the characters most associated with time and time travel.

Ahhh I love time travel and Back to the Future. The Duffers clearly do too! Back to the Future has been referenced since episode one when we first saw Will in that classic red “life preserver”. The references go deeper than most people realize too. I gotta say too, the whole play being set in the 50s, with the parents as teens, is very reminiscent of Back to the Future as well!

I would not be surprised at all if they referenced this classic sequel a fair bit in the final season!

[givemearmstopraywith]

abdel rahman al muzain (1985) via the palestinian poster project

the first image reads: the palestinian cinema, recording the past, animating the present, illuminating the future

[gaddaboutgriffon]

Going to work on turning this into a master post of prompts I’ve made. Prompts I like, and things I alike and would be willing to write things on.

My own Posts. Superwoman AU

Super Phantom DCxDP

Future Son?! DCxDP

Super X-man

DND Young Justice

DPxDC A Tale of Two Jacks

Age Reversal

Teenage Mutant Ninja Wizard

Alien PETA

Young Justice Spider

The Year of the Dragon

Superwoman Kara

Spleen Surprise DCxDP

Benders in DC (ATLA x justice league)

Random OC Villain Character not connected to any existing media

Revival Brothers DPxDC part 1 part 2 part 3

Not mine but I am invested in.

Time Winder. Connected to Time Travel Teen Parents

Re-alive ray superson

Pack less misunderstandings

Thermon aka Ghost Pokémon

Red Arrow’s Ghost

Halfa universal clone donor

Snookums the kryptonian guard dog!

Niche unheard of crossover ideas. (Some not even a one shot on ao3🥲

Wild Kratts x How to Train Your Dragon

Series and media I like or liked and enjoy fan discussion and fics on (may include Cartoons, Books, Movies or Games.)1 How to train your dragon2 Transformers Prime (cartoons, NOT the movies)3 Avatar the last air-bender. (Not including Korra)4 Teenage mutant ninja turtles (cartoon series)5 Spectacular Spider-man (cartoon Series)6 Redwall (cartoon and book series)7 Pokemon (cartoon and game)8 Sonic the hedgehog (cartoons, and comics.)9 Justice league (the 1990 animated series. NOT the live action movies) And batman animated. 10 My Little pony FIM (G4 cartoon) 11 Marvel Cinematic Universe (before Disney bought it)12 Wings of Fire (books)13 Ben 10 (cartoon)14 Star wars (past liked not present)15 Star trek original series (past liked not present)16 Neo-pets ( Toys. great concept but not the best executed game)17 Kungfu Panda (cartoons)18 Teen titans (original Cartoon, not go)19 Rangers apprentice (books)20 Kim possible (cartoon)21 Lilo and stitch (cartoon)22 American Dragon (Cartoon)23 Big Hero 6 (cartoon) 24 Guardians of Ga’Hoole (books. don’t bother with the movie)25 Epic (animated movie by Blue Sky studios)26 Atlantis the lost Empire (Disney cartoon)27 Big bang theory (TV)28 Lord of the Rings (movies and books.)29 Dragon Quest (games)30 Wild Krats (cartoon)31 The Fluppy Dogs (cartoon)32 Zootopia (cartoon)33 Nelvana Care bears (cartoon specifically the 1985 to 1988 series)34 Last man standing (what can I say he reminds me of my dad)35 Bones (TV)36 Warrior cats. (books only read up until power of three arc)37 Flash (TV)38 Home improvement (TV)39 Steven Universe (cartoon. concept was good but poorly executed story)40 Phineas and Ferb (cartoons)41 Milo Murphy’s law (cartoon)42 Amphibia (cartoon)43 Emperors new groove. (cartoon)44 Harry Potter (books)45 Chronicles of Narnia (books)46 Dinotopia (TV movie, and books)47 Encanto (cartoon)48 Jane and the dragon. (cartoon)49 Gravity falls (cartoon)50 Swat Kats (cartoon)51 Chip and Dale rescue rangers (cartoon) 52 Ducktales (cartoon) 53 Prince of Egypt. (Animated movie) 54 Danny Phantom. (Cartoon) 55 Puss in Boots (dreamworks movies)56 Young Justice (cartoon have not read the comics) 57 Batman Wayne family adventures (web comic. 58 Tower dungeon farmer (web comic)

[ineffable-endearments]

I'm making a list of other media to watch/read before Good Omens 2 comes out.

I can't hit absolutely everything that's been referenced in the posters and such. That would be a lot of stories. I'll already be rushing through; if I tried to read/watch everything, I'd literally just be skimming, and that's not the experience I want.

Already watched Clue (1985) last night. It was fun.

I'm currently reading American Gods. As fascinated as I am by the themes that tend to run through Neil's work (including American Gods), I haven't actually read that many of his books, and that feels like it needs to change.

I'm going to rent The Crow Road, A Tale of Two Cities, and Catch-22 from the library. Those were prominent on some of the promotional posters.

I also want to watch a few Jane Austen adaptations: Pride and Prejudice, Emma, Northanger Abbey, Persuasion. I know the ideal for being able to catch future references and common themes is probably to read the books instead of watching other people's adaptations, but my attention span has not been 100% on board with reading anything lately, so I'm mixing it up. There are supposed to be adaptations of those 4 that are good and pretty faithful to the original books, according to the Internet.

If you're thinking, "Wait, you've never seen Clue, or any of those Jane Austen adaptations?!", the answer is that yes, I am one of those people who lives under a rock and has not seen a bunch of incredibly famous movies and TV series. If you're thinking, "Did you even have English class?", the answer is yes, but the cohort I was with somehow managed to read none of these books except for that time I chose Pride and Prejudice from a list of choose-your-own-reading-assignments, and that was about 20 years ago.

One of the cool things about fiction is how it makes connections, in my opinion, between the present and art that was created in the past. I want to be able to see whatever connections are there.

[somethingusefulfromflorida]

Some disc jockey had the audacity to play Taylor Swift on the oldies station and I wanted to swerve my car into oncoming traffic. Do words not mean anything anymore? I guess every single sond is "technically" an oldy because they were all recorded in the past; there aren't too many songs from the future, and every time a song is released in the present it's suddenly from the past! What has society come to when they follow up King of Wishful Thinking (1990) with Shake It Off (2014) and pretend they're both oldies?

Context: Johnny B. Goode was released in 1958 and was considered an oldy 27 years later in 1985, so I'm more than comfortable calling a 33 year old song an oldy, sure, but a 9 year old song? NINE?!? Nine years is considered old now?

Put in the tags whether you make a distinction between "oldy" and "classic." I could be swayed towards calling Shake It Off a classic, MAYBE, if the argument was convincing and it came from someone whose opinion I respect, but I refuse to call it an oldy until at least 2030, and even that's pushing it.

[cuephrase]

💫 comics masterpost 💫

(last updated jan. 1, 2025)

current comics pull list (in release order)

batman

batgirl

batman and robin

batman/superman: world’s finest

batman and robin: year one

nightwing

titans

batman: the long halloween - the last halloween

justice league unlimited

green arrow

saga

comics tbr

this is not an exhaustive list, and it’s not in any priority order. i may organize this better in the future, but as of rn it’s copy/pasted straight from my notes app lol. some of it is more specific, some of it is more general, just acknowledging to myself that i want to check X out! feel free to rec a run/arc if you don’t see it here or under my read list 💗

titans (1999)

outsiders (2003)

jla/titans

shadow of the bat

legend of the dark knight

batman- one bad day (all)

batman: streets of gotham

batman (from jason’s arrival onward)

superboy

impulse

batgirl (2009)

batman: white knight

batman: the knight (zdarsky)

detective comics (from jason’s arrival onward)

robin miniseries

batman and the signal

titans 2008

batman: gotham county line

green arrow

batman/superman

kyle rayner green lantern

birds of prey

catwoman

comics read

titles i’ve read start to finish first, then events. not *everything* i’ve read bc i’ve only tracked the bigger chunks (not every single issue), but most of it! also not in release order within era, whoops. (no pre-crisis listed bc i’ve only read some batman/tec here and there)

post-crisis (1985-2011)

nightwing 1996

nightwing 1998

wf3: world’s finest three (superboy/robin)

nightwing and huntress

batman and robin 2009

the new teen titans/the new titans

robin 1993

young justice 1998

red robin

teen titans 2003

batgirl 2000

batman: gotham knights

all jason og robin, post-crisis

a death in the family

a lonely place of dying

batman: cataclysm

batman: no man’s land

joker’s last laugh

bruce wayne: murderer?

bruce wayne: fugitive

infinite crisis

batman: under the hood

n52 (2011-2016, start of post-flashpoint)

nightwing 2011

grayson

red hood and the outlaws 2011

batman and robin 2011

robin: son of batman

batman eternal

batman and robin: eternal

robin war

death of the family

rebirth to present (2016-Now)

nightwing 2016

red hood and the outlaws 2016

task force z

joker: the man who stopped laughing

tim drake: robin

batman and robin 2023

batman/superman: world’s finest 2022

world’s finest: teen titans

red hood: the hill

robins: being robin 2022

young justice 2019

batgirl 2024

batman: the three jokers

batman 2016 (from #125)

from the dc vault: robin lives!

the boy wonder

justice league unlimited

batman and robin: year one

batman: the last halloween

titans 2023

batman: gotham war

titans: beast world

knight terrors (+ titans, nightwing, and robin tie-ins)

joker war

batman: urban legends 1-6, 10

batman: city of bane

[inmyworldblr]

Trikal / Past, Present and Future (1985)

[manic-maniac-man]

HUgE November 2012

PORTRAITS OF SHOEMAKERS

THE PHILOSOPHY BEHIND THE SHOES

Paul Harnden Shoemakers

“Even if you repeat a simple method,

If you continue doing that, a new world of creativity will emerge."

He moved to the UK in 1985 and enrolled in a prestigious college in London that has produced many shoe designers, but dropped out due to lack of interest in automated shoemaking. He then joined a long-established shoe manufacturer as a wooden shoemaker, but left after a year and a half. In order to make only what he wanted to make, he established his own brand in 1987. Even now, he only makes his products by hand, using minimal tools such as a hammer and chisel. ¥144,900 (MORERIDE)

Who makes the shoes?

There were craftsmen whose rebellious spirit was present in every form and detail. There were creators who depicted the past and the future at the same time, and designers who simply continued to beautifully decorate all feet. Of course, these were not sculptures or art pieces. What they made were simply shoes. But there was unwavering conviction in them. They were imbued with elegance, masculinity, and sometimes even fetishism. That is why they were called, with respect, shoemakers. People who simply continued to make shoes. There is no better portrait of them than their own shoes.

[lanalosty0uu]

currently working on a Steve Harrington x future!reader au, where the reader basically comes from our present (2025), and our King Steve came from the past (1985).

really hope it’s gonna blow up cz i’ve really been thinking abt this au lately!

(i was inspired by my c.ai convo w one of the steve bots so don’t mind me)

heeereee it is!!

[endless-fever]

ITALO CALVINO ON PALESTINE

To Issa I. Naouri—Amman

Turin 10 October 1968  

Dear Mr Naouri, 

I have read the poetry of the Palestinian resistance that you have kindly sent me. They seem to be poets of powerful expressive force, full of sincere poetic and human warmth.  The best thing would be to find a journal to publish these poems, I will try to contact a friend to bring them to journal's attention. Of course, in us Europeans the trauma of the persecution of the Palestinians has a special resonance because their current persecutors suffered—in themselves and in their families—persecutions that were the most horrific and inhuman in centuries, both under Nazism and also a long time before that. That the victims of the past should turn into the oppressors of today is the most distressing fact, the one which I think it is necessary to emphasize. I am sorry that none of these poets deals with this motif.

Personally I think that the only solution to the Palestinian problem lies down the revolutionary road both in the Arab world and amongst the Israeli masses. A revolution by the Israeli poor (to a large extent of Middle Eastern and North African origin) against their colonialist and expansionist rulers; but also a revolution by the popular masses in Arab countries against their reactionary and militarist oligarchies (even although these call themselves more or less socialist) who exploit the Palestinian problem for nationalist demagoguery. The real Resistance is not only a struggle against a foreign invader: it has to be a battle for a profound renewal within the society of one's own country. 

I wanted to clarify my thoughts in order to confirm my solidarity with the oppressed Palestinians and their Resistance fighters in the context of a general political and human vision.   

Thank you so much and best wishes. 

From Letters, 1941—1985 by Italo Calvino, translated by Martin McLaughlin with an introduction by Michael Wood (Princeton University Press, 2013) p. 358-359.  Past and Future Presents

[jasminewalkerauthor]

Trope chats: Time travel

Time travel, a concept that has captivated human imagination for centuries, has been a recurring theme in literature and media, offering endless possibilities for exploration, reflection, and speculation. This essay delves into the rise and fall in popularity of time travel narratives, examines its use as a literary tool and symbol, and discusses the pitfalls inherent in its portrayal.

The origins of time travel in literature can be traced back to ancient myths and legends, where characters journeyed to distant pasts or futures through supernatural means. However, it wasn't until the late 19th and early 20th centuries that time travel became a prominent theme in fiction.

One of the earliest examples is H.G. Wells' seminal novel "The Time Machine" (1895), which popularized the notion of a machine capable of traversing through time. Wells' work laid the foundation for future time travel narratives, inspiring countless authors and filmmakers to explore the concept further.

Throughout the 20th century, time travel narratives flourished in various forms of literature and media, from classic science fiction novels like Ray Bradbury's "A Sound of Thunder" (1952) to iconic television shows like "Doctor Who" (1963-present). These narratives often served as vehicles for exploring philosophical questions about causality, free will, and the nature of reality.

Despite its enduring popularity, time travel experienced a decline in the latter half of the 20th century, as audiences and creators gravitated towards other speculative concepts. However, the genre experienced a resurgence in the late 20th and early 21st centuries, fueled by advancements in science and technology, as well as shifting cultural and social dynamics.

Films like "Back to the Future" (1985) and "The Terminator" (1984) revitalized interest in time travel, blending action, humor, and intricate plotlines to appeal to wider audiences. Similarly, television series such as "Lost" (2004-2010) and "Doctor Who" (2005-present) introduced new generations to the complexities and possibilities of time travel storytelling.

Time travel serves as a versatile literary tool, allowing authors and creators to explore a myriad of themes and concepts. It enables narratives to transcend temporal boundaries, weaving together disparate timelines and realities to craft compelling stories.

One of the most common uses of time travel is as a metaphor for exploring personal or societal change. Characters journeying through time often confront their past mistakes, grapple with unresolved conflicts, or seek redemption for past actions. In novels like Audrey Niffenegger's "The Time Traveler's Wife" (2003), time travel is used to explore themes of love, loss, and the passage of time.

Furthermore, time travel can function as a symbol for the human desire to escape the constraints of mortality and the inexorable march of time. In Jorge Luis Borges' short story "The Garden of Forking Paths" (1941), the protagonist embarks on a labyrinthine journey through time and space, reflecting the complexity and ambiguity of human existence.

Despite its narrative potential, time travel storytelling is fraught with pitfalls and challenges. Maintaining internal consistency and avoiding paradoxes can be difficult, as altering past events can have unforeseen consequences on the narrative's coherence.

Additionally, time travel narratives run the risk of becoming overly convoluted or relying too heavily on contrived plot devices. The temptation to use time travel as a convenient solution to narrative problems can undermine the emotional resonance and thematic depth of the story.

Moreover, time travel can sometimes be used as a crutch to evade meaningful character development or thematic exploration. Instead of grappling with the consequences of their actions, characters may simply "reset" the timeline or escape to a different reality, diminishing the impact of their choices and experiences.

Time travel remains a perennially popular and endlessly fascinating concept in literature and media, offering writers and creators a vast playground for exploration and experimentation. From its humble origins in ancient myth to its modern incarnations in blockbuster films and bestselling novels, time travel continues to captivate audiences with its promise of adventure, mystery, and philosophical inquiry. However, navigating the complexities and pitfalls of time travel storytelling requires careful craftsmanship and a deep understanding of its narrative and thematic implications. As long as human curiosity persists, time travel will remain a timeless trope in the literary and cultural landscape.

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If you could witness any event of the past, present, or future, what would it be and why

Queen at Live Aid in 1985.