What Next?

Reality is chaos; we are all but atoms vibrating within its confines. We bounce and rebound from place to place, event to event, time to time; each interaction a catalyst for the next. True randomness.

 

This would be true if we were indeed merely atoms however, by some quirk, a series of wonderful coincidences, we have become more than that; a collection of matter made sentient. While our universe trends towards chaos, we navigate it, finding meaning as we travel (Cochrane, 1991). There is no action without reaction, no decision so utterly unimportant that it leads to a dead end, everything we do has a response; we may not know or understand it but it's true. There is a cause to every effect no matter how small it may seem and, through that relationship, we understand the self (Tennant and Lowe, 1987).

 

We are the sum of every decision we make, every step taken changes us in ways we may not understand or even realise for years to come. A group of philosophers once wrote that 'no-one knows just what the future holds' (Cattermole et al, 2000) and, to an extent, theorists agree however, it is a point of contention. Many maintain that the ability to truly foresee the future is one humanity will never achieve; this is credited to the randomness inherent of the universe. In a linear existence, the future is yet to be and therefore cannot be divined and so, the only way to discover it is to continue (Cattermole et al, 2000). This theory is not without controversy, as, while it seeks to provide an answer to the randomness of reality, it fails to consider the past (Andersson and Ulvaeus, 1974).

 

To understand the future, one must first remember the past; a 'history book on the shelf is always repeating itself' and so it is important to first look back before looking ahead (Andersson and Ulvaeus, 1974). The future may appear chaotic and random however, it is far from it. Perhaps on a microscopic scale it is with smaller, daily interactions being largely unpredictable however, this does not ring as true into the macro scale. To understand the present, one must first look to the past. The road travelled often hides indications of its destination if one knows how to look. As a species, this metacognition has been dubbed hindsight which remains an under-researched tool in understanding the future and ensuring a better tomorrow is reached (De Backer and Bonfá, 2011; Jacobs and Casey, 1978). 

 

From the past, a great many things can be learnt which, may provide the key to the future. Although not a perfect method, it is one that may bear fruit if given an opportunity to be studied and understood. To take events and follow their ramifications to their logical conclusions, one can effectively prepare for the tomorrows to come, understanding themselves and their place within the universe more completely.

 

 

Bibliography:

Andersson and Ulvaeus, 1974 - Waterloo (ABBA)

 

Cattermole et al, 2000 - Reach (S-Club 7)

 

Cochrane, 1991 - Life is a Highway 

De Backer and Bonfá, 2011 - Somebody That I Used To Know (Gotye and Kimbra)

 

Jacobs and Casey, 1978 - Summer Nights (Grease)

 

Tennant and Lowe, 1987 - It's A Sin (Pet Shop Boys)