Carlton says no alternate futures

[tpbaxter]

Just perusing youtube and found this. I think it's pretty old, from a few seasons ago probably, but check out Carlton Cuse's explanation about time travel in Lost.



transcript

Fan: This question is about time travel. Time travel is obviously a big part of Terminator, a big part of Lost and then we could mention Heroes, and tons of Hollywood films that are using time travel as a big component. The question is: any concern that that device might be coughed up or used or people might get tired of time travel popping up everywhere?

Cuse: We'll tell you yesterday. *Laughter*

Lindelof: That's always gold.

Someone: I told you tomorrow.

Cuse: Seriously... we'll here all weekend. You know, we hope that we are putting our own spin on time travel and uh, as Dan mentioned earlier for us, the kind of the key to time travel in Lost is that there is no paradox. So we aren't postulating alternate futures, we're not postulating a scenario where characters can alter their future. If you've seen a flash forward that event is immutable; it is not changeable. So you know as we sort of use that as a guiding criteria that we hope is going to define time travel in our show in a way that isn't an exact copy of the movies that you've seen.

[rachelskid]

*stands. applauds. louder and louder* woot!!! so glad you found this. this is excellent news and gets me even more excited for season 6! they have something totally original and fantastic and probably utterly simple up their sleeves. I have faith!

for those who are about to write that darlton has lied before. stop. re-research your information. they never lied. that sci fi magazine article wherein they said "no aliens and no time travel" was, in context, about season 1 and season 2 only and involved one big qualifying important word. YET. they said YET. the point of that article was how lost was a sci fi show in the closet. they were still trying to keep the sci fi element close to their vest. hence YET. they have never lied or mislead if you listened closely.

i believe. no alt!!!!

[jd95]

Thank God. I hope they stick to their guns here.

[bunnydixon]

we knew they had mentioned no paradoxes before - it created a HUGE debate if i recall.

[tpbaxter]

yeah i think this was a pretty famous quote as far as lost goes. So was Lindelof's comments after I think about not minding if shows were as creative and thought provoking as Lost. That was a pretty good defense of Lost.

most of Cuse's comments have already been contradicted. there's been tons of paradoxes and they even said they put in Locke's compass intentionally which is a paradox. Also the comments about characters not postulating scenarios where someone can change the future is also broken because Faraday did just that.

But this comment still holds true so far: "If you've seen a flash forward that event is immutable; it is not changeable." I think. The bottom line is if there is some alternate universe where seasons 1-5 did not happen then we have essentially been lied to.

[bunnydixon]

actually i think the debate was over the definition of a paradox lol!!

[rachelskid]

Originally Posted by tpbaxter

yeah i think this was a pretty famous quote as far as lost goes. So was Lindelof's comments after I think about not minding if shows were as creative and thought provoking as Lost. That was a pretty good defense of Lost.

most of Cuse's comments have already been contradicted. there's been tons of paradoxes and they even said they put in Locke's compass intentionally which is a paradox. Also the comments about characters not postulating scenarios where someone can change the future is also broken because Faraday did just that.

But this comment still holds true so far: "If you've seen a flash forward that event is immutable; it is not changeable." I think. The bottom line is if there is some alternate universe where seasons 1-5 did not happen then we have essentially been lied to.

i need a little more explanation pls. what paradoxes? i am under the impression that we are not done with the compass yet. that it was in there intentionally because it will be resolved. its a clue. it appears to be a paradox and will not turn out to be one.

to which comments about postulating do you refer? i have never heard this.

i really do not understand why people say they lie? i wish someone would point out a definitive lie to me just once so i can get on board or something???!!!

[losttime]

Originally Posted by tpbaxter

Just perusing youtube and found this. I think it's pretty old, from a few seasons ago probably, but check out Carlton Cuse's explanation about time travel in Lost.



transcript

Fan: This question is about time travel. Time travel is obviously a big part of Terminator, a big part of Lost and then we could mention Heroes, and tons of Hollywood films that are using time travel as a big component. The question is: any concern that that device might be coughed up or used or people might get tired of time travel popping up everywhere?

Cuse: We'll tell you yesterday. *Laughter*

Lindelof: That's always gold.

Someone: I told you tomorrow.

Cuse: Seriously... we'll here all weekend. You know, we hope that we are putting our own spin on time travel and uh, as Dan mentioned earlier for us, the kind of the key to time travel in Lost is that there is no paradox. So we aren't postulating alternate futures, we're not postulating a scenario where characters can alter their future. If you've seen a flash forward that event is immutable; it is not changeable. So you know as we sort of use that as a guiding criteria that we hope is going to define time travel in our show in a way that isn't an exact copy of the movies that you've seen.

I just loved this thread. bringing it back. Alternate futures is basically what is being discussed as alternate worlds.

Thats what is being suggested as to how be nwas able to live is because a new alternate future was made where he exists. Its really the same concept. Wouldnt need an alternate world if the original world is unchanged.

[notsolost42]

Originally Posted by losttime

I just loved this thread. bringing it back. Alternate futures is basically what is being discussed as alternate worlds.

Thats what is being suggested as to how be nwas able to live is because a new alternate future was made where he exists. Its really the same concept. Wouldnt need an alternate world if the original world is unchanged.

No, you are quite wrong. Alternate futures and alternate worlds are very different and TPTB are just playing the game of semantics that they always do. I guess it works and tricks some people and that's why they do it. I reiterate:

Alternate future
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

In science fiction stories involving time travel, an alternate future or alternative future is a possible future which never comes to pass, typically because someone travels back into the past and alters it so that the events of the alternate future cannot occur.

An alternate future differs from alternate history in that alternate history usually speculates on what might have happened in the past if some events in the past had occurred differently, while an alternative future usually speculates on what might happen in the future. Also, alternative histories commonly forgo time travel, while alternate futures do not.

An alternate future should not be confused with a possible future. Many science fiction stories are set in the future and treat it as if it were the only future within the context of the story; an alternate future story is specifically set in an alternate one, that is, one that, within the context of the story, does not come about to pass.

Examples of fictional works which show alternate futures include:

Back to the Future Part II
Mirror Universe (Star Trek)
"A Sound of Thunder"
Samurai Jack
In Marvel Comics:
Days of Future Past
Cable's future timeline dominated by Apocalypse and Stryfe
The Transformers: The Movie ends up as an alternate future in the Marvel comics continuity
Danny Phantom
Heroes
Timeslip
Reborn!

Yes, they spoke the truth but it was regarding alternate futures with respect to time travel. That was the subject of the discussion. They did not say one word abot alternate universes, realities or worlds.

"Parallel universe or alternative reality is a self-contained separate reality coexisting with one's own. A specific group of parallel universes is called a multiverse, although this term can also be used to describe the possible parallel universes that constitute physical reality. While the terms "parallel universe" and "alternative reality" are generally synonymous and can be used interchangeably in most cases, there is sometimes an additional connotation implied with the term "alternative reality" that implies that the reality is a variant of our own. The term "parallel universe" is more general, without any connotations implying a relationship (or lack thereof) with our own universe. A universe where the very laws of nature are different (for example, it has no relativistic limitations and the speed of light can be exceeded) would in general count as a parallel universe but not an alternative reality."

Those two highlighted explanations are very different. TPTB said "Alternate Future" not "Alternate World" so yes, thanks for bringing this thread back.

[losttime]

Originally Posted by notsolost42

No, you are quite wrong. Alternate futures and alternate worlds are very different and TPTB are just playing the game of semantics that they always do. I guess it works and tricks some people and that's why they do it.

OK. I will wait for the show to tell me that and not you. But I dont see how this is any differnt than what is being suggested by alternate worlds explantion.

Its been said that Ben was shot and died in this world but another one came about where he exists. That is a new future for Ben. If he died that was what happened, he would have had no future. The alternate world provides for a differnet future for ben. Something this video is saying wouldnt happen.

Nothing to do with tricks.