How I Destroy the Universe Using My Love of Movies
When I get old, I'm going to make a list of all my favorite movies and send it back in time to myself, so I'll know which ones are good to watch. I assume this list will arrive sometime in the coming year. It will appear in the night, disguised as something commonplace, and hopefully I'll know it when I see it. I'll never have to pay money for a bad movie again. I'd just watch all those ones on DVD later to cure my boredom, but I'll see the good ones in theaters.
PARADOXES:
What would it mean if I watched one of the movies on the list and didn't enjoy it?
What would it mean if I enjoyed a movie that wasn't on the list?
What if I love the first few movies on the list, but then my expectations are so high, the rest aren't that great? I would ruin my taste in movies.
What would happen if the list's secret was revealed to the public, and everyone started stealing names and using them on the wrong movies?
What if horrible people get wind of my plan, and force me to add non-movie information to the list before they send it? I couldn't UNSEE the information, and I might be tricked into doing nefarious things.
What if the names on the list aren't movies I'll like, but movies designed by my future-self to send me some kind of message? What if the message is "This is how to prevent the universe from being destroyed"? Could I be that STUPID? My actions from that point would certainly cause the universe to be destroyed! But what would cause me to send the list anyway, even knowing I will use it to destroy the universe?
WAIT! I have to go back in time to deliver the list to myself, right? In doing so, I will escape the destruction of the universe. I'll be back here living my life a second time and KNOWING EXACTLY WHAT MOVIES TO WATCH!
I'm really sorry everyone. Apparently I grow up to be a horrible person. I'm sorry I even came up with this plan, but now that it exists, I assume it will probably happen. This is why I shouldn't be allowed to stay up late reading sci-fi. But too late now!
(Another version of this story: The movie "Primer" destroys the universe. I am only a pawn.)
Oh wow, but here's the worst part... I'm so ashamed of all this, if I recieve a list in the next year, I'll be too freaked out to tell anybody. I'll just say "Hey guys, want to go see a movie?"
*Theme from Twilight Zone*
PARADOXES:
What would it mean if I watched one of the movies on the list and didn't enjoy it?
What would it mean if I enjoyed a movie that wasn't on the list?
What if I love the first few movies on the list, but then my expectations are so high, the rest aren't that great? I would ruin my taste in movies.
What would happen if the list's secret was revealed to the public, and everyone started stealing names and using them on the wrong movies?
What if horrible people get wind of my plan, and force me to add non-movie information to the list before they send it? I couldn't UNSEE the information, and I might be tricked into doing nefarious things.
What if the names on the list aren't movies I'll like, but movies designed by my future-self to send me some kind of message? What if the message is "This is how to prevent the universe from being destroyed"? Could I be that STUPID? My actions from that point would certainly cause the universe to be destroyed! But what would cause me to send the list anyway, even knowing I will use it to destroy the universe?
WAIT! I have to go back in time to deliver the list to myself, right? In doing so, I will escape the destruction of the universe. I'll be back here living my life a second time and KNOWING EXACTLY WHAT MOVIES TO WATCH!
I'm really sorry everyone. Apparently I grow up to be a horrible person. I'm sorry I even came up with this plan, but now that it exists, I assume it will probably happen. This is why I shouldn't be allowed to stay up late reading sci-fi. But too late now!
(Another version of this story: The movie "Primer" destroys the universe. I am only a pawn.)
Oh wow, but here's the worst part... I'm so ashamed of all this, if I recieve a list in the next year, I'll be too freaked out to tell anybody. I'll just say "Hey guys, want to go see a movie?"
*Theme from Twilight Zone*