If you could Quantum Leap, but knew you would be stuck in the past, would you do it?

jassian

Hopeful Maker of Art out of Daydream Dust
Oct 15, 2008
929
12
18
Germany
A simliar question came up in the meantime, and some answers may be similar, but I'm curious about this specific scenario. Also imagine that your Leaps would be specifically designed to suit your skills or sometimes lack thereof, just like with Sam, and you may never come back. To rephrase: Here's the Quantum Leap Accelerator right in front of you, you're wearing your Fermi suit and you got a sudden flash of insight of what's gonna happen. What do you do? (You'll have some time to think, and no pressure from the goverment.)


If you could Leap and you knew exactly what was in stock for you, would you?


And I'd also like to know what circumstance would have to change for you to make the opposite choice?


:)
 
I mentioned this in the other thread, but I might as well answer to the current thread as well.

No, I would probably not do what Sam does. Mainly, because I can't think on my feet as quickly as he can, and knowing me, I would probably just mess up the leaps worse. I would rather be the hologram, because I could give insightful commentary, and be more of a comfort to the leaper.

I can't think of an excuse that would change my mind. This is one of those situations that if the oppotunity came up, I would have to decide there rather or not I would do it. It's easy for me to form an opinion now, but it could easily change if that opportunity ever did arise.
 
As I am right now, I would say probably not. I'm still in love over here and wouldn't want to leave him behind forever. Even if he'd completely understand and support me. The rest of family would miss me too, but I'd be less worried about them for some reason, they're used to me being on the other side of the world already. ;)
Then again looking at the greatness of the impact you can make (it may not show, it's just a life at a time, but it's part of a bigger picture as I see it) I might nonetheless.

Otherwise. Without the relationship...
That would quite probably be a yes. I'm somebody who's very frustrated about not being able to make a difference about all those things going wrong in the world, and people hurting and hating each other for no good reason. So given that chance, quite probably yes. Plus, I think it would be fun... most of the time.

As ohboy said, though, such decisions aren't made from the comfort of your computer desk, so that may change matters.

:D
 
I might. I'm sometimes quick on my feet but sometimes not. It would depend on what I'm leaving behind too. It's my job to help people but I also wonder what I'd leave behind in the present.
 
jassian said:
A simliar question came up in the meantime, and some answers may be similar, but I'm curious about this specific scenario. Also imagine that your Leaps would be specifically designed to suit your skills or sometimes lack thereof, just like with Sam, and you may never come back. To rephrase: Here's the Quantum Leap Accelerator right in front of you, you're wearing your Fermi suit and you got a sudden flash of insight of what's gonna happen. What do you do? (You'll have some time to think, and no pressure from the goverment.)


If you could Leap and you knew exactly what was in stock for you, would you?


And I'd also like to know what circumstance would have to change for you to make the opposite choice?


:)
As I have said previously, to be able to help someone - no matter how small it is - show me the accelerator.
 
Well, I wouldn't do it. Absolutely not. I would have to hate my life to abandon it that way. I guess most of you are young and unattached, and maybe I've forgotten what that's like. I mean, I'm surprised at the number of people who say they would do it. Of course, I could be taking the question too seriously... I've been known to do that. :\
 
Snish said:
Well, I wouldn't do it. Absolutely not. I would have to hate my life to abandon it that way. I guess most of you are young and unattached, and maybe I've forgotten what that's like. I mean, I'm surprised at the number of people who say they would do it. Of course, I could be taking the question too seriously... I've been known to do that. :\
I am not as young as you think and yes, I do have loved (much loved) ones here and they also know what i am like. i will help anyone if i am able.
 
This is very interesting though, because if you analyze it, it would mean hurting a few people in the present who have to lose you. It means giving up your life, you won't be technically dead, but you won't be living your life either, not to mention the memory losses... which might gradually improve. I'm sure that there also would be many moments in which you'd just want out again. You will be alone, yes, there's a hologram, but you can never be physically close to someone who knows you as you, and if so you will have to leave. So every Leap you will leave things and people behind again. Definitely quite a sacrifice.

The trade off?
You can help people in the present, but you don't always know if you did the right thing. What you would get in a Leap:
Being part of something bigger than yourself, with the knowledge of what's the right thing to do. Knowing that you will make an impact, because you will know the result of your action at least within the next few decades. So your life and your energy will be used where it's needed the most and be completely invested, more than it ever could be if you were still living your own life at the same time.
I think if one person's life is completely invested and guided to where needed 'the most': to pivotal instances that will ripple on, the results may be quite astonishing.

The QL story is, in a way, about it being worth it. It doesn't mean it's worth it for everyone of course. And in the original Leap, Sam had not too extremely much to lose (wasn't married, lost some family, was obsessed with the project anyway) and he didn't know he couldn't be retrieved. There is another 'choice' in Mirror Image, but I'm wondering if Sam had gone, knowing exactly what's ahead. He absolutely may have.
 
Last edited:
Mr Questionmark said:
I am not as young as you think and yes, I do have loved (much loved) ones here and they also know what i am like. i will help anyone if i am able.

I didn't mean to imply that people who said they would leap don't have loved ones. I see that my post could be read that way and I apologize for putting it that way. I was thinking more along the lines of having people who depend on you--being married and/or having children. I would rule out leaping because I'm married (and have elderly parents, etc.) but that's not to say that every married person would do so. Just me.

jassian said:
This is very interesting though, because if you analyze it, it would mean hurting a few people in the present who have to lose you. It means giving up your life, you won't be technically dead, but you won't be living your life either,

That's what I was thinking about. In addition to family, I have all kinds of connections--volunteer work, activities, friends--that I wouldn't want to give up. I'd prefer to stay in the present and help people in other ways. Of course the idea of time travel is fascinating and I'd love to do it if I had a ticket home!

jassian said:
There is another 'choice' in Mirror Image, but I'm wondering if Sam had gone, knowing exactly what's ahead. He absolutely may have.

I agree. Sam had been through a lot by then. Leaping had become his life, and he was well accustomed to self-sacrifice. He made the hero's choice, and most of us in our nice little lives don't ever have to do that. Whew... I mean, it's a relief. If I was ever faced with such a choice, could I do as well? I doubt it.
 
angvav said:
If I could make it rich????

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm.......

Greedy I know but anyways.............

:)

haha now i don't think that Sam would be impressed with that....;)

I'm not sure that i could sacrifice my loved ones to do this....i love the idea of helping people but i would rather do it in my own way, like helping loved ones and charities....but if i had Sam Beckett by my side i might have to give it a try!! :dreaming
 
LOL, well if you use most of your wealth to spread on the wellbeing that might work :)
 
i would do it in a heart beat of course!! the adventure just think of it... yes i would miss family and friends and im being selfish leaving them but i'd still do it. To never come home would be really sad and i'd feel lonely most likely but the event the prospect of being able to leap is amazing. I'd set up a bank account and leave my family loads of money to fill the hole of me being gone haha x
 
There have been many, many times when the answer to that questio would be "Hell yeah!!", more thanI care to recall, in fact, however since I now have a child, I shock myslef by responding (now that I think about it for the first time in ages) "Nope, I think I wouldn't".

I might have tried before and possibly chickened out (but since I live very, very far away from Stallion's gate, and since (if we assume for the purposes of argument that PQL exists in this quantum reality) they are unlikely to let a social worker anywhere near the fermi suits, let alone the accelerator, I'm never gonna know.

for now I have to console myself with doing as much good for people as I can, one at a time, but the line from Mirror Image about the lives we touch touching others and those lives others still, is incredibly useful to me in reminding me why I do this work, and I find that it's useful to relate to other people who try and feel like they fail to make a difference.

oh, yeah and to those who have leaped ahead, or are in a timezone ahead of Australia... what's it like there in 2009?

Happy new year, Leapers
Andrew
 
oh, yeah and to those who have leaped ahead, or are in a timezone ahead of Australia... what's it like there in 2009?

Happy new year, Leapers
Andrew

You're also in Australia?
So far it's pretty much like 2008, in a good way.
But as 2009 will bring few changes for me it's really exciting at the same time.

I love that line from Mirror Image too , btw. :)


Happy New year to you too :hurray:
 
You bring up a good point there. There are things that all of us would want to fix, or make better. The question would then be, would one go back if he could fix his own problems in the past? I would have to think long and hard if the risks for fixing the problem was worth it, so I couldn't give an answer at the moment.
 
Yes - I probably definitely would step in. Provided I was guaranteed my hologram buddy to help me most of the time.

What would need to change for me to say no? For there to be something here that I absolutely could not give up.

But that being said - I would like the ability to snap my fingers at the end of a leap and go 'need a holiday now I'll pick this up again in a week or so'.