Would you open the envelope?

[LadyS]

If you were given an envelope with the time and date of your death inside, would you open it?

 

[LadyS]

My impulse answer would be: YES. To know how long I have to get my affairs in order for my family. Knowing how long I have to do all the things I want so I can maximize the time. And knowing when I'll see the light at the end of my tunnel.

However I'm still conflicted. Knowing might backfire... make me worry more about having enough time to do everything and basically overthink everything.

Either way I probably wouldn't tell anyone. Keep em guessing.

 

[Neonatal RRT]

Yes. Knowing these things,...at least in my perspective,...would light a fire under my butt to live life more fully. For me, I can't dwell in depression from knowing,...I am going to race motorcycles, skydive, see mountains, beaches, take a rocket ship to space, a submarine to the depths of the oceans, eat foods from all the countries of the world. You can't take your money and possessions with you,...so put life's energy into experiences. Do that whole "bucket list" thing. Of course, if you have dependents,...set them up as best as you can.

I think we all spend too much time not living life. We prepare for retirement, we have investments,...and then, sometimes unforeseeable tragic things happen. All things in moderation and balance,...do set yourself up financially for the future,...but you still have to live now, travel, do things, experience life while you're still young and healthy enough.

 

[Gerald Wilgus]

A running joke in the delightful movie, The Brand New Testament, was when god's daughter texted to everybody their time of death. One character skydives without a parachute among other deadly pursuits. God ends up in a washing machine factory in Kazakstan.

But seriously, I resist fossilization and continue with new experiences. This year I spent a day at a track with my used little MR2 and had a ball flogging it. May do it again next year. And, next year I'm going to Thailand (already signed up with a cooking school) and plan on coming back with a Sak Yant tattoo, then in the fall will be with geologists in Morocco. In my past I let so much escape me and that will not happen again.

 

[Fino]

Yep! I want to know if I should prepare for retirement or just blow it all.

 

[unperson]

People who live alone need this info.

 

[Yeshuasdaughter]

No Way!

People who have never been sick ask these morbid questions.

Live every day like it's your last. Tell everyone you love them, because you never know if you're going to talk to them again. Really appreciate every day, every color, every smell, every cloud in the sky, every smile.

Don't worry about tomorrow. Let tomorrow take care of itself.

 

[Shillelagh]

I remember a fantasy movie where some group of people were promised being able to see into the future if they did something. Probably for some evil wizard or whatever. But the only foresight they got was being able to see the time of their own death. It was considered to be a curse.

 

[Gracey]

Yep.
Get my 'house in order'
Take risks for the buzz.
Blow my savings.
Never really feeling more alive than when faced with certain death.

... unless of course, the date of my intended passing was some far off date way in the future.
In that case I'd have to tow the line and be responsible.
Not much would change.

 

[Progster]

I prefer not to know.

 

[Yeshuasdaughter]

It would be dumb to open the envelope.

I feel like it would be more human nature that if the average person knew when they would pass, they would live mundane lives and never take any risks, make any goals, never get married or have kids, never make friends, never go on any adventures, never read great books, or learn a new skill because they'd figure they were going to die at x age anyway.

The default human setting is laziness. It takes the excitement and promise of the unknown to get us out of our comfort zones.

 

[SusanLR]

Yes, I'd open it.

I've lived a pretty mundane life anyway. Not out of laziness, but, just doing what I want.
I like my comfort zone regardless of when I die.

 

[Shillelagh]

I'd do a return to sender.

 

[Suzanne]

My impulse would be to open it, even if I did not wish to, but my inner warning bell would say: if you open it, it will be worse for you, because of health anxiety and so, with that, I would tear the envelope up and burn it.

I know what happens when we die, but doesn't mean that I want to die.

 

[Hazel_1914]

No, I'm not looking; why should I have information to which my ancestors had no access.

I don't mean WiFi and toilet paper, I mean an existential crisis which they weren't, and I'm not, prepared to handle.

So no opening the envelope.

 

[Misery]

Sure, I would open it...

...WITH A PAPER SHREDDER.

Dont need it, dagnabit.

I'm not one to believe in the idea of a totally-sealed-in-stone fate anyway. I'm too freaking stubborn for that.

 

[Streetwise]

If you were given an envelope with the time and date of your death inside, would you open it?

Id want to know who'd prophesied it ,psychics can see many outcomes, based on different reasons ,a prophet can only tell you a prophesy ,doctors on out of date info.

 

[LadyS]

It would be dumb to open the envelope.

I feel like it would be more human nature that if the average person knew when they would pass, they would live mundane lives and never take any risks, make any goals, never get married or have kids, never make friends, never go on any adventures, never read great books, or learn a new skill because they'd figure they were going to die at x age anyway.

The default human setting is laziness. It takes the excitement and promise of the unknown to get us out of our comfort zones.

I don't think one answer is more valid than the other. It's just personal preference. For some it might be life changing and for some it wouldn't make a difference. For some it would fill them with dread and stop them from moving forward and for some it would renew and revigorate their purpose. We all approach life differently I guess. I think there are also some cultural nuances to consider as well, especially when it comes to western vs eastern views of death.

East Asian Attitudes toward Death— A Search for the Ways to Help East Asian Elderly Dying in Contemporary America

For instance, I was taught early on not to view death in a negative way. Just something that's inevitable and a gateway into a new life. Yes, it's sad to leave the ones you love behind and they'll be sad of your absence but they weep more for your body and existence that they knew, not for your soul.

All of our days are numbered, whether we're sick or not. There are people who've lived through all sorts of lifelong ailments to an old tender age and those who are perfectly healthy and young but die in one swift blow.
Either way, yea life should be lived to the fullest, regardless if you know or don't know the exact date. For some it's traveling the world and taking risks and others is spending as much time with family as possible. For some, it might make a difference in knowing before they decide to have kids, because it's important to them to actually be there for them. For me, if I know I was going to die in a week I'd probably eat all the bad unhealthy junk food that I love so much but if I were to live to say 90, I'd probably be more careful about my diet. I think how we perceive life, all differently, makes a difference in that decision. No real right or wrong answer.

 

[Ken]

I think I would open it, then proceed to prove it wrong.
I have already proven most of my doctor's prognosis wrong, so why not?

 

[Tom]

I'd send it back unopened to the return address with a little note.

'I do appreciate it, but I think I'd rather not know. But as a small token of my thanks will donate $1000.00 to the charity of your choice every year on the anniversary of recieving this letter.'