Project Vision 21

Francisco Miraval

With increasing frequency, the topic of parallel universes is presented both in the media and in scholarly and academic papers and conferences. It is, indeed, intriguing to think that each of us has another self, a duplicate so to speak, in a different universe, doing things that our local self in this universe is unable to do.

From a certain point of view, I don’t know if I like to know that I am only one of countless numbers of duplicates of myself in other universes and that the only reason I assume I am the only one is because I don’t have access to all those other “me”. An overwhelming thought, indeed.

So, why I am precisely me in this universe? And what are the others me doing in all those others universes? Perhaps I am no longer part of some universes. Or perhaps in other universes I am the supreme leaders, or, alternatively, the most wanted criminal.

I am sure that in at least one universe I am the most intelligent and admired person. And there should be at least one other universe where my lack of intelligence keeps me writing nonsensical weekly columns about topics I don’t even understand.

Should I care, therefore, about what all those others me are doing each of them in their respective native universes?

I remember listening some time ago a radio interview with a man from California known by his many artistic abilities, from playing classical music to painting and photography. He said that it took him just a few weeks to master music or painting to the point of then conducting orchestras or opening his own exhibit.

They asked him how he was able to do that. He explained that every time he wanted to learn something new, he communicated with his other self in another universe where his other self was already an expert on that some topic.

For example, if he wanted to become a professional photographer, he contacted his professional photographer self in another universe and just “downloaded” that information into his brain in this universe. He never explained how he contacted his other self and he never mentioned how he located the specific other self he wanted to contact in another universe.

I am sure the interview was just pure fiction with the purpose of inviting people to think about the possibility of living a one conscious life in several universes, that is, to be conscious part of a multiverse.

We shouldn’t reject such a seemingly farfetched possibility. After all, we once thought earth was flat and the center of the universe. And until just a few decades ago scientists thought the whole universe was inside the Milky Way.

So, should I then worry about what I am doing in all those parallel worlds? Assuming I can communicate with my other selves, what should I say? How do I greet myself in another universe? And what I should say if my multiversal me first greets me?