The Parable of the Rearview Mirror

One day while teaching, Josh was asked, ”Teacher, with entire websites doing nothing but lists, what is the future of year-end lists?”

Josh spoke thus:

A driver was looking in the rearview mirror.

“That was a close one,” the driver said.

“Look where you’re going!” the driver’s passenger said.

The driver looked forward in time to see a slowly moving car directly ahead.  The driver swerved and passed the slowly moving car.

“That was a close one,” the driver said, looking in the rearview mirror at the slowly moving car.

“Get back in your lane!” the driver’s passenger said.

The driver looked forward to see a large van approaching.  The driver swerved the car to get back in the proper lane.

“That was a close one,” the driver said, looking in the rearview mirror at the van.

“Curve!  Curve!  Curve!” the driver’s passenger shouted.

The driver looked forward to see that there was a sharp bend in the road.  The driver braked hard and turned the steering wheel.  The car negotiated the curve with all four tires squealing loudly.

“That was a close one,” the driver said, looking in the rearview mirror at the curve.

“Light!  Light!  Light!” the driver’s passenger shouted.

The driver looked forward to see a traffic light.  The traffic light was amber.  The driver accelerated in an attempt to pass through the intersection before the traffic light turned from amber to red.  The light turned red before the car reached the intersection.  The crossing traffic began to move.  The driver pressed down on the car’s accelerator, and the car sped up.  The car passed through the intersection, barely clearing the intersection before the crossing traffic converged on the car.

“That was close one,” the driver said, looking in the rearview mirror at the traffic light, the intersection and the crossing traffic.

“Stop the car!” the driver’s passenger shouted, “Stop the car!  Stop the car!  Stop the car!”

The driver stopped the car and looked forward to see what the car was about to hit.  There was nothing in front of the car.

“What?” the driver asked, “I don’t see anything.  Why am I stopping?”

“Switch,” the driver’s passenger said, “Switch with me.  You’re dangerous.  I want to drive.”

“You?” the driver said, “You can’t drive.  You’re too excitable.  You’ve been yelling like a maniac the whole trip.”