What do you think about the idea of knowing when you will die?

[Peta2017]

I would rather not know when my time to depart the world is upon me. I feel as if it would drive me to a state of panic, instead of enjoying life as it unfolds. I would probably spend time obsessing about the date, cause of death etc instead of just taking life as it is now.

[mingyums]

This theme in the book was something that really interested me. Personally, I feel like I would definitely want to know. If I knew I was going to die in a matter of days I would re-prioritise my time to spending as much time as I can with my loved ones and sorting out my life so things will be easier for them when I move on.

[melissy370]

We should never play "God" and know when we will die. Strive everyday to tell your love ones how you feel. It is always a smart policy to have your will and assets in order as soon as possible. When all else fails have faith in the Lord to tie up loose ends.

[azerikaj]

I seem to be in the minority here in that I would want to know, probably, and that I don't believe there is a supernatural force with my name in its datebook. However, people do make mistakes and I found myself wondering about someone getting a false positive, spending all their money, then living anyway. I read an op-ed like that once.

[GabbiV]

As someone who's depressed, I'd love to know when I would die if not for the sheer comfort of inevitability. I see it as a certain amount of time to get things done and I've always worked better under a time constraint.

[KFree_Reads]

There is a part of me that wish I knew because I feel I could prepare better and I guess make with peace with the fact that I will die. However, when I think about it, I think I prefer not knowing because that is one less thing to worry about. In fact if I knew, I probably would not make it to that "day"because the stress of knowing would bring the end closer. While some people may think knowing would allow them to appreciate people more or spend more time doing meaningful things, knowing is somewhat like cheating and by this I mean that perhaps your actions would not be genuine because you would making an extra effort because you want to die on a good note/terms. If life was all predictable, how uninteresting the lives of humans would be!

[Kayleigh Brookes]

I've often wondered what it would be like to know when I'm going to die, but I don't think I would want to know. I feel like I wouldn't be able to enjoy my life fully, I'd just be waiting for the moments up until it happens. For example, if I knew I was going to die tomorrow (but didn't know what time), I would end up wasting that entire day wondering when it's going to happen, and wouldn't be able to fully enjoy it.

Instead, I prefer to lead a life to the fullest, where I try to enjoy every moment - not knowing if it will be my last or not.

[Roggyrus]

To know the time of one's death is both a blessing and a curse. Some people think it will be a signal to start preparing, to write their will, or to settle unfinished business. And so, with the "unfinished business" that others meant to kill those who crossed them, having felt that their impending death will be sort of an impunity for any criminal act they would do. While to others, the knowledge of the inevitable could lead to anxiety, depression, or even voluntary reclusion. This concept of the Final Notice in the book is not just the sort that predicts that you will die of this or that sort of accident, nor that you will die in this or that place. No. The watch device is precise of when the final hour will occur, it is not like those predictions of fortune tellers that you can still dodge them. As one fellow said, if you tell me I will die in America, I will never go there.

[Libs_Books]

I found the basic idea implausible. I know that, with some conditions, doctors can tell you whether you've got days weeks or months - but, even then, they can get it wrong and I don't believe they can get much closer, because there are just too many variables. For example, someone given 30 days to live, may be so stressed and pre-occupied that they have a fall, which shortens their life much further. Alternatively, someone given a warning, might seek effective treatment. I used to work in a home for elderly people and one of our regular doctors used to say that very few people actually die of old age, most die of something, and that something is usually treatable - it's just that, the older you get, the more the reasons for refusing treatment.

As to whether I would want to know - I certainly wouldn't want to her it from a watch, like a bolt out of the blue. If I was already feeling sick, then, yes, I suppose I probably would appreciate having a rough idea of how long. Of course, if the message from the watch was: 'You are in grave danger - see a doctor now!" that would be a different matter. And I think that is a plausible development.

[briellejee]

It's either two things: it might push you to do the things you wanted to do and be reckless to do everything before time is up or it would scare the hell out of you knowing the day of your death is approaching fast and you just achieved so little yet. For me, it basically takes a way the hope for a brighter future but it also makes you realize that the present matters more.

[Jkhorner]

As many people have said, there are two possible outcomes to knowing when you will die, and I think we'd all exhibit some of each. First, I'm a procrastinator at heart, so I'd be inclined to put off preparing for death until the last available second. I'd be lax and not take care of myself because, after all, I have so much time! Second, I'd be paranoid that something would take me before my time.

However, not knowing when you die encourages us all to simultaneously live in preparation for the future and live right now to its fullest. I think it's a good thing that we don't know when we'll die, because we need to be taking care of our bodies, but have no excuse for wasting time.

[innah96]

I am honestly not quite sure about this.

I guess with a great power comes a great responsibility, and if that falls in the wrong hands, destruction is inevitable.

[Iamsofia]

My feelings are summarised in the statement
"Knowledge bred incidence even as it protected us from incidence."
- (a personal quote from me)

Knowing allows us to shield against known dangers but the mere act of knowing creates even more dangers. This is why Adam and Eve were cast out of the Garden of Eden after they ate of the fruit of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. Because they knew, they could sin. If i am colour-blind and I say red is green, have I told a lie? No. Why? Because I do not know.
Knowing changes things. However, I think the message of this book is not to fear knowledge but to be aware that all knowledge is a two sided sword- it can protect but it can also harm- and to guard accordingly.

I quite agree, and I love your quote too.

Personally, I don't think I would want to know the exact time I'd die. It will be too much of a burden to me and I feel that knowledge alone would suck out whatever joy I'm supposed to experience for the remaining part of my life. I'd rather live with the knowledge that there's a possibility of dying, try to live an enjoyable life and heartily hope that I'll dodge it. Hope really keeps us going.
It's scary enough when death springs up on someone and as they say, "all my life flashed before my eyes." Having that life flashing constantly up until the point it happens will just be too much pressure, not to mention trying to correct all one's past wrong deeds or the potential desire to create new ones (after all, death date is here.)

I totally agree. As a Spiritual person I wouldn't want to know when I'm going to die cos I believe it's God's to decide. In life, a person learns from living. Knowing when I'm going to die will decide my life choices as a person and it would be very depressing for me. I want to live life the way it comes and learn from it.

[BlessedGK]

It's quite creepy knowing the day you'll die. I'd rather be caught unawares.

[starshipsaga]

I am a very "always be prepared" kind of person, but as tempting as it is to have all the details, this is one area I'm probably okay with not knowing. Not to mention there's the danger of the self-fulfilling prophecy!