Crazy Urban Legends - John Titor "Time Traveler From 2036"
65John Titor's Time Machine
One day, while eating lunch at work, a co-worker asked me this question. "Do you believe in John Titor?"
"Sure I do..." I said. I lied. I had no clue who John Titor was. That night I googled his name on the Internet and accidentally plunged myself into one of the most interesting urban legends this side of Cookooville. Here is a brief summary of what I learned.
John Titor, a self professed time traveler, appeared on Internet message boards during November of 2000. Mr. Titor, a soldier from the year 2036, travelled in a time machine (2034 version) built by General Electric. The time machine, housed in a 1966 Corvette and later a truck, carried Titor back to the year 1975 where he picked up a portable IBM 5100 computer. After this first stop he continued on to the year 2000 where he opened communication on the Internet and recounted future events which included:
1) A second civil war starting in the years 2004/2005.
2) In the year 2015 Russia launches a nuclear war on major American cities.
3) By the year 2036, America has been split up into five different states with Nebraska as the capitol.
4) America will go to war with Iraq, claiming they have weapons of mass destruction, but finding none.
5) Mad Cow disease will become a big issue.
6) War will erupt between Israel and it's neighbors.
After five months of communicating via message boards, he disappeared, apparently returning to the year 2036. Since then, his legend has only grown. His story has spawned books, websites, and even a play. Although some of his predictions did not occur, many of his proponents still believe in his existence. He said he would return, but to date no one has seen or heard from him. In 2005 MIT held a Time Traveler's Convention(more or less a joke) and invited Mr. Titor to make an appearance. He did not show up.
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Interesting bit of trivia. I need to find out more. this is a great way of creating a web presence.
Perhaps he is still around, having taken on a different persona. Or maybe he returned as a mythical creature...
Possibly a Jackalope?
You just never know, do you?
Robie,
I bet you are right. The whole "John Titor" thing probably got to be drag after awhile and he moved on to other things. Regardless, I have to admire the kid's creativity. He probably get's a good laugh out of it now.:)
Sixtyorso,
I think you're onto something with the "web presence" idea.
B.T. Evilpants,
Are you John Titor?
I could tell you... but then I'd have to kill you. So sorry. National security, and all.
B.T. Evilpants,
Since you put it that way... I guess I really don't want to know:)
sschilke
Strangely I am not dead YET!
Don't worry, sixty. I know where to find you when I'm ready!
Fun story, Sschilke. One draw back with the Time Traveler's story is the time travel machine in the muscle car. A clearly well-used and unoriginal version.
constant walker,
I agree, he could have been more original... like maybe a time machine in a coffin, coke machine, or even a futon.
sschilke
Mine is in a modest sized bathroom.
Hey, this was great. I am very interested in urban myths but had never heard of this one. thanks!
Great intro to the myth that is John Titor! Linking it to my Hub, replacing the big website.
G|M
Why the heck would anyone want an IBM 5100?! Or put a time machine in a Corvette? (everyone knows Toyota get better year mileage.) Neat hub, thanks!
Nice hub, looking into your writing style I was surprised that you would publish something like this. But there are a couple of other time travel cases with a little more merit to their credibility then that of John Titor. Check out my hubs and I have one there.
I traveled beck in time to write this comment real quick and grab three toothpicks and a roll of toilet paper. We wiped out all the trees in 2040! People are wiping with shingles off of old barns. OUCH!
Damn! I had to find out more about time traveler's after the latest one with "The Circus" movie by I forgot who. After watching that video today, I knew that something was suspicious. It brings me back to thinking about the show Fringe. Ever since Fringe, I started believing in time traveler's and in another alternate dimension.
There are endless possibilities on whether or not time traveler's are real but I for one DO believe in them. I just hope the 2015 thing doesn't happen! Lets not get wiped out into a Hunger Games! (book by Suzanne Collins on the 'supposed' Panem *America into districts because of its seperation* It may be true but who knows) I'd really love to know who this John Titor is if he exists. ;)
This is kind of scary, I am kind of young so I don't really supposed to believe in any of this stuff because of my belief system. But that scares me a little bit I also typed John Titor in Google search it said that they gave people psychic hints about 911 and other events including the earthquake in Haiti and he told us the information years before they actually happened. Whoever this John Titor is I would actually want to know who he is, and where did he get the idea of a time machine. Someone should make it a passion to find him because I would really would like to know more about him !
You got a few things wrong about the John Titor story. He specifically said he WOULDN't return, because - he claimed - when you time travel, you travel to another "world line"; a paralell universe, and you can't go back to the same one twice. Also, he claimed to have not gone to the 1970's to get the IBM 5100 yet. He was planning on doing that soon.
robie2 Level 6 Commenter 3 years ago
Fascinating-- I had never heard of John Titor before reading this hub but now I think I'll google his name too:-) He probably disappeared from the message boards not because he returned to the year 2036, but because he graduated from high school went off to college where he got interested in other things LOL-- Lovie it!