NationStates Jolt Archive

Inspired in part by the "Immortality to Die For" thread, in part by the movie Big Fish (I'm watching Billy Crudup in preparation for his role in Watchmen), and the other 40% by studies of Norse Myth.

If you were offered the knowledge of knowing exactly when and how you would die, would you take that knowledge? If so, what do you think would happen to you as a result?

Some conditions: Knowledge of your death does nothing to change it. Thus, even if you refuse to look into this future and thereby lock it as the future (Dune), somebody else has already done so, so you'll die in that manner on that day no matter what.

Your choices leading up to that moment are still free, as is your reaction, and you only receive direct knowledge of your death.

So, would you accept that knowledge? The Norse Cycle states that Odin, after gaining that knowledge when he traded his eye for a drink from Mimir's well, became a somber, dour deity that only drank mead, dumping his dinner to the floor for his pet wolves (granted, his death came at Ragnarok, so that may have affected him).

On the other hand, in Big Fish, Edward Bloom (Crudup's character's father) gains the prophecy of his own death, and armed with the ending of his life, proceeds to lead an impressive and fulfilling life, since Bloom has been freed from the fear of death by knowing its certainty.

So, what are your thoughts?

If you were offered the knowledge of knowing exactly when and how you would die, would you take that knowledge? If so, what do you think would happen to you as a result?

Some conditions: Knowledge of your death does nothing to change it. Thus, even if you refuse to look into this future and thereby lock it as the future (Dune), somebody else has already done so, so you'll die in that manner on that day no matter what.

sounds rather...

what if you know you're going to drown when your cruise ship sinks on august 12.

you can freely choose to avoid any and all forms of boats and large bodies of water for the month of august. even going as far as having sponge baths to avoid drowning in the bathtub and vacationing in a land locked area for the month of August.

me, I wouldn't want to know when and how I'd die. I like surprises.

If I knew exactly when and how I'd die, and assuming I was whole and reasonably unharmed up until that moment and assuming I have plenty of time, I would do some of the wildest and most dangerous shit I could. I would push fate to the same brink of madness I have pushed so many others to in my life. I'd jump out of planes without parachutes, wrestle alligators, walk through Compton without a gun, jump off of buildings, swim the La Brea Tarpits and kick tigers in the groin.

When you die... you wont be surprised...just death.

What happens if you know you will die on certain day and you blow your brains out a day before just for the fun of proving the prophecy wrong?

Sorry, but seeing the future automatically destroys your freewill. Wasnt that the idea behind Dune?

Absolutely not.
I'd pull an Odin.

If I knew exactly when and how I'd die, and assuming I was whole and reasonably unharmed up until that moment and assuming I have plenty of time, I would do some of the wildest and most dangerous shit I could. I would push fate to the same brink of madness I have pushed so many others to in my life. I'd jump out of planes without parachutes, wrestle alligators, walk through Compton without a gun, jump off of buildings, swim the La Brea Tarpits and kick tigers in the groin.

This. If I am absolutely slated to die at 62 in a car accident, then I don't have to worry about whether or not my parachute opens skydiving, right?

What happens if you know you will die on certain day and you blow your brains out a day before just for the fun of proving the prophecy wrong?
I think a Bottom quote fits here as well as anything else:

Richie: If we killed ourselves, we could cheat Fate.
Eddie: I don't think we actually want to piss Fate off at the moment.

And I'd be torn between a similar desire to kill myself before the prophecy was fulfilled and a desire to survive the until the day after and then kill myself. Either way, it would be a fun thing to know.

What happens if you know you will die on certain day and you blow your brains out a day before just for the fun of proving the prophecy wrong?
What ends up happening is that you end up in a coma or vegitative state then die the next day... fulfilling the prophecy. :p

There's nothing saying you'd be whole and relatively unharmed up to that moment...so all you could do is end up paralyzed from the eyebrows down and knowing that you got 60 or 70 more years of this till you kick-off.

Saying that, I'd love to know so I could plan for long or short term investments or even if I should start that really long book I've been putting off reading.

one missed call...

I might go for it. I mean, if I were going to die in say, five years, I wouldn't go through the hassle of getting some entry level job, I'd go out and make the most of the time.

What ends up happening is that you end up in a coma or vegitative state then die the next day... fulfilling the prophecy. :p
There are ways to insure you die, like contracting Ebola or rabies, strapping yourself to a nuclear warhead, living in the US without health insurance or throwing yourself into an incinerator.

If I knew exactly when and how I'd die, and assuming I was whole and reasonably unharmed up until that moment and assuming I have plenty of time, I would do some of the wildest and most dangerous shit I could. I would push fate to the same brink of madness I have pushed so many others to in my life. I'd jump out of planes without parachutes, wrestle alligators, walk through Compton without a gun, jump off of buildings, swim the La Brea Tarpits and kick tigers in the groin.

Knowing the day of your death doesn't mean you can't get bits bitten off... :D

There are ways to insure you die, like contracting Ebola or rabies, strapping yourself to a nuclear warhead, living in the US without health insurance or throwing yourself into an incinerator.
none of that insures you die.
well.. I suppose you could starve to death while strapped to a nuclear warhead... but then you know someone will come along and rescue you... damn guards...

and wouldn't it be a bitch to find out that the incinerator you threw yourself into was only fired up every other day...

Knowing the day of your death doesn't mean you can't get bits bitten off... :D

True, but quadriplegics rarely die trying to commandeer the space shuttle with a cargo bay full of stolen underwear.

none of that insures you die.
well.. I suppose you could starve to death while strapped to a nuclear warhead... but then you know someone will come along and rescue you... damn guards...

and wouldn't it be a bitch to find out that the incinerator you threw yourself into was only fired up every other day...
The viruses though, 100% fatality rates once they've gotten their hooks into you. One just needs to get infected a few months before the promised date and avoid any sort of time travel or suspended animation type situations.

True, but quadriplegics rarely die trying to commandeer the space shuttle with a cargo bay full of stolen underwear.

There's a movie in there somewhere... brain-in-jar steals shuttle...

The viruses though, 100% fatality rates once they've gotten their hooks into you. One just needs to get infected a few months before the promised date and avoid any sort of time travel or suspended animation type situations.

That's the tricky part.

The viruses though, 100% fatality rates once they've gotten their hooks into you. One just needs to get infected a few months before the promised date and avoid any sort of time travel or suspended animation type situations.

untill you find that you have a complex genetic quirk that allows you to become a typhoid mary... you have the virus, can pass it on, but you are not affected by it.

True, but quadriplegics rarely die trying to commandeer the space shuttle with a cargo bay full of stolen underwear.

... ever read Anne McCaffery's Brainship series? :tongue:

That's the tricky part.
untill you find that you have a complex genetic quirk that allows you to become a typhoid mary... you have the virus, can pass it on, but you are not affected by it.
What's all this yellow stuff, and why are you two determined to get it all over my parade?
Anyway, let me assure you, when the Fiddlebottoms decides to die, he's gonna DIE. If nothing else, I can afford enough vodka to do the job in short order.

Remember that dude who hung himself while jumping off a cliff, burning?

... ever read Anne McCaffery's Brainship series? :tongue:

Can't say I have. Do they steal underwear?

Since nothing I do would affect the outcome anyway, I see no reason not to know the answer, it could help me plan better for my wife & kids' futures.

Can't say I have. Do they steal underwear?

Not as a central premise. If they do, it's very VERY subtext.

Can't say I have. Do they steal underwear?

wait... new or used?

Inspired in part by the "Immortality to Die For" thread, in part by the movie Big Fish (I'm watching Billy Crudup in preparation for his role in Watchmen), and the other 40% by studies of Norse Myth.

So, what are your thoughts?

My thoughts are "Wait a second, there's going to be a watchmen movie? I thought the author was dead set against it.

Certainly; knowing when and how I will die could be an incredible advantage.

My thoughts are "Wait a second, there's going to be a watchmen movie? I thought the author was dead set against it.

"Look, it is not a matter of money--"

"$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$"

"Go right ahead."

Certainly; knowing when and how I will die could be an incredible advantage.
I don't know, everyone else on this thread seems dead set on sucking all the fun and value out of it. Damn you, Irony!

wait... new or used?

Doesn't matter as long as it is underwear of strategic importance.

So, what are your thoughts?

I would gladly learn the moment of my death.

I could figure out if I'm currently wasting my time. :tongue:

"Look, it is not a matter of money--"

"$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$"

"Go right ahead."

No, actually I checked my new copy of Watchmen.

Take a wild guess as to who owns all rights of reproduction, distribution, and licensing of anything involving Watchmen? You get three guesses, the first two don't count, and it's definitively not Marvel Comics.

Sure, DC has to credit "Characters created and original work by Alan Moore & Dave Gibbons." But other than an already negotiated payment for the movie, DC has no other obligation to Mr. Moore.

So it's more like: "I don't want the money."

"OK, it's yours no matter what, here's the contract that shows what we have to pay you, and right next to it is the part that states you can't do s*&t about us making this into a movie. We'll get back to you with more cash after it leaves theaters, but till then, do what you want with this."

*Grumbles about the situation, pockets money* "This is bulls*&t. My accountant will be in touch."

Doesn't matter as long as it is underwear of strategic importance.

Step 3: Profit.

I would like to know I'll die. At the very least, I would know how to allocate my time. And my retirement fund would run out two minutes before I kick the bucket. My will would be this:

"Having spent every penny that I own in preparation for my timely demise, I have left this piece of paper that my heirs can examine, and then fume over. Oh, and don't even bother trying to ruin the funeral, Fr. McNaughly has already agreed to preside and the mortician has a signed, notarized copy of my last wishes with a certification to my complete sanity and a healthy retainer. Enjoy the pie at the wake, tell Johnny not to drink."

This. If I am absolutely slated to die at 62 in a car accident, then I don't have to worry about whether or not my parachute opens skydiving, right?

But at the age of 20, your parachute doesn't open when going skydiving, resulting in a 42 year coma which comes to an end when the ambulance transporting you is struck by an 18 wheeler, killing you instantly. Fate can be twisted too you know.

True, but quadriplegics rarely die trying to commandeer the space shuttle with a cargo bay full of stolen underwear.

They do when their control of the wheelchair slips, dumping them under the shuttle engines as they warm up.

I would love to know when I'll die.

I wouldn't want to know, because it would always be on my mind, even if it was a long way away.

Doesn't matter as long as it is underwear of strategic importance.

:confused:

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