Hey — It’s Toffer.
It was 2065. My friend was just shot, lying on the floor, bleeding to death. I knew I shouldn't have brought him to the future.
Estimated read time: 5 minutes
“Step aside,” a man offered, kneeling beside my friend.
He examined the wound and pulled out a pocket knife — he was going to operate right here on the street.
“Are you a doctor?” I asked.
“No,” he replied, not looking up.
“A nurse or something? You know what you're doing, right?” I asked again.
He looked at me, annoyed. Then he started telling me that he was a nice guy, he is honest, he is always on time. He told me that he was a great son to his parents and had a rich life full of fulfilling hobbies, and boasted that it has been 20 years since he used foul language.
Confused, I said, “How does any of that fucking matter when my friend is lying here bleeding! I need somebody who knows how to operate on bullet wounds! Can you do that or not?!?”
The guy became agitated. Then a bystander joined the conversation, “Why are you being shallow and selfish? Do you not care about any of his other good qualities? Didn't you hear him say that he always remembers his girlfriend's birthday? In light of all of the good things he does, does it really matter if he knows how to perform surgery?”
In that panicked moment, I took my bloody hands and shook him by the shoulders screaming, “Yes, I'm saying that none of that other shit matters, because in this specific situation, I just need somebody who can stop the bleeding, you crazy fucking asshole!”
Then there was blinding light.
We were sent back to 2024. We're ok.
As I reflected on what happened, I realized a terrible truth about the adult world: I am in that very situation every single day. Only I'm the confused guy with the pocket knife, and society is the bleeding gunshot victim.
If I want to know why society seems to shun me, or why I seem to get no respect, it's because society is full of people who need things. They need houses built, they need food to eat, they need entertainment, they need fulfilling sexual relationships. I arrived at the scene of that emergency, holding my pocket knife, by virtue of my birth — the moment I came into the world, I became part of a system designed purely to see to people's needs.
Either I will go about the task of seeing to those needs by learning a unique set of skills, or the world will reject me, no matter how inoffensive and courteous I am. I will be poor, I will be alone, I will be homeless.
Does that seem mean, or crass, or materialistic? What about love and kindness — don't those things matter? Of course. As long as they result in me doing things for people that they can't get elsewhere.
So I have to ask myself: What skills can I develop that will enable me to meet society's needs? How can I combine those skills with my personal qualities to create unique value? Because in the end, that's what will determine my place in the world.
The future — and the present — need people who can do more than just be nice. They need people who can solve problems, create solutions, and make a tangible difference.
Your Friend in Time,
Toffer