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. 😉
Let's suppose you were perusing a book, or you were watching a video. The topic was an event in history with which you are familiar. But, something's wrong. It's not how you remember it. It's not the event you studied in school. You know that this book or video is completely wrong. So, you discuss it with neighbors and friends and family. But...
What if everyone you asked claimed that you were the one who remembered the event wrong?
Today's A to Z Challenge post brought to you by the letter...
That sounds like a frightening thing. I would doubt my sanity, for sure. Way to go on finishing projects!
ReplyDeleteThanks.
DeleteI would wonder where they went to school to make it so different than what I was taught in school. And then of course I would have to go and google it and see who was in the right.
ReplyDeletebetty
I may think about it twice before saying I'm right!!
ReplyDeleteThat would drive me nuts! I have a great memory and I'm used to be the one who remembers stuff correctly!
ReplyDeletehttps://thethreegerbers.blogspot.com/2019/04/under-arrest-h-is-for-hung-jury.html
But what if you were remembering it correctly, but someone messed with the timeline...?
DeleteI know I would be in an episode of the Twilight Zone.
ReplyDeleteHave you seen? There's a new Twilight Zone...
DeleteI know but I only saw one episode so far
DeleteIf that happened, I would look around for the Legends of Tomorrow and see if Ray and Sarah were in costume heading for their spaceship.
ReplyDeleteIf everyone started saying what I studied was wrong, I'd assume that either they were all messing with me or the information I studied was just incorrect. It wouldn't be the first time.
ReplyDeleteI think that that scenario would make me feel very off-kilter. I wonder how long I would fight for my version of events before giving up and giving in.
ReplyDeleteOoh, that's a good question. I haven't specified if you are right or they are right, so that could go several different ways.
DeleteThat is my life!!! I remember things different sometimes then when I learn I am wrong I second guess .....ME. haha
ReplyDeleteYou never know. Everyone else could be wrong :)
DeleteI actually think we're all much less in consensus as to our realities than is widely imagined. So I'm much less willing to be upset, or doubt myself or others.
ReplyDeleteGood point.
DeleteI would smile and know that this is what happens when you live in certain parts of the world, the truth is rewritten by others...
ReplyDeleteAh yes, so true. (Sadly, that seems to be happening in many places where it didn't used to.)
DeleteI'd think the whole world has gone mad, probably idk.
ReplyDeleteThat's probably not far from the truth.
DeleteHi Liz - I would be at first a bit worried; as to what is wrong with me. But, it need not be that everyone else is right, and I am alone wrong. After all, history is a lot about how each one perceives events of the past.
ReplyDeleteGood one, Liz. :-)
This is true. And they're revising it all the time.
DeleteThis is a classic SF plot and I would suddenly, fearfully, wonder if I had fallen into the book I was reading.
ReplyDeleteYup, it is. I was trying to take it from another direction.
DeleteOOOH! *cracks knuckles*
ReplyDelete1. That's the case if you visit Tienanmen Square in Beijing. NOBODY knows what happened except some older people, and they don't talk about it.
2. The big war that divided the country I currently live in? Here in Vietnam it's called "The American War." Talk about a paradigm shift!
Oh wow. I'm not surprised about Tienanmen Square, but The American War... Oh yes, I'm going to hold on to that tidbit. Thanks.
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