Why You Should Act Like a Bounty Hunter from The Future
The practice of self-expansion through fictional characters.
Everyone needs role models. They show us how to achieve our goals, overcome obstacles, and how to exist in the world. Most people model themselves after pop stars and athletes, or morning talk show hosts. But some of us need an excuse to wear black all the time.
Psychologists refer to aspects of role-modeling as the Michelangelo effect, when two people sculpt each other toward their ideal selves. The same can happen when we form attractions to fictional characters, or archetypes. These fictional characters serve as self-guides.
They help us expand ourselves.
We craft ourselves after these characters, forming parasocial relationships (one-sided). We want what a slice of what makes them so awesome. Most of us can get down with this idea, even if we don’t like the typical nonsense that surrounds stereotypes of well-adjusted people.
We can’t be the hero, but we can be the anti-hero. We don’t have to attend a yoga retreat, or share our deepest feelings with spirituality coaches around a campfire, while folding paper cranes.
Bounty hunters from the future serve as the perfect role models for the slightly misanthropic among us. They embody everything we need in this harsh world. Plus, they can wear black.
Put yourself in the mind of a bounty hunter.
You’re a Survivor
You have a dark past, but you’re still alive. Your dialogue hints at the hardships you’ve faced down, but never too much. The mystique has the bonus of making people curious about you.
You never give anyone the satisfaction of a life story. Even your closest friends don’t know everything about you. That doesn’t make you a loner, just intriguing. You realize the truth about relationships, that we never know everything about anybody.
A few secrets don’t make us unhealthy.
You Use Your Head
You don’t get worked up over problems. After all, a world without problems would leave you out of a job. You’ve learned how to stay calm, even when you get stuck in a time vortex. You find your way out.
Hunting dangerous criminals from other worlds is hard. But you know what you signed up for, so you don’t complain.
You didn’t major in bounty hunting. It just happened. You matched your skills with people’s needs. Some people might even call you an entrepreneur. But you would never use that word to describe yourself.
You procure the right tools and equipment, and you don’t skimp on it. For starters, your time-flux watch and your pulse rifle, and your night vision goggles. Your time map. They’re all pretty expensive, but necessary. You take care of your stuff. It means the difference between success and failure. Still, you live a minimalist life. Everything you own serves a purpose.
You’re a Doer
You take matters into your own hands, but only when necessary. While everyone else is freaking out or breaking down, you slip off quietly and get the job done. Because you have to.
You never draw too much attention to yourself. People are drawn to you, but not because you announce yourself.
You don’t talk much. Instead, you watch and listen.
You Don’t Need a Spotlight
You prefer the margins and shadows. You never brag or broadcast your plans. The less your targets know, the better. That doesn’t make you shy or reserved — just effective.
You live by the aphorism, don’t declare war until after you win.
You don’t seek compliments or awards. Whoever heard of a plaque for best bounty hunter from the year 2099? You care about the bounty, and your work. Nothing else matters.
You Fix Your Mistakes
Failure happens, but it’s temporary. You don’t get emotional about it. When you make a mistake, you fix it. Like that time you were chasing a fusion thief through ancient Ephesus and accidentally shot Heraclitus.
You transported him to a hospital in the year 2240 to regenerate his lung, and then wiped his memory.
You find out what went wrong, to avoid a next time. This is why you carry a memory wiper now.
You understand that there’s no school for bounty hunters. Experience is your teacher, and a mistake that doesn’t kill you is a teachable moment.
You Know How to Wait
You know that a bounty hunter never looks busy. They always walk with intention and purpose. They take time to figure out what they want, and then they don’t stop until they have it.
You can spend long periods of time by yourself, but you can also hang on the edges of a party.
You know that sometimes doing nothing is the best move, like when you’re staking out a deserter in the craters of colonized Mars.
You never rush into a situation. Instead, you assess the lay of the land. You study your surroundings, learn other people’s patterns. You formulate and strategize.
You‘re a People Person
You don’t have that many friends, but they’re the ones you need. You trust them and respect their skills.
You don’t smile much, but you don’t creep anyone out, either.
You’re a people person, but from a distance.
You’re capable of learning from your adversaries. Hey, you even like some of them. Why not? You’re a mature human being.
You Can Focus
You don’t let distractions run your life. Bounty hunters take one job at a time, and they spend their free time training.
Sure, there’s other crap going on in your life. But you’re pursuing a target, and nobody can throw you off your path.
Not even your dad telling you to get a real job. He’ll never understand, and that doesn’t matter.
You Embrace Change
You’re highly adaptable. After all, you have to be to blend in when you’re traveling across human history.
Why do you time travel? Well, you like the idea of going anywhere, even if you belong nowhere. It’s a nice trade off.
Not many people like you, even if they want to be you. You’re good at what you do. You know you don’t fit with the regular people. Never did. But you still found your place, and your purpose. You excelled. Are you happy? Of course you are. You just don’t have to prove it by smiling.
