Handy Time Travel Skills

[tuneman1980]

So as I was laying in bed about to fall asleep my mind drifted to the idea of time travel and I started to wonder what skills would be most handy to ensure a successful existence if you were to travel back in time and attempt to earn a living or just wow the people there.  I currently work as a software developer so if I were to travel back in time far enough those skills would be useless, but perhaps some of my skills from my time in the Army would prove useful.  I'm thinking that a medical doctor would due well even without modern medicines and tools.  A mechanical engineer would probably also do well. 

What current day jobs do you think would provide the best skills if you were to travel back to the Middle Ages or early Roman times?

[Tali1978]

i don't think any of my skills in the modern day would serve me well in the middle ages or roman times 

i teach dance to kids, dabble in wp plugin development and have done freelance journalism in the past.......can't see any of that being helpful

i can cook a mean curry  but knowing my luck, back then the general populace's taste buds would not be accustomed to spices so I'd probably be tied to a stake and burnt alive for my 'witch-like poison peddling' aka chicken madras

I'm doomed!! 

[tuneman1980]

Haha, great perspective.  Thanks.

Some kind of inventor would do well.  I keep thinking of the Doc in Back to the Future.  I bet a chemist would do alright, if they could get their hands on the right materials.

[Tedward]

Probably an engineer or inventor of some kind.

[hilariousandco]

Probably an engineer or inventor of some kind.

An engineer might not be that great without his tools or the technology. I guess maybe a medical doctor or surgeon of some-sort would be beneficial.

[Hazir]

It depends on where in time you will be. If there will a peace or war. If you want to survive probably something like martial arts or weapon training will come in handy. If you are familiar with machines and chemical substances also. General knowledge is a must too.

[tuneman1980]

I also wonder how different various wars throughout history would be if a small team of fully equipped Rangers/Seals/Delta were dropped into the fighting.

[Honeybooboo]

I also wonder how different various wars throughout history would be if a small team of fully equipped Rangers/Seals/Delta were dropped into the fighting.

Would they have their guns?

[tuneman1980]

I also wonder how different various wars throughout history would be if a small team of fully equipped Rangers/Seals/Delta were dropped into the fighting.

Would they have their guns?

With all personal equipment.  Obviously they'd have to conserve ammo and battery life and would have no air support.

[tuneman1980]

There has to be a video game concept idea buried somewhere in this.  Any game designers out there?

[15Peter20]

There has to be a video game concept idea buried somewhere in this.  Any game designers out there?

It would make a good game.

[HYFR]

There has to be a video game concept idea buried somewhere in this.  Any game designers out there?

Maybe here https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=587253.0

[sana8410]

Depends on which period of time you want to travel ,but for sure, an accountant and a priest was and will be need it from roman time until this world will end

[kuroman]

theoretical physic, Engineering (You don't need advanced tools to achieve the optimization and some of the inventions we use in our daily life), medicine, farming....I mean there are many domains where you can have an advantage over the past but woudn't be boring to live in the past especially in an era with no electricity or computers and stuff, of course you'll get used to it quickly but still the thought that you have to change all your hobbies and life style to adapt to the periode is a real hasle isn't it

[HYFR]

theoretical physic, Engineering (You don't need advanced tools to achieve the optimization and some of the inventions we use in our daily life), medicine, farming....I mean there are many domains where you can have an advantage over the past but woudn't be boring to live in the past especially in an era with no electricity or computers and stuff, of course you'll get used to it quickly but still the thought that you have to change all your hobbies and life style to adapt to the periode is a real hasle isn't it

What good would a theoretical physicist do?

[15Peter20]

Depends on which period of time you want to travel ,but for sure, an accountant and a priest was and will be need it from roman time until this world will end

An accountant and priest?

[dancupid]

Try to avoid bringing back any atoms that exist in the future, as you will increase the mass of the universe in the past causing a paradox - The mass of the universe in the past will increase recursively and you will (without knowing it) destroy the universe.
Bear that in mind.
Though if this does happen it will be impossible as you could never have existed in the first place to embark on this time travel adventure.
Be safe.

[Tedward]

Try to avoid bringing back any atoms that exist in the future, as you will increase the mass of the universe in the past causing a paradox - The mass of the universe in the past will increase recursively and you will (without knowing it) destroy the universe.
Bear that in mind.
Though if this does happen it will be impossible as you could never have existed in the firsts place to embark on this time travel adventure.
Be safe.

Lolwat? 

[tuneman1980]

I'm wondering how hard it would be to build a basic wind/water powered generator.  So it might not be that boring.

[Tali1978]

Try to avoid bringing back any atoms that exist in the future, as you will increase the mass of the universe in the past causing a paradox - The mass of the universe in the past will increase recursively and you will (without knowing it) destroy the universe.
Bear that in mind.
Though if this does happen it will be impossible as you could never have existed in the first place to embark on this time travel adventure.
Be safe.

thanks, my head now officially hurts