"We are comfortable with the fact that we cannot know personally what happened in the world before we were born, yet we are uncomfortable with the notion that we will stop engaging with time at some point in the future"

John Barton's quote delves into the contrasting human mindsets toward the unknowable past and the inevitable future. On one hand, there's an intrinsic approval of ignorance about the past. People generally reconcile with the reality that they can not personally experience or witness historical events that happened before their birth. This acceptance is mainly facilitated by history, education, and cultural stories that fill deep space of personal experience. The past is repaired, unchangeable, and hence more palatable. It shapes the world we inherit without demanding any personal engagement beyond curiosity and reflection.

Conversely, the quote highlights a deep pain with the idea of not experiencing future events due to our mortality. While the past is remote and complete, the future feels impending and filled with capacity that we wish to check out and affect. The idea of "stopping engagement with time" symbolically represents death, an end to awareness and interaction with the world. This possibility challenges people with the supreme unpredictability and lack of control, fostering an inherent fear of losing out on life's experiences and the unfolding story of the world.

Barton's observation take advantage of the existential dread rooted in human consciousness. It challenges an individual's relationship with time, existence, and legacy. Humans are generally positive beings, driven by aspirations, plans, and dreams. While history can be static and is something we gain from or about, the future is dynamic, yet unidentified, and thus more uncomfortable. The discomfort lies in our desire for continuity, to witness how our actions and the actions of others unfold and shape the world, something death rejects us.

In sum, Barton's quote invites consideration about how we view and internalize the ideas of time and existence. It recommends a paradoxical comfort with the static past and anxiety about a future we can not completely control or predict, highlighting the ingrained human yearning for continuity and understanding.