Dream Question
It was a school dream again. Usually when I dream that I'm at school, it's not pleasant. In fact, it's often a nightmare. Last night everything was under control and going well.
I had asked the class what I thought was a really creative question. "If you could stand completely still and time would stop while you stayed still like that, would that be good or bad? Why?" We had a very interesting discussion, none of which I remember, just the question.
Then I was talking to my supervising principal and I was telling him about my great question. (He really was my principal when I was teaching, and he never could say, "Good job." He always added, "But next time you could . . . ." or he found fault with something that a person wasn't even aware of happening.)
In my dream he paid no attention to my great discussion activity. He said, "You don't know the names of your own pupils." I was stunned. "What??" Then he told me that I'd called Forest by some other name every time. I had this sinking feeling. I almost blurted out, "I must be losing it!" But I stopped myself from saying it. I knew that's exactly what he was thinking and if I said it, too, he'd have more amunition to take away my job. I felt just awful.
So it turned into a bad dream after all. But I still think it was a creative, though useless, question.
Submitted by
NJ
at 11/28/2004 7:01:31 PM- And I thought my question was so original and creative! I could imagine lots of pros and cons, probably more cons than pros. Your mention of the con was one I didn't think of.
Submitted by
John
at 11/29/2004 4:58:24 AM- The Twilight Zone episode actully used a necklace that stopped time when you put it on. And yes it ended with missles poised in the air above the city.
There is also a SciFi book that explores the topic. I heard an NPR review of it several years ago but missed the title and never read it. The book however took the protagonist through a lifetime of using a time stopping ring/necklace. As a youth he used it for the typical kid stuff, mischief and petty theft etc... but as he aged he began to see the error of his ways and tried to find good ways to help people with his power. I remember thinking that the author had the typical humanist world view that says we are all good and if given enough time we'll all come around to being good. Not what the Bible teaches is it?
Your question seems to add a unique twist to these scenarios though by requiring the person to stand still for the effect to work. That would eliminate much of the opportunity for mischief. It would work great for reading plaques and other information cards at museums. You could read them all without taking any of your day to do it!
Submitted by
NJ
at 11/29/2004 7:02:43 AM- I had no idea this dream question had answers that would probe so deeply. Neither did Mr. Patterson. He ignored all that potential in my question and looked for something to find fault about. He could have suggested that this question was too much for elementary school kids to try to ponder. (He would be wrong, of course. lol)
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I remember an old Twilight Zone episode where a man found that everything would stop when he said "Stop!" He also had the power to restart everything again.
I don't recall how he used this power through the episode, but it ended with a nuclear attack. As the Soviet missles are descending upon the city, he says "Stop," and the show ends with him realizing that he is doomed to now live alone in the stopped world, because if he ever restarts it, everything will end in a nuclear holocast.
Is this power good or bad? Discuss among yourselves.
Best regards,
J.W. Stoker