# Time Machine for sale...How old would you like to be? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 18, 2005, 6:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-machine-for-sale-how-old-would-you-like-to-be/290678 "2005-02-18T06:44:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![LuckiestGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@LuckiestGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LuckiestGuy)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2005, 6:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-machine-for-sale-how-old-would-you-like-to-be/290678/1 "2005-02-18T06:44:35Z")
An interesting topic came up when I was talking to an older lady friend of mine. She **said** that she was quite happy with her current age and wouldn’t be younger for any amount of money. I guess this question could be structured in two ways: How young would you be willing to be if you could retain all your knowledge confidence, etc etc? _And_ How young would you be willing to be if you had to start over again with none of life’s lessons learnt? What do you think? I’m in my late 30’s and would be 28 with retaining knowledge, 33 starting over. Twenty eight is respected enough so I wouldn’t feel frustrated with society and 33 is far back as I’m willing to ‘start over’ so to speak. My Blog _[Don’t laugh so hard, it may be funny but it’s also my life](http://luckiestguy.blogspot.com/)_ Lucky ---
**Author:** ![Scribble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scribble/32/3317_2.png) [@Scribble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scribble)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2005, 9:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-machine-for-sale-how-old-would-you-like-to-be/290678/2 "2005-02-18T09:53:43Z")
I’d love to have the body I had when I was 21, if I could keep the knowledge, experience, and maturity that I have now. If I had to just plain start over–like, rewind my life to some earlier time and just re-live the years that came after it, with no notion of what those years would be like–I think I’d stay where I am right now. Or, well, hold on–maybe I’d travel back about 9 months ago, so I could spend the summer in Brazil again. And have the WoD again, which RLHed. (That last sentence was an in-joke. He who understands what it means knows who he is.) ---
**Author:** ![Martin\_Hyde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/47e85d/32.png) [@Martin\_Hyde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martin_Hyde)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2005, 10:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-machine-for-sale-how-old-would-you-like-to-be/290678/3 "2005-02-18T10:14:39Z")
It’d be fun to go back to being about 7 years old but have all the knowledge I have now. I’d basically be graduted from HS by age 9. I’d spend the rest of my childhood having fun, then go to college at the age I was supposed to. But I’d pick up a few degrees because I’d test out of every single class that offered such a procedure. ---
**Author:** ![carlotta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/898d66/32.png) [@carlotta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carlotta)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2005, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-machine-for-sale-how-old-would-you-like-to-be/290678/4 "2005-02-18T13:29:19Z")
I’d go back to about 5 if I could retain my current brain. I’d basically work on becoming a child model/actress/singer. It’s not so much that I have a wasted talent, but I think with adult focus, understanding, and stamina I would beat out most competition. Then I could build up some money to start off adulthood with instead of starting in the hole like most college graduates. I would graduate early from high school, travel while waiting to be college age, go to the same college, pick a different major, work smarter not harder, and marry the same man. Oh, and be a little more respectful of my brain cells. And liver. If I didn’t retain any memories, then I wouldn’t go back at all. I’d stay exactly where I am. Things just keep getting better. ---
**Author:** ![Caffeine.addict](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f475e1/32.png) [@Caffeine.addict](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caffeine.addict)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2005, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-machine-for-sale-how-old-would-you-like-to-be/290678/5 "2005-02-18T14:43:01Z")
With all the knowledge I have now, i would like to be 16 again. It would be nice to do it again with all the confidence and wisdom that the years have brought. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2005, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-machine-for-sale-how-old-would-you-like-to-be/290678/6 "2005-02-18T16:38:37Z")
I don’t want to be any younger. Just healthy at all ages. No walker, cane, wheelchair or arthritis, knee problems for me. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2005, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-machine-for-sale-how-old-would-you-like-to-be/290678/7 "2005-02-18T17:25:06Z")
With all I know now, I’d like to rerun my high-school years. I think I could do better by some people. If I don’t get to keep any knowledge, then maybe 5 minutes ago. That way I could eat the last of the Kit-Kat’s again! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![meanoldman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@meanoldman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/meanoldman)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2005, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-machine-for-sale-how-old-would-you-like-to-be/290678/8 "2005-02-18T19:40:39Z")
Minor temptation to go back and fix the mistakes, the things that I did that hurt others back in the thoughtless high school days and all that. [You know, not really intentionally mean, but ended up hurting people because I was self-centered even by teen standards] But otherwise, I don’t want to go back at all. Fine with being me and being in late 40’s. [Suppose that means I’m still self-centered] Then again, I probably just have no imagination. I never really want to “be” something else for Halloween either. ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2005, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-machine-for-sale-how-old-would-you-like-to-be/290678/9 "2005-02-18T20:06:47Z")
Asked: How young would you be willing to be if you could retain all your knowledge confidence, etc etc? Answer: 15. It would keep me from making the numerous mistakes that I did around that time, plus I would have had a _LOT_ easier time in high school and college. Asked: How young would you be willing to be if you had to start over again with none of life’s lessons learnt? Answer: Probably mid 20s or so. ---
**Author:** ![Mrs.Cake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/2acd7d/32.png) [@Mrs.Cake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mrs.Cake)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2005, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-machine-for-sale-how-old-would-you-like-to-be/290678/10 "2005-02-18T20:17:33Z")
With the knowledge I have now, I’d go back 2.5 years and not buy the house I have to sell now. It turned out to be such a bad idea and has caused a lot of unnecesary hardship. Everything else has turned out to be pretty okay and I’d hate to risk losing the good stuff in an effort to make it somehow better if I went back to my teens or twenties. If I had to give up all I know now and the hard-learned lessons, wouldn’t trade a minute. ---
**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2005, 9:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-machine-for-sale-how-old-would-you-like-to-be/290678/11 "2005-02-19T09:03:56Z")
> [@Scribble](#): > > I’d love to have the body I had when I was 21, if I could keep the knowledge, experience, and maturity that I have now. Exactly! Soneone wisely said, “youth is wasted on the young.” In an ideal world, we would be born with a 95 year old body and grow younger as we matured…then, by the time we got to be in our youth, we would know how to appreciate it. And continue to regress to childhood for the wonder of all things new. And instead of dying, you would just crawl in your mother’s womb and go to sleep. ---
**Author:** ![buttonjockey308](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bcef8e/32.png) [@buttonjockey308](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buttonjockey308)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2005, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-machine-for-sale-how-old-would-you-like-to-be/290678/12 "2005-02-19T13:57:28Z")
I’d like to be 17 again, with the knowledge I have now. Otherwise, I wouldn’t bother. Now, if the time machine could go to ANY time, (which one would assume it could) I’d like to spend a few years in the Middle Ages, near the Renaissance. I wouldn’t mind being a mercenary in the time when it meant something. ---
**Author:** ![clairobscur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2005, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-machine-for-sale-how-old-would-you-like-to-be/290678/13 "2005-02-19T15:50:26Z")
Maybe 16, since I could then be emancipated, or 22 when I got a stable job, but more probably 24, after the end of my first long-term relationship. I had a lot of opportunities at this point that I missed. Or else, at birth. I could pretend to be some sort of prophet. That if I could retain my memories. If I couldn’t it would be totally pointless. ---
**Author:** ![neisha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/4bbf92/32.png) [@neisha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/neisha)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2005, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-machine-for-sale-how-old-would-you-like-to-be/290678/14 "2005-02-19T17:18:21Z")
I’d go back to 16. That’s where it all started going wrong. I’d go back and do it right this time. But, I’d have to have the knowledge I have now, in order to realize then that I was making wrong choices. It’s a double edged sword, I guess. ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2005, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-machine-for-sale-how-old-would-you-like-to-be/290678/15 "2005-02-19T17:24:50Z")
How young would you be willing to be if you had to start over again with none of life’s lessons learnt? Answer: No, thank you. For nothing would I trade what I’ve learned from life. Hell is repeating life’s mistakes all over again. ---
**Author:** ![CynicalGabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@CynicalGabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CynicalGabe)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2005, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-machine-for-sale-how-old-would-you-like-to-be/290678/16 "2005-02-19T18:34:05Z")
I’d go back to being a freshman in high school (10 years ago) if i could still have my knowledge and experiences as well as still being 6’4" and 200 lbs. I hated high school. I’d also like to take back a 2005 Sports Almanac. How is it that noone has mentioned this? And is it too late to insert a Napoleon Dynamite joke? ---
**Author:** ![kawaii](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8c91f0/32.png) [@kawaii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kawaii)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2005, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-machine-for-sale-how-old-would-you-like-to-be/290678/17 "2005-02-20T02:31:26Z")
if i could keep what i know now about my life et, i would go back to being 13 and make some changes from there…bt if i was to go through it again then i’m happy where i am ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2005, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-machine-for-sale-how-old-would-you-like-to-be/290678/18 "2005-02-20T02:41:21Z")
Retaining all my current knowledge, I’d go back to age 10. A friendship started there that I’d like to stop before it started. Of course, all my knowledge from that point _should_ be altered, so I don’t how that would affect my life from that point. ---
**Author:** ![kitarak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/898d66/32.png) [@kitarak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kitarak)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2005, 12:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-machine-for-sale-how-old-would-you-like-to-be/290678/19 "2005-02-20T12:07:31Z")
Hmm. If I could retain all the knowledge, confidence, etc. I had now, I’d probably start again at 17-18 - around when I had to make university applications. I feel I made a bad choice regarding universities (and yes, I do think Cambridge University is a bad choice. Must remember to write a rant about that at some point) and would have liked an opportunity to do it over. That and given that I’ve already just about completed my course, the first few years would be a breeze and I could get on with interesting stuff. 🙂 But even without that, just retaining the changes in personality and outlook would be enough (I think) to set me on a better track. Going back earlier than that… maybe. High school sucked. A lot. I might be able to fix that now, but I don’t think it would be worth having to endure the inanity of high school again. As to going back to an earlier age but with none of my current knowledge and experience? I wouldn’t. What would be the point? David P.S. I’m back. Anyone miss me? Didn’t think so. ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2005, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-machine-for-sale-how-old-would-you-like-to-be/290678/20 "2005-02-20T12:45:12Z")
I wouldn’t mind being 17 again in the 1970s – After _Roe v. Wade_ but before herpes and AIDS… [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-machine-for-sale-how-old-would-you-like-to-be/290678.md?page=2)