What do you REALLY know? What could YOU teach them?

Mods, please move this thread if it's not in the right place.

I was thinking about time travel the other day, and what I would do if I went 800 years back in time. The first thing I would be tempted to do is to tell those people what the future is like. I would tell them about cars, photographs, computers, TVs, massive grocery stores, telephones, nuclear weapons, airplanes, dentistry, surgeries and medicine, flushing toilets, hygiene products (probably one of my favorite things while spending time among people from 800 years ago), and countless other inventions and innovations.

After that I had another thought. Let's say they didn't burn me at the stake for sounding crazy,... let's say they asked me how they would be able to achieve some of these things,... would I be able to walk them through it???
I'll be honest. I don't think I would have enough knowledge to recreate even some of the most basic inventions we have today. My living in the 21st century would help me very little if I were thrown back in time, or if I were one of the only people left on this earth after a catastrophic natural (or man-made) disaster. Most of my education would not provide me with enough knowledge to recreate the luxuries we enjoy today. Although I understand some technological concepts, I wouldn't know where to find most of the materials and how to manufacture them into a complete product.

So then, I ask you this question; If you were to go back 800 years, what would be the one thing you'd know enough about to be able to help them achieve it? I'm curious what some of you know and how some of you would be able to help them advance. If enough people participate, this should be an interesting thread.

I think a rough knowledge of the World's geography could make you very very powerful.

If you were able to draw and make a World map or globe, it could be a real world changing skill.

For good or bad??

I really do not know

Yes I agree - The cartographer of today would change the world beyond all knowing if sent back 800 years.

I could imagine though that the professional opinion of that time period would seek to have you killed.

Imagine hundreds of columbus's and cooks venturing out to seize the property of the native peoples.

The level of human consciousness seems so low back then, that to give them more power then they already had would have made the travesties of our time line seem "Not so bad"

Getting the explorers lost and the scientists misinformed is the only thing that has kept this fragile world together.

I could give them electricity, DC power at first, but eventually I could build get them AC power. I could give them basic welding techniques with the DC power. Basic applied chemistry(especially explosives). What I know about first aid would probably be the most advanced medical techniques of the time. I could give them plumbing and running water, even before electricity. If they had enough metallurgical skill to cast a boiler(and small cannons were already in use by the early 1300s), I could give them steam power. Eventually, I could weld smaller pieces together to make a boiler and rudimentary heat exchangers. So how about steam powered iron clad ships and "tanks"? Become emperor of the world. I know enough about aerodynamics to get the geniuses of the Renaissance headed in the right direction. Knowing the causes of the bubonic plague would have saved millions of lives. I think I could have done a lot.

honestly i would teach them unity and how to stay human from the evil future that awaits them, i am mechanically inclined so i can build almost anything, so me and the inventors would have a lot of fun together. i would also tell them about all kinds of things like other civilizations they havent even heard of yet and medicine.
i would become lord and shape a better future than now

I guess that if I´d be in that situation, I´d play music for them, show them and try to teach people music .

From Bach and their fantasies and preludes to some nice and groovin tunes like Coltraine, Thelonious Monk and most of them.

I would talk about universal history and the implications of the possible next things to happen all around the globe, at first, I´d try to tell them about the spherical world they ignore, lets remember we are supossed to be 800 years ago, when in most parts of the planet was prohibited to talk about knowledge and education for common people...

And all that I mentioned before could be if the church or some authority could be protecting me, because the most probable thing is that if we spread knowledge in that time, we surely end up burn with all the witches and possibly time travellers with the same intention!

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reply to post by 2manyquestions


This is in the right place 2many.

800 years?

I could show people how to make gun powder and disinfectants.Teach them the importance of being clean and drinking clean water.

And I could raid more than a few whore-houses while I was there.

Originally posted by Onet Wosix
I think a rough knowledge of the World's geography could make you very very powerful.

If you were able to draw and make a World map or globe, it could be a real world changing skill.

For good or bad??

I really do not know

Good point. That certainly would be very helpful to those interested in trading with or colonizing new worlds. I think that the knowledge of history might be just as useful. Essentially one would be able to predict the future!

Originally posted by mydarkpassenger
reply to post by 2manyquestions

 

This is in the right place 2many.

800 years?

I could show people how to make gun powder and disinfectants.Teach them the importance of being clean and drinking clean water.

And I could raid more than a few whore-houses while I was there.

I hope the whore house visit would be after you taught them the importance of being clean.

reply to post by sonofliberty1776


Excellent post. That's what I was looking for. Sounds to me like you would be VERY useful to have in case of a catastrophe. You sound prepared.