Sure, then I could plan an amazing death. I'd begin an elaborate stage production, hiring thousands of extras with borrowed money. I'd disown my family to avoid them being settled with the debt. All of this would be done in the form of a new religious revival movement. When I knew I had 3 years left to live, I would work on becoming the biggest name in conservative-right wing America. I would have bombastic rhetoric that constantly bashed homosexuals, non-whites, and women. I would become the biggest asshole on the face of the planet, hands down. I would avoid any and all serious debates until 3 years. Using my carefully crafted speech, I would begin arguing that what I'm saying is Gods will and nobody else's; that homosexuality is a sin etc. And, with just a few minutes left, I would begin to wrap up my pointlessly elaborate plan. In my typical, easy going sarcastic question, I would ask my opponent why God hasn't punished me for my "reprehensible" viewpoints. Delaying until I had only a mere minute left, I would turn to the audience, using the camera man planted in to the media to get me a good dramatic close up of my face. And I would say to them: "Well now, if God wants us to give equal rights to homosexuals, transvestites, transexuals, bisexuals, asexuals, women, blacks, latinos, muslims, jews, and all the rest, then why, he would strike me down THIS INSTANT!" I would slam my hand on the table and keel over backwards, dead. The video would already be uploaded to youtube. The punchline? In light of my death and the clear view of gods will, my entire estate gathered from my televangelism would be donated to support youth centers in the inner city to help teens who had been kicked out for coming out to their parents, as well as to establish funds for a movement which prromotes "Family Values for Any Family," an organization designed to undermine extreme religious conservatism by promoting conservative Christian values without any racism or homosexuality. This would accomplish three things. 1. It'd be awesome.
2. It'd split the powerful conservative christian voting bloc in the United States forcing the Republican party to become more moderate in order to win over the more liberal side of the vote.
3. It'd force people who take this shit seriously to question whether or their current values are correct.
Fun read JTHipster, very creative plan. It's so crazy it just might work.
Unlike many folks who browse sites such as this, I'm a Christian. I try to do my best by people and, more importantly, by God, and that's how I want to live every day. To know how and when I would die would be like cheating: I could do whatever I want and live the worst, most sinful life, and then at the last minute try to change. Now, I'm pretty sure God wouldn't see that as sincere, but it would certainly increase the temptation. "Oh, I've still got X years/months/days/hours left, I can totally get away with this". Even if I still lived a pious life (or as pious as any could achieve) the temptation would always be there, poking at my head. So no, I think I quite like the surprise in store for me. Hope this didn't sound too preachy.
I'm alongside you in that I'm a Christian as well. However, I do believe my activities would choose, but not in a sinful manner. Instead of saving my money to pay off student loans, I'd travel and play music in every nook and cranny of the earth.
I agree with your way of doing things. The knowledge of when I would die would definitely lead to some drastic life changes. I would use this knowledge and just travel around the world, helping people in small ways and checking things off my bucket list.
Hahahaha Well, that's assuming death is tight around the corner and there would be no way to pay it in time.
I can understand how being a Christian would influence your desire to remain unknowing as to the date/time of your death. Like all religions, Christianity asks it's partitioners to adhere by a code. But Christianity throws in the ability to atone for sins even on your death bed which would definitely create the temptation to "cheat". But as they say, "the sinners have all the fun", maybe life would be more interesting with a bit of the forbidden right up to the last moment?! -JK. Hope you had a nice Christmas Raxyn.
Haha, I hope you had a good... whatever you celebrate, if anything! The thing is, I don't know if my repentance of sin would be sincere if I it was based on me skirting the system. I'm just a normal guy, and normal guys mess up: I don't expect any special treatment from God just because I'm a Christian. So if I spend my whole life giving Him the finger and then elbow him with a wink and a nudge just before I kick the bucket, how does that make me a good follower? I'd rather live my life not knowing, that way every day I can serve Him AND the people around me. Because a Christian that doesn't live for others really isn't doing it correctly! Also, thanks for being so civil! On Reddit any mention I make of my faith becomes a massive circle-jerk. I'm glad this community is a bit more accepting. :)
I know, I sort of agree. It would be VERY difficult to avoid the stress of constantly fretting over that looming date.
on the other hand i think it would make others much more conservative if we had an "expiration date" printed on us, if you see your going to die at 85 you might save a little bit more then if you where to die at 35 i think it would definitely erase the YOLO mentality that a lot of people have today, physically being assured hey your going to live for another 45 years would most likely make a 15 year old think twice about their actions (especially financially). However, i can easily imagine someone saying "i have 50 years to live im gonna be a daredevil"l and then promptly break every bone in their body.
I wish I could say that death does not scare me, but as it is it scares the living shit out of me. That's why I choose to not think about it, at least not very often. How is it that death does not scare you? Teach me :)
But you do exist right now, isn't that something you wish to preserve?
Fair enough. I am also fairly sure that once I am dead I won't care. However, now that I am alive and have an enthusiasm for living, it's hard not to fear it's conclusion. I rather like being alive. This fear does not debilitate me, in fact I think it allows me to live a more full life. As Kafka said, "the meaning of life is the fact that it ends".
I totally would like to know. It's like in that movie Big Fish. The guy knew nothing else could kill him so he was able to be brave as possible and face fears that he never knew he could. In my case, it would remove all my fears that I might not be able to do something. I could fall down mountains, Run with bulls, Swim accross the ocean all because I know that I will die while fighting a bear and a Sharktopus while falling out of a helicoptor into a volcano.
I initially had the same gut reaction but then people keep bringing up points that I had not considered. For example below "vince" mentions that if people knew when they would die, it would eliminate any consequences for negative actions. While I like to think I know myself well enough to know that I would not act inappropriately even without accountability for my actions... who knows, I may think twice about walking passed that jewelry store window if I knew I'd be dead in 2 days. Why not set up my family?
It seems to me that if your moral code suddenly stops working because of a change in circumstances (other than something like the zombie apocalypse), then you should get a better moral code. Furthermore if you stop being a good person as soon as your death grows near, then I have my doubts as to whether you were ever a good person. Now of course that's all philosophical. Psychologically, it does seem that people change their behavior when they know they're going to die and they stop doing things like considering the consequences of their actions. The thing about that is (and someone correct me if the science says otherwise) I don't think that you'd have the same experience of flipping out and not considering consequences if you had time to prepare. Now some people probably couldn't or wouldn't handle it and would end up doing some shitty things. If you prepared yourself for it though, I think it would be a fantastic chance to get your affairs in order and to make sure that you're ready when the time comes. I think what it really comes down to is personal preference and personal mental state/personality. Me, I'd love to know. College seems smart now, but if I found out I was going to die next year I'd want to drop out and make the most of the little time I had left. On the other side of the spectrum if I found out that I was going to die at 105, then plans wouldn't change much. I'd love to be able to plan for my demise though, to come to terms with it, make peace with it, and ultimately make sure that I have a good death in the classic Greek sense. More generally, I think it would help me with life planning immensely if I knew where the end-point was. All that's me though. I do think that many people would be better off not knowing.
Go for it I say. I mean, it gives you the freedom to become Robin Hood, or start a new uprising in a third world country. Fight Godzillia.
The chance to eliminate all pain from your death? Fairly obvious. Although, possibly the mental torment would be worse than any physical pain.
possibly the mental torment would be worse than any physical pain.
That is the big question, right? Would the knowledge drive you mad or would it somehow instill a will to live that was so great your life was enhanced? I honestly don't know where I'd fall on that spectrum. Perhaps it would change day to day.
Also, what if it was to fall absurdly close to present? Your last days would be mentally agonizing...
yep, that would suck. But it's an interesting thought experiment. If you knew you had 2 days to live who would you call? Who would you want to be with? What would you wish you had done? These are interesting things to ponder, especially as a year comes to a close and a new one unfolds.
I know many folk who would throw a party. Certainly not me. Aside from writing will, and sorting everything out with relatives, I would probably go to Universal Studios Orlando. To try and forget. Might even die riding a coaster, only to come around still in the cue. That would make a good movie...
Yeah, I would likely skip the party and prefer quiet time with just those I loved. I would also want to be sober, which is the opposite of what anyone that knows me would guess. I'd want to be as in control of my faculty as possible... but I do love roller coasters and that would make a dramatic finish, wouldn't it!
This has made me think about all the things I WOULDN'T have time to do. I sure as hell wouldn't get to see anywhere special, or perfrom a saxophone solo to an audience without pussying out. Luckily, I still have {§§} years left to fulfill my dreams!
Go get 'em pal. Tomorrow you should bust out that saxophone and play it in the streets! I also perform music and I can tell you that I get freaked out every time. But then the fear subsides and it's just pure fun. Good luck.
If I was dying anytime soon, I most likely would be on the streets. Might as well get some people smiling before I depart
Yup. Only because I really want to attend my own funeral, but the only way to do that without being considered an arrogant ass would be sure I'd die the next day. Also, it would help with the decision of whether or not to have kids (adopt, for me -- just say no to preggo).
That's an interesting idea for a party concept. Why not just throw your own funeral now? It would be an interesting way to both have a really good time and get some perspective on the sort of impact you're having in peoples lives. While it coupd be perceived as incredibly narcissistic, it would be pretty informative. I like the idea, and I would participate in someone else's "funeral party". No need for them to actually die. On a side note, I don't envy anyone having to be pregnant. Doesn't seem like much fun from what I have gathered. The results however can be quite amazing. Therefore, adoption seems like a very real and viable option in my opinion. Good luck either way.
You indirectly made the front page on Reddit. That is why.
It would appear so: http://hubski.com/pub?id=49207 but regardless of what brought you here, it's always nice to see you in the halls :) hope you are well.
That sounds good to me, I've always enjoyed having you around. You bring a perspective to things that sometimes is missing. I know that I for one have changed some of my viewpoints on things because of comments you've made. That's pretty cool, in fact that's what this is all about IMO. Happy New Year Saydrah.
Well, that's great to hear! Happy New Year to you, too. It's rather unusual for an Internet discussion to actually change someone's mind on anything (even the most mundane things), but I've had it happen now and then, too. Most recently on gun control, which is an experience I think many people are having lately.
Of course! Knowing may not help change the outcome, but it sure as hell can change what you do with the remaining time you have! If I knew I would die in, say 5 months, you'd better believe I'd attempt to do everything I need to do before those 5 months are over. It can at least give me time to make sure I go with perhaps some peace of mind that I've done all I can. Well, I suppose it doesn't give me time more than it does make me acutely aware of how much time I actually have. It forces me to make no assumptions. If I didn't know and realized it too late, how many regrets would I have right before the end? It's sad for me to admit, but I live as if I have an eternity to do what I feel I must do. We often say to live each day as your last, but the reality is that that is too stressful for most people to maintain. I wish I could do it. If I could, I wouldn't be here (Not to say I don't like you guys and all).
If I could, I wouldn't be here (Not to say I don't like you guys and all).
ha, no offense taken. I'd definitely be here less, but I'd still swing by. I enjoy the discussions and I feel as though some of my contributions could be read by those I left behind to get a better understanding of my thoughts and opinions. Sort of like a journal or time capsule of the things I care about.
Although I'm not brave enough to agree with you, I definitely understand your perspective. This reminds me of a documentary I watched on YouTube about "fatal insomnia". These two women had a chance of having a genetic predisposition to get the disease in their 50s and they had to make a choice to find out whether they had it or not. Here is the link:
I would. I'd like to say I could handle it. As someone with a severe allergy to some food products I've always been somewhat fearful of my life ending with little warning. I'm not afraid of dying and would say I've become a more realistic rational person due to my appreciation for the frailty of life and I'd think knowing the date of my death would bring me peace after a while of coming to terms with the shock.
I feel that death is something that should be left unknown for the individual. So, no I wouldn't want to know it and not for any philosophical reason I just wouldn't know how to react to it, I feel the stress that would come from me knowing about it would eventually lead me into that scenario in which I die.
You don't think there is any chance that you knowing when and how you would die could serve as the catalyst for a positive change in your life? Perhaps a more meaningful use of the time you have left? -By the way I am definitely projecting here as I know there are a number of things I would likely change. Why don't I just change them then? Easier said than done, but when you are staring down the barrel of a specific date and time when death will fire at you, you may act differently. Perhaps Twain is right "The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man who lives fully is prepared to die at any time."I feel the stress that would come from me knowing about it would eventually lead me into that scenario in which I die.
That sounds like an amazing concept for a film.
Great comments here! This is something I unfortunately think about a lot, because barring an accident I do in fact know how I'm going to die. I don't know when, and it's hopefully not for a lot of years, but the clock is ticking and I'm quite aware of that now. I, too, lived under the illusion that I will live forever. But that isn't true and I'm glad to know that now rather than realize it when I have too little time left. When is the time to do that thing you always wanted to do? The time is now. It's now. Not next year. Not 'some day.' It's now. When is the time to tell that person the thing you've always been wanting to tell them? It's now. Do it now. This awareness has made me brave, and my quality of life is rocketing upwards right now because of it. I think I've never been more alive.
I would totally! But would that date be an absolute point, meaning I could meanwhile swim naked all over through the Atlantic and back, or only an upper limit? Still interesting I guess and I would be more relaxed about death (which I don't fully accept yet).
That's a good question, if the date was an absolute point that could change your life dramatically. Cliff diving in Mexico, running with the bulls, heroin… Life could get very interesting.
No way dude. It would be a terrible waste of a surprise.
I have a friend that is expecting a baby and he isn't finding out the sex for the same reason. "Terrible waste of a surprise".
Honestly, I don't think I could take it, I have to vote no. I want to believe that I have some control over my existence and how long it will last. Knowing that my fate is set would be too much for me to take and I would probably go insane dreading that future date. As it stands now, I am of the mind set that ageing is a disease, and it is a disease we may be able to conquer in my lifetime. I would like to continue believing that.
My gut instinct says no. Personally, love and so many other emotions are based on the uncertainty of life. Being that we were not allowed to change it, I believe it would cause the worst to come out in people. Maybe it's a bit pessimistic, but I can see people robbing banks or doing things they normally wouldn't since they know their fate. I suppose there's the flipside of people experiencing things they wouldn't otherwise since they know they won't die, but I think the cons might outweigh the pros.
I never considered people doing nefarious things because of the lack of long term consequences. Good point.
You'd have to balance the benefit of being able to accomplish any number of goals before your expiration date with the decreased quality of life you'd experience fretting about it as the date grew closer. I'd rather not. I'd like to operate under the illusion that I'll always have one more day for as long as possible and just focus on not taking the days I do have for granted in the meantime. But if I somehow did know the date, I'd certainly not squander the benefits knowing would give me, and do my best to meet my end satisfied and cheerful.
Unless theadvancedapes is right and "old age" can be cured or curtailed, death as it stands is an inevitability but most of us seem to carry on as though it is not. Just a matter of degrees, right? There are some things I would do differently if I knew death was at hand, I ought to remedy such things now. I just watched Scorsese's documentary on George Harrison: "Satisfied and cheerful" sounds good to me. From the accounts I've read that is how George finally went out. if I knew the end was near I would hold my wife and daughter and not let go till the lights went out.But if I somehow did know the date, I'd certainly not squander the benefits knowing would give me, and do my best to meet my end satisfied and cheerful.
-George Harrison's widow talks of Harrison spending his life preparing for death through meditation. He wanted to be present for death and to be able to go peacefully toward it. She said that even when he was being stabbed in 1999, he attempted to prepare mentally and spiritually for death. That takes some major discipline to go in to a meditative state while being attacked. Luckily for George Olivia had no thoughts of meditation as she whacked the intruder with a golf club.
It strikes me that if Harrison had in fact gone out that way a) people would be talking about some sort of Beatles assassination curse because people are boring, and b) his legacy would be a lot different.Luckily for George Olivia had no thoughts of meditation as she whacked the intruder with a golf club.
I agree about his legacy. George wrote some fantastic music, couple that with his intense spirituality and you'd have a pretty strong symbol for peace. Like with John, the clash of extreme violence with a person that represented extreme peace is difficult to wrap your head around. His son Dhani suggests that the incident took years off of his life. At the time he was battling cancer. The event so scared his wife that she erected razor wire around the whole of their estate but was forced to take it down when it began injuring neighborhood cats.
I just read something extremely sad and somewhat relevant, courtesy of r/beatles, that I'll be posting in just a second.