As the turn of
the millennium approaches, the human race will continue to develop
new technology
and new ways of thinking. It is always
enjoyable to take a visual
journey back in
time, to view what was considered advanced and what thoughts of
future times
represented. A time capsule stored with
precious documents and
possessions from
a past era can serve as a visual and material presentation of what
past times were
like, and put in prospective the accomplishments that have changed
human lifestyles
for better or worse.
If I were invited to participate in the
planning of a time-capsule, I would
include items
that depicted the present society's mood and pastimes. One item that
suits this
category would be music. Music is one of
the most influential forms of art,
and has brought
delight, sadness, love, and despair to individuals worldwide. I
would include a
compilation of the most popular and the most controversial music
of the present
era, and some background information on the songs and artists.
Song lyrics, like
poetry, can go beyond the written words of a book or a story, and
give an in depth
prospective on people and their lives.
Guiding the new information and technology
of today, computers serve as
the most useful
tool for teaching and productivity across the globe. With the aid of
computers, new
and better systems are manufactured and put to work constantly.
The amount of
data storage, speed, and processing power is increasing
exponentially,
and the obsolete models are taken off shelves and out of business to
be replaced. Within the next ten years alone, computers
will have evolved to what
most of us can't
even perceive now. By placing a top of
the line computer system
into our time
capsule, we can provide our future generation with the
acknowledgment of
success and probably a little humor in the field of computers.
Maybe not the most advanced but the most
commonly known media, the
newspaper, is a
gold mine of facts, stock quotes, and reports that are current and
important. Including a current newspaper in a time
capsule would give the future
finders a look at
many issues and conditions that are sensitive to society and
change. Weather which constantly changes, and medical
problems and
breakthroughs
that may be turning points in the human race would be interesting to
read over and
learn the origins of. Probably the most
complex and controversial
topic of all,
politics is a main interest in the world.
A look back at how the economy
was run and
comparing it to the present time would be an experience of a lifetime.
I would choose a
major publication such as the New York Times or USA Today.
This would
provide the most complete and factual information for the future to
diagnose and
learn from.
Just as archaeologists and anthropologists
have determined past lives and
civilizations
through discoveries, a time capsule can allow an easier route to
understanding the
past. Besides fascination, the study of
the past mostly serves as a
blueprint for the
future. By learning of accomplishments
and mistakes of pioneers in
the past, people
can plan for a better life. A great deal
of time and money is spent
preserving the
past, because once history is lost, it is lost forever.
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