You can't beat yourself

Once upon a time, in a land far away, there was a man named John. John was a brilliant scientist, inventor, and engineer, and he had just invented a time machine that could transport people back in time to any era in history.

John was thrilled with his invention and couldn't wait to share it with the world. But as he prepared to do so, he began to feel a sense of unease. What if someone used the time machine to change history in a negative way? What if someone went back in time and did something to harm John's own existence or the existence of the time machine itself?

These thoughts consumed John's mind, and he began to feel a sense of paranoia and fear. He knew that he couldn't use the time machine himself, as that would create a paradox, but he also knew that he couldn't trust anyone else to use it responsibly.

One day, John had an idea. What if he went back in time and prevented himself from ever inventing the time machine in the first place? That way, he could ensure that the time machine would never fall into the wrong hands and that history would be preserved as it was meant to be.

Excited by this idea, John activated the time machine and traveled back in time to the moment just before he began working on the invention. He stood outside his laboratory, watching himself through the window, as he prepared to begin his work.

As John watched himself, he felt a strange sense of detachment. It was as though he was watching a different person, someone who was not quite him. He wondered if this was how other people saw him, as an outsider looking in.

Suddenly, John had a realization. If he prevented himself from inventing the time machine, he would also prevent himself from going back in time to do so. In other words, he would be erasing himself from existence.

At first, this thought filled John with dread. How could he erase himself from existence? But as he thought more about it, he realized that this was the only way to ensure that the time machine was never used for harm. He had to sacrifice himself for the greater good.

With a heavy heart, John approached his younger self and began to talk to him. At first, his younger self was skeptical, but as John spoke, he began to see the wisdom in what he was saying.

In the end, John's younger self agreed not to work on the time machine, and John watched as his own existence began to fade away. It was a strange and surreal experience, but John knew that he had done the right thing.

As John disappeared, he felt a sense of peace and contentment. He had accomplished something truly meaningful, something that would benefit the world for generations to come.

And even though he was gone, John's legacy lived on. The time machine was never invented, and history continued on its natural course, unaltered by the meddling of humanity.

In the end, John realized that he had been wrong to think that he could beat himself. Instead, he had to embrace the fact that he was just one small part of a larger whole, and that his actions could have consequences far beyond what he could ever imagine.

As the world continued to turn, and time marched inexorably forward, John became nothing more than a memory. But in that memory, he lived on, a symbol of selflessness, sacrifice, and the enduring power of the human spirit.