h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

• Should the past stay in the past, or is it a country that you can revisit when you like?
There are some very important things you can learn from the past which makes it sensible to go back and look things over. In a personal context, the trick is to go back and think about things, but feel no guilt about them. Not easy actually, and I have not learned how to do it yet. Besides, the past = memories and they are not altogether a bad thing. In an international affairs context, I believe you HAVE to look back at the past. It is the only way to understand the complicated mess we are in at the moment. The trick here is to go back and LEARN from the mess ups already made. Again, not something we do particularly successfully generally (ref. totally mess in Afghanistan. We did this back in the days of the Empire. Made a mess of it then, and done it again now. Oops!)
• Why do people go back to old relationships? Because they've learned lessons or because they crave security?
The only way old relationships will work again is if both parties have learned lessons. Sometimes this happens, but I suspect that the security cravings are the real reason for going back. My view is if it didn’t work out the first time round, then it probably won’t work out the second time around.
• Have you ever wanted to resurrect something from your past? If you tried, did it work?
Yes, I would love to go back to Canada where I grew up and experience a proper white Christmas (and usually white Easter as well!) again. Of course it would not be the same because I left when I was 13 and did not have all the commitments that come from being 34 now to deal with. It would be interesting to see how it differed, but I think I would be terribly disappointed, so frankly, I am afraid to try it.
• What about celebrity or political comebacks - should they bother?
It must be very difficult for these kinds of people. Usually, they can’t do anything other than what they have become famous for (yelling in the Houses of Parliament at the opposition or looking like a dork in the Big Brother House) therefore, they still need to make money, hence comebacks. Unfortunately comebacks are rarely a good idea and the public can get very sick of them. For example, Spice Girls reuniting? Oh purlease! They are doing it for the cash, and none of them actually need it. Very cynical method of fleecing the public. I wish the public was not so gullible!
• Are you inspired by comeback stories, like cyclist Lance Armstrong winning the Tour de France after recovering from cancer? What comebacks have you found most inspiring?
Some comebacks can be very inspiring. I suppose the best comeback which inspires me is Jane Tomlinson. What a woman – dying from terminal cancer and still did marathons, cycled across America and heaven knows what else. Amazing woman. Sadly she passed awy in September 2007
• Can going back to things or people ever be bad for you? Why, for example, do people go back to abusive relationships?
I think going back can be bad for you. Not just like the person who goes back to an abusive relationship (out of a normally misguided belief that the abuser has changed). But also when you are looking back at something you have done, feel pretty rotten about it, but can’t change what has gone before and you end up feeling horribly wretched and guilty.
• Best comeback ever… someone like Frank Sinatra probably because he just kept going and going and going. Maybe Thomas “Hitman” Hearns as well – aged 46 and went back to competitive boxing. Not terribly successful I don’t think, but bloody brave for doing it!!
• And the worst? Anything to do with Jade Goody (shudder)!

Great post. Very thoughtful response.

hmm.......
good point.
not a good idea to bring back certain people but then again, it depends who that person is and everybodys thoughts and opinions on that certain person.