History: Where do you fit in?

[RainbowGlass 224]

My friends, how are we all doing?

This topic approaches the familiar question: Where in history would you choose to live? Also consider this, where, throughout the history of the world (could be before civilization 4,000 years ago) do you feel you fit in? Let's be creative; the future (so long as you care to explain what sort of future you inhibit) is also a valid choice because of the fact that it is so open to possibility.

 

I love history and that's an understatement. I'm always in antique stores, reading books of history, memoirs; I have articles of clothing (WWII uniforms, helmets, gear, etc. A dress and hat from the early 40's - it's a long story)  I wear a Russian wool hat from the 50's during the winter with the golden leafs around the hammer and sickle. Binoculars from the American Civil War. Oil lamp at my bedside. See a trend? I'm old-school and I love it. So for myself, I'd like to live at the turn of the 19th century somewhere in Europe ; born in 1890-ish. My reason is simple, it is at a time when the world is changing, technology is booming, planes begin to appear for the first time, it's an exciting era in my opinion. Granted, I would be alive during WWI and that would be problematic but hey, I wouldn't be a time traveler, so I wouldn't see it coming until last minute and I'm okay with that in an odd grim way.

 

P.S. If you like the present that's okay too! 

[Stardust Balance 7,739]

A place in the future where travel to any fictional universe is physically possible. Aside from that; nowhere, I am so much an anomaly time itself would have no idea where to put me. 

[iDashingRainbow 95]

Not in the future because it would just feel weird o.O And not in the past because ... well ... no ponies ... ;_; So I think right now is JUST the right time for me!

[LZRD WZRD 1,929]

Mid 1800s US, probably roaming around as a cowboy or as a cavalier, mercilessly killing bandits, crooked sherrifs and hostile Indians along the way

[JonasDarkmane 19,785]

Well, I would like to live during the 1900s in Germany when it was still a proud big empire under the rule of the Hohenzollern.

[iDashingRainbow 95]

Well, I would like to live during the 1900s in Germany when it was still a proud big empire under the rule of the Hohenzollern.

Yeah but then you got the 1940's xD

[JonasDarkmane 19,785]

 

 

Yeah but then you got the 1940's xD

 

Perhaps.. or perhaps the time would change with me being there (not that I would know about the future, but me being there could perhaps change the future) and Germany would win the Great War.

[Envy 6,163]

I love studying history, and I also love the idea of seeing it (well, maybe just because I love the styles of architecture and music/musical instruments from history =P), but I most certainly do not belong anywhere in it. You know, equality and everything. No matter how far from equality we still are in reality, going back to any time where it was any worse would be far too much for me.

 

I also quite like the modern world... A high standard of living where I live, and even if the vast majority of music I love comes from other eras, the fact of the matter is that it is very easily available to me thanks to the internet. If I actually lived during the 60s/70s, I would not know many of the bands from the era that I listen to today, nor might I love the ones that are popular as much because sampling their music required buying a whole album.

 

I could do with more medical advances, but who knows what the future holds? Can't really say living 100 years in the future would make things better for me.

[Thuja 3,659]

I would like to live at some point in the future.  I'd hope it would be a star trek like universe...

[Nine 707]

There've been plenty of interesting historical eras, but if I'm being honest with myself, I don't think I'd want to live through any of them. I'd be signing on for a harder, less comfortable life. I'm not sure I'm really up to that. I quite like working forty hours a week in relative comfort and having plumbing and decent medicine and a remote starter for my car. Also, having a car.

 

So, that just leaves the future. And while things could go bad, I'm assuming they won't. Mostly I'd be interested in seeing how foreign industrialization panned out, and what effects it has on the established western world. Besides that, I wouldn't mind having upgrades to everything I own right now for a lower price. After inflation I mean. That'd be sweeeeeet.

[sweetolebob18 728]

IMO, the last decade the American dream really worked was the 1950s (at least for heterosexual male WASPS, or those who could pass for them).  Therefore, I would choose to be born 1928-1930. Too young for WWII, too old for Korea, + young enough to enjoy the dawn of Rock & Roll (Usually considered 1954, when Rock Around the Clock hit #1 (1st to do so))

[Lisa 5,553]

Italy, mid-Renaissance time. So around 1570. 

 

Technical creativity and philosophy was thriving. Recovering from the Black Death era, most regions were starting over. As if life in Europe got put back a few centuries, but not technologically. Technologically it was flourishing with inventors from all over the world coming to Europe.

__________________

 

Or

 

A time in the future to when we colonize other planets. And I'm not just talking about the Moon or Mars. I mean both of them, plus every other colonizable planet/moon. And not a time where we've only just began life on them, but further in the future when it becomes common to travel between each planet as if planets have replaced countries. So if you were looking to go on holiday to a warmer climate, you'd travel to the Moon for example if you lived on Mars.

 

I'm sounding pretty sci-fi, but I reckon this is how things will turn out in 2 000 years or so.

[VitalSpark 1,830]

The present day is better than any point in history. We have better technology, a fairer and more equal society, and access to more and better art, literature, and entertainment. We enjoy a better standard of life than the people of any other period.

 

Of course, it makes sense to assume that the progress we've seen over the centuries will continue into the future, so I suppose the proper answer to the question would be to say that I'd like to live in the future. When? Well, I can't predict the future, but at some point when society has found a way to better address inequality of wealth, and we no longer have some people amassing more wealth than they could ever spend in a hundred lifetimes, while others cannot afford to feed themselves and their children. And at a point where we have no more religious intolerance, thanks to either those people of a religious persuasion learning to become more accepting of other points of view, or because global religiosity has dwindled to such a point where it is no longer relevant.

 

I'd probably add the whole climate change thing in there too, but humanity has faced crises before and solved them, and I have every confidence we can solve this one too. Which is not to say there won't be casualties first. But we'll fix the climate and then some other crisis will emerge. It always does.

 

So I suppose the answer is now, or at some point in the future where we've learned to all treat each other a little better.

 

Other time periods are like Las Vegas. They might be fun to visit, but I wouldn't want to live there.

 

Italy, mid-Renaissance time. So around 1570. Recovering from the Black Death era, most regions were starting over.

 

Yeah, Italy gets the plague again pretty bad around 1630. Though with life expectancies back then as short as they were, you wouldn't be alive to see it.

[Guest]

The medieval ages, probably around the year of 1100, with the rise of the Holy Roman Empire.

 

I would be the Duke of Franconia, travelling down to around Italy and Venice, trading with spanish, italian and turk merchants for rare silks, swords, books and food.

 

And this would be my armor:

 

[Guest]

First thing i'd do is get a TARDIS. lol

[cuteycindyhoney 13,307]

I couldn't live in the past, because I would get in so much trouble for not sticking to what was considered a woman's place. If I went TOO far back, I'd probably be burned as a witch or something! Aside from that, I don't want primitive medical care! I wouldn't mind being able to just visit other times though, with a guarantee of a return to my own time! 

[RainbowPastel 185]

I have an interest in the 1700s. I would soooo live in that time!

I feel like I mentally fit in the 80s and early 90s. I'm such a nerd

[Invincible 2,091]

I'd pick either of the following:

 

Feudal Japan, preferably before the Meiji era. Not necessarily the best choice as i'm not Japanese and outsiders were not widely appreciated. But otherwise, it's a great time of Philosophical, Poetic, if somewhat technologically stunted period. I would have loved it there.

 

Wild West, because of old amazing Wild west movies. Men were manly and all that. Probably wouldn't fare well in a showdown, but just the feel of the arid breeze during sundown while riding my steed - carrying with it the rejuvenating sensation of freedom - is well worth it.

 

Or maybe i'd hit the future. See how everything works out for humanity. Maybe our race died out and replaced with whatever else the earth has spawned in it's place. Maybe we've escaped our world and reached to the stars. It'd be interesting to witness either way.

[KatonRyu 1,033]

I'd either want to be a Viking during the years they were active (1400-1500?) or ancient Greece or Rome. Basically anytime when there's a chance to walk around with a sword and be a badass, really. (although if my real swordsmanship is as good as my fencing I'd live for about three seconds on a battlefield before dying a grisly death)

[JonasDarkmane 19,785]

I'd either want to be a Viking during the years they were active (1400-1500?) or ancient Greece or Rome. Basically anytime when there's a chance to walk around with a sword and be a badass, really. (although if my real swordsmanship is as good as my fencing I'd live for about three seconds on a battlefield before dying a grisly death)

Vikings were up about 790s to the late 1000 (793-1066 to be exact). 

[KatonRyu 1,033]

Vikings were up about 790s to the late 1000 (793-1066 to be exact). 

Well, just goes to show that I'm both an idiot and lazy. Thanks for correcting me, there.

[JonasDarkmane 19,785]

 

 

Well, just goes to show that I'm both an idiot and lazy. Thanks for correcting me, there

 

I wouldn't call yourself an idiot. Just a misunderstanding. I know this because I live in Iceland where Vikings also came from (such as Egill Skallagrímsson that wrestled a Bull since he was so strong).  

[KatonRyu 1,033]

I wouldn't call yourself an idiot. Just a misunderstanding. I know this because I live in Iceland where Vikings also came from (such as Egill Skallagrímsson that wrestled a Bull since he was so strong).  

Well, I could have taken the three minutes it would have taken to Google it, which I neglected to do. But it's awesome that you live there, Iceland is a place I'd love to visit sometime. Plus your history is a lot more awesome by the simple fact of having Vikings in it. We Dutch have this naval past we're no longer allowed to be proud of because 'we had colonies'.

[JonasDarkmane 19,785]

 

 

Well, I could have taken the three minutes it would have taken to Google it, which I neglected to do. But it's awesome that you live there, Iceland is a place I'd love to visit sometime. Plus your history is a lot more awesome by the simple fact of having Vikings in it. We Dutch have this naval past we're no longer allowed to be proud of because 'we had colonies'

 

 

Well we Icelanders also had colonies. We had colonies in Greenland and in Newfoundland (Vinland). It did not end well. http://satwcomic.com/babysitter

 

We Icelanders are mostly known for our poets and our fair laws (even if you were of high status you could not escape the law). We also have one of the strangest folklore (and a little bit brutal). 

 

I my self am very interested in Dutch accomplishes as they became a wealthy trade nation. 

[KatonRyu 1,033]

 

 

Well we Icelanders also had colonies. We had colonies in Greenland and in Newfoundland (Vinland). It did not end well. http://satwcomic.com/babysitter

 

We Icelanders are mostly known for our poets and our fair laws (even if you were of high status you could not escape the law). We also have one of the strangest folklore (and a little bit brutal). 

 

I my self am very interested in Dutch accomplishes as they became a wealthy trade nation. 

 

 

I do find our trade history to be fascinating, not to mention the Dutch influence on pirate lingo (Like "Avast!", which comes from "Hold fast", which comes from "Hou vast"). The problem is that we have a lot of people who feel that we're no longer allowed to be proud of it because of our colonial tendencies. The other day a movie came out about one of our national heroes, Michiel de Ruyter. It received a lot of criticism just because it doesn't mention the colonial atrocities. (This is from a vocal minority, but still)

 

Anyway, I'm derailing the thread, so I'll stop doing that now