He's not necessarily dismissing the now, but he describes it as a very recent past that you've been creating from your personal perspective. There is - of course - a tiny bit of time between what we witness and our brain painting the picture of it. So, in that way, what we experience is always the past.

I guess what he's trying to say is that the now ( and the past ) won't get you anywhere, which doesn't mean you can't be happy by focusing on it for a while.

Real happiness lies in imagination though, according to Benthinho Massaro and that is where kids are spending most of their time. Whether that's the now or the future-presence can be argued
but, isn't it more fun to imagine an amazing future? ;>)