Traveling through time has been discussed readily through the ages. Though the reality of something like this is in debate, the topic itself is still shown love and interest every day. Several books and movies deal with the concept of traveling through time, and the audience enjoys it. Most people would love to be able to go back to the past or be able to see their own future. This brings up another question: What time period would you like to go back to?
When asked this question, several answers are presented, depending on the person. My answer would be the Renaissance. I would love to be able to meet the likes of Da Vinci, Michelangelo, Copernicus and Galileo. These are some of my favorite people of all time, and I draw much of my inspiration from them. Watching them work in person would give me more joy than I could ever imagine. Other common answers include Rome, Ancient Greece, Biblical times, Paris in the early 20th century and many more. All of these places would be amazing to witness in person as would being able to meet long-dead famous individuals. None of these answers are the correct answer, however. The correct answer should be to stay in the present.
2015. We have transportation like none other, hospitals and health care that give us more of a life expectancy each year, technology that allows us to talk to people on the other side of the world or give someone information in a matter of seconds. The world we live in today is far better than any time period that has existed before. We live longer, healthier and, overall, better. There should not be a reason anyone would ever want to leave the present to go back to the past. The problem is, however, that there are multiple reasons why people want to.
Even with all the exceptional technology we have today, life is not always that great. Every day, people around the world are dying from diseases and starvation that could easily be cured. Every day, people are put down and persecuted because of their religion, sexuality or the color of their skin. Every day, the rich live in luxury while the poor beg for food. Every day, corrupt leaders take away the rights and needs of their people. This is not a world someone should want to live in. Something needs to change.
All of these things have been happening for years and years, but no one has been able to find a solution to the problem. A solution to all of these will not happen tomorrow, but if people work together, things will get better. If we all love the people around us instead of putting them down, we can create a bond that will end all of this. If we stop looking at the color of someone's skin or their sexuality and start looking at who they are and what kind of heart they have, we can have equal rights. If we start feeding the hungry and providing basic needs to everyone around us, we can get closer to ending poverty and suffering. If we stop having the mentality of "shoot first, ask questions later," we can save lives and find a solution to the problem. Seven billion people live on this planet, and if we all work together, we can make this world a better place.
Let's make the 21st century a place that we want to stay in. Let's make the 21st century a place that the future wants to travel back to.
