Books Quote by John Hodgman
““I Know you are asking: What if I am wrong? What if RAGNAROK does not come? What if it does not happen the way I say it is going to happen? I suppose that is a possibility. Perhaps the Mayans WERE wrong. Maybe we WILL enter a new era of consciousness. Maybe we will NOT destroy ourselves with technology. Perhaps it will be that some new old god comes. Say his name is DOZGOTH, the 701st, and say he takes pity on us. And a thousand years after all the suffering of RAGNOROK, he will retcon us back to the very day this book was pusblished. You will remember nothing of what happened or what you did to survive. The only evidence that any of this ever happened will be this book, and the fact that ou now have a tentacle instead of an arm. But you will explain that away simply by saying you are wearing an octopus sleeve. The mind can explain so many things when it wants to close its eyes and sleep. Perhaps only one person will remember what really happened, and he will be named Jonathan Coulton. But he cannot tell anyone, for he is but an animal.””
About This Quote
Source Book: The Rigor Mortis of the Universe, John Hodgman, 2023
The passage imagines apocalyptic speculation, questioning certainty and suggesting memory may be altered by narrative and technology.
In simple terms: It ponders if predictions are wrong and how we might forget them.
Key Takeaway
Question assumptions and stay adaptable.
Themes
uncertainty
apocalypse
memory
technology
mythology
Mood
cautious
reflective
speculative
Type
philosophical
fictional
cautionary
When to use this quote
- future forecasting
- personal identity
- cultural mythmaking
- science fiction writing
- philosophical debate
Key Concepts
speculation
narrative control
existential risk
Questions to Reflect On
- What evidence would change your view of an apocalyptic future?
- How do narratives shape our perception of reality?
A Different Perspective
The scenario relies on fictional premises that limit real-world applicability.
