A Visit from H.G. Wells

Thank you for this wonderful opportunity. As I rotted in my cold grave, wondering if I should go back to believing in God, I expected nothing like the sudden awakening of consciousness and time travel that I’ve experienced. I won’t say it has surpassed all my expectations or qualms, but I’m still glad I came.

First of all, don’t worry about anything personal. You’re a wonderful person, a solid asset to society. You volunteer at the animal shelter, protecting pets who never got around to getting spayed or neutered. You donate to political campaigns because realistically, not all sides need to be heard. And although automation is taking many new jobs (a rather mundane science fiction prediction) we still need people to arrange flowers, make special-order pizzas, or edit a literary magazine. Robots don’t understand beauty the way you do. Besides, your family loves you enough to let you use the basement indefinitely. You’ll be fine.

Second, what a difference seventy years makes. I thought WWII would quickly funnel into another massive extermination. All the same….

We can’t be complacent with nature and let the laws of evolution damn us. No, my views are toward salvation. Sex is fantastic, and procreation a blessing, as long as we preserve what’s beautiful and powerful. For example, having spent some little time on your internet, I’m impressed by how companionable many of the women are, not to mention how flexible. It gives me hope. If only my Isabel and Amy had the chance to watch such intense filmography with me.

On the other hand, there’s a breed called influencers that worries me. What are they to Hecuba, after all? I’m not convinced by their sanguine poses as they pretend to read while they showcase some article of clothing. And why are there so many videos of people throwing things off buildings? Has gravity become less constant than it once was? I once wrote that the weak needed to be killed because they had “no pity and less benevolence” and it’s an idea I generally still espouse. Even laceration and harm can be used to teach a lesson for a brighter future. Fortunately, some of that injurious work is being done by the weak themselves, whether it’s forgetting that boiling water is hot regardless of how cold it is outside, and that the human body is combustible when covered with flammable liquid. Or inflammable liquid. I don’t understand some people’s inability to distinguish a laundry pod from food. Our focus must be on science and creating utopia, keeping it free from crazy people. Otherwise our Darwinism becomes bankrupt. In that vein, nasal passages are not the proper place to use a condom.

Maybe my thinking is out of step at present, though the number of times I hear swarm casually tossed out in political rhetoric, I remain unconvinced. The recent past may be carnage, and as I’ve said, the end must be “darkness still.” In the meantime, we have a choice. To paraphrase myself, we must try life happily and freely. If you can’t do that without spoiling the lives of others, you might be better out of it. Any visiting alien might add, Take that to your leader.

Overall, it was a lovely visit. It was nice to see both older and new culture still thriving, not just the world as museum, but as a living thing. I took in some opera, including this Placido Domingo fellow. And watched some a thrilling movie or two. You know, the usual suspects. Also, at least I wasn’t #metoo-ed

—H.G. Wells