Einstein's Dreams

Recently, my studio class was told to read the novel "Einstein's Dreams" by Alan Lightman, a collection of fictional realities that are loosely based on Albert Einstein's concepts of relativity. Many of the worlds described in these stories are allegorical in nature and discuss issues that have influenced society. Though the stories differ from one another in many ways, they are all connected by the central theme of time. Each and every proposed universe is dominated by a different set of rules for the way in which time affects and interacts with the human race. This could include time moving backwards, moving at different speeds in different places, and even not moving at all. Of the numerous and varied worlds however, I am most interested by the world described on May 22 in the novel. 

In this world, time is not fully linear. It moves sporadically and shakily, and as a result, the inhabitants of this universe are occasionally given a brief vision of their future. This leads to a world that is simultaneously efficient and chaotic. Because some are given visions of future events and conditions, they are able to plan accordingly and take advantage of their new foresight. Construction workers might  abruptly alter the course of roads to fit more concisely with the placement of future buildings, individuals might move in order to be available for a job they have seen themselves performing in the future, and so on. Not everyone gets a vision at the same time, or even ever at all, and this results in an intriguing dichotomy: those who have seen future events and those who have not. Those who have seen their future are capable of making decisions to bring that vision to fruition, whereas those who have not remain idle and paralyzed by uncertainty. They refuse to make choices that could result in the wasting of time, effort, or money. A sort of third group exists however, as those who have received their vision occasionally refute it. Of course this is futile, as the future is set and inescapable, but members of this group still hold onto a hope for change and freedom from the future.

Though this type of existence seems strange and foreign, it is largely applicable to modern life. Ours is a world of opportunity, and in it, we must react to everyday stimulus in the best way we know how. We have a sense for the future and attempt to achieve a vision of success or a method of living that suits our desires. People who believe that they can see where they would like to be in life are often the ones who are driven, while those who see nothing beyond the moment remain in the present and do not strive toward any particular goal. Though happy individuals can exist within both categories of living, more often than not, those who have a goal to work toward are more contented than those who have no sense of their future desires or objectives. Those who coast through life uncertain of which paths they should take or how they should move forward often feel paralyzed and nervous about the progress of their peers. This existence leads to mindsets that question the need for motivation and the need for societal participation. Why work toward getting an education if one day you might realize you love nothing more than collecting garbage? People without direction wait for opportunity to fall into their lap that will give them something to achieve. However, if the individual is truly stagnated, they will often remain ignorant to the presence of opportunities they could have taken advantage of, had they been more attentive to the world around them. This is not to say that those without direction are alone in their difficulties however.

There are others who may be coerced into certain occupations, relationships, or other activities which they do not wish to accept, despite being a clear objective. Many wish to have the freedom to make their own choices and choose their own paths. People deny entry into family businesses, arranged marriages, and other futures on a regular basis. The set destinies of the novel are not applicable here except perhaps as a satirical jab at the belief that we are slaves to the future. 

This chapter is widely applicable to the concepts of choice and motivation, and it is intriguing to consider some of the potential causes behind such prevalent factors in the human condition.