I sometimes find myself thinking as I look back at life "Man! I was an idiot back then!" where "back then" might be ten years ago or last year or yesterday or the previous paragraph.
As time passes, I'll think again, "I was an idiot back then" remembering my thoughts the last time I thought what an idiot I was. Eventually I realize that even as I'm thinking what an idiot I was in the past, that in the future I'll look back on the present and think, "What an idiot!".
In time I'll think "I was an idiot when I thought I was an idiot before, because what I did before was not so idiotic although I was too much of an idiot to realize it at the time" - sort of like multiplying two negatives. Of course it's possible to multiply three negatives, "I was an idiot when I thought I was an idiot for thinking I was an idiot".
I know I'll eventually find myself in some bed after the ravages of parkinsons, alzheimers, and multiple strokes leave me with half my body frozen in place and the other half constantly shaking violently. I'll be thinking, "Where am I ? Who is this person feeding me oatmeal ? Who am I ? This oatmeal tastes good! Where am I ? What is this in my mouth ? It tastes good!".
