At the heart of much speculative fiction (and fiction in general) is a question. What if? On Tuesdays I like to throw one out there and see what you make of it. Do with it as you please. If a for-instance is not specified, feel free to interpret that instance as you wish. And if you find this becomes a novel-length answer, I'd appreciate a thank you in the acknowledgements ;)
We've all, at one time or another, said something or done something we regret. I'm talking about minor things, like saying something mean about an acquaintance that you didn't really mean, but would be hurtful if that acquaintance ever heard it. Or, perhaps you did something silly at a party when you'd had too much to drink (notice, I said "silly"). Embarrassing, sure, but nothing criminal.
Now, we don't record these silly minor things for posterity (although, nowadays pictures get taken of everything...). This thing, well, you didn't record it, but someone did...
What if this thing you regret got online and went viral? (No need to tell us what that is ;) )
I would just marvel that someone was able to go back in time and catch my twenty-first birthday. Officially the last time I was ever drunk.
ReplyDeleteActually I wouldn't mind. My one regret was not going to see my mom before she died. Doctors told my sister "the end was near" and she relayed that information to me and my brother. It was a terrible time I was going through with other things and I really didn't believe she would die, even though I knew better. So I didn't go. Of course she died. I did regret not going, so if that did become viral, I would hope it would help others not make the same mistake that I did.
ReplyDeletebetty
Oh wow, I didn't expect anyone's regret to be something like this. Yes, that is an important lesson.
DeleteThat sounds like my worst nightmare. The things I've embarrassed myself by doing already pop up in my head for residual humiliation. If it went viral...I might have to move to Antarctica.
ReplyDeleteoh my goodness
ReplyDelete;)
DeleteOhhhh! What?! Nooo! I wouldn't want it ever to get to public!
ReplyDeleteNo. But what if it did?
Deletethere are decisions and words and ventings that I have done I wish I could remove. But they still float about. Now, I edit myself.
ReplyDeleteYes, I think we all have those.
DeleteHmmm I'd hope whatever I said/did wasn't too bad. I can't think of anything really right off the top of my head. Love these posts :) Always gets me thinking.
ReplyDeleteBut, the point is it is something kinda bad, at least in your estimation. Something you've forgotten, obviously...
DeleteWell, then it was meant to be and I hope that my clients and work wouldn't see it but it is what is it and nothing I can do to change it. I've done so many things that are embarrassing that it would take a lot for me to feel horrible.
ReplyDeleteWell, if it wouldn't make you feel horrible, then it's no big deal. People will think what they want to think, and many will probably relate.
DeleteRegrets are wonderful they do teach us. But if we keep having the same regrets over and over. We never would learn any thing.
ReplyDeleteCoffee is on
That is true.
DeleteI have had the "viral" moment, not world wide, but at my school, see I am a teacher who takes pole dance classes and some kids turned up to see friends of theirs in the showcase night (hysterically, the kids I danced with had never told their friends that their teacher was also a student and it hadn't dawned on them that friends would want to see them perform and that means they would also see me perform). One took photos and video and it ended up all over the school by the next day.
ReplyDeleteBoss grabbed me between classes (I had ignored the reaction all day) to tell me how strong I looked :D Perfect reaction from the Head, you want a Head who was your back no matter what.
Stuff them, I danced in the advanced class and I can climb a couple of metres in the air using only my arms and then pull my entire body weight above my head using my core, and if they have a problem with that, it is their problem not mine!
What was interesting was to see some of the older "bullies", the meathead boys who stepped up to defend my honour (not that it needed defending, I don't hide my hobbies, it just had never gotten out), and it was the younger kids, the 12/13 year olds who were being pathetic, the seniors decided I was awesome (and number of the girls (and boys, we had male classes too), who were all 18, turned up to the beginner classes next term AND brought their Mums).
So while I have no regrets, having had had the "viral" moment, it was interesting, wouldn't want to do that for something I was ashamed about, but nice to know that my instinctive reaction is to hold my head up high and ignore ignore ignore.
That's too funny. But I could see how the 12/13 year olds would get giggly about it and the 18 year olds would think it was cool. Glad your Head had your back--that could have gone a whole 'nother way.
DeleteLet me just say that I thank heaven nearly every day that camera phones and social media didn't exist when I was you and wild. :)
ReplyDeleteI know, right?
DeleteFirst of all, if someone knew the things I regretted, they'd have to be pretty ingrained in my head. =) Most my moments involve being socially awkward, which people would chalk up to a lack of cheese, I hope.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately everything can become viral in this day and age!!
ReplyDeleteYup. Which is kind of where the question came from.
DeleteI'd definitely move to somewhere there was no internet. Actually they could make a four hour movie out of all my gaffs. Thankfully most of them were before smart phones were invented.
ReplyDeleteThere are advantages to age...
DeleteI, too, at 63, am grateful there was no Internet, no Instagram, and no Snapchat when I was in my early 20s. Alana ramblinwitham.blogspot.com
ReplyDeleteThat seems to be a common theme.
DeleteArgs. I try not to regret too many things. What's done is done, ya know? I can't think of anything too specific in the past but guessing if it was something present day at this point it would probably be something silly and penis related so totally embarrassing if it went viral and I'd likely never hear the end of it from my mother and get a full name treatment. lol
ReplyDeleteI'd try to just own it (hopefully) and not be too upset. Who knows. Maybe it would be something that got the blog a ton of new followers and ended up not being TOO bad in the end.