# Do you want the date you'll die? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 14, 2011, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-want-the-date-youll-die/596280 "2011-09-14T12:59:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Agent\_Violet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/50afbb/32.png) [@Agent\_Violet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Agent_Violet)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2011, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-want-the-date-youll-die/596280/1 "2011-09-14T12:59:12Z")
I don’t know if this thread was done before or not…but… Do you think you’d want to know the date of your death? Why or why not? I think i’d want to know. I hate surprises. I’d have a timeline with an end date. I think if i had an actual date to mark on a calendar I could manage my time on Earth better. I’m a list maker so I’d have a better idea of when i should be doing certain things before I’m due to die. I’d make a list of everything i hoped to accomplish prior to that date, i’d be able to budget better to make sure i didn’t run out of money before that day came,i’d be able to settle all my business things and personal affairs…i think it would be great. we all know we’re going to die anyway. It would be so much easier for life planning if I knew how much time i was working with. ---
**Author:** ![Marconi\_N.Cheese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/57b2e6/32.png) [@Marconi\_N.Cheese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marconi_N.Cheese)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2011, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-want-the-date-youll-die/596280/2 "2011-09-14T13:33:22Z")
No, because if I knew I could never stop thinking about it. I think about it enough as it is. ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2011, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-want-the-date-youll-die/596280/3 "2011-09-14T13:35:20Z")
Hell no. I’ll live in terror all the way up until that day no matter how far in the future it is. Plus, what if it’s, like 10/12/13? I’d probably kill myself before then because I couldn’t stand the anticipation. ---
**Author:** ![Agent\_Violet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/50afbb/32.png) [@Agent\_Violet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Agent_Violet)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2011, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-want-the-date-youll-die/596280/4 "2011-09-14T13:44:13Z")
really?! wow! just think of all the things you’d be able to do though…knowing exactly how much time you had. especially if it was relatively soon…oh my g-d id go nuts doing all kinds of wreckless and wild things, i’d make tons of meaningful home movies for my son to make sure he remembered me, etc… things i wouldn’t normally be able to do if i just walked outside and got into a car accident and died without being given an estimated date of death ahead of time. ---
**Author:** ![Foggy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foggy/32/1082_2.png) [@Foggy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Foggy)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2011, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-want-the-date-youll-die/596280/5 "2011-09-14T13:46:39Z")
YES! Oh dear og yes. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2011, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-want-the-date-youll-die/596280/6 "2011-09-14T13:54:52Z")
Fuck no, that’s insane. I’d never be able to get it out of my mind, and I am a happy-go-lucky person. I find it’s very important _not_ to know the future, and I think your post is telling “i’d go nuts doing all kinds of wild and reckless things”. We can deal with one or even a few people doing such but I think all of us knowing the date of our death would either cause our destruction or a major, major change in the way we live. We can live blissfully unaware now; I’d never want it to be any other way. ---
**Author:** ![Agent\_Violet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/50afbb/32.png) [@Agent\_Violet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Agent_Violet)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2011, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-want-the-date-youll-die/596280/7 "2011-09-14T14:00:58Z")
by nuts i mean, skydiving and bungee jumping:) but i get youre saying…my idea of wild and crazy is pretty tame…some people might take wild and crazy to mean robbing banks and killing people. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2011, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-want-the-date-youll-die/596280/8 "2011-09-14T14:10:32Z")
> [@Agent\_Violet](#): > > by nuts i mean, skydiving and bungee jumping:) but i get youre saying…my idea of wild and crazy is pretty tame…some people might take wild and crazy to mean robbing banks and killing people. Seriously, why not? Or even worse crimes. Humans are not at home with death in any way. Look at serial killers when brought up to the chair - they have been comfortable and happy in causing death and destruction and mayhem and bloodshed with as much pain as possible, but when time for their own death comes, most of them do everything they can to fight it, rather than face it with any kind of equanamity. If we were all true Buddhists and understood that death, too, is a part of life, and we must make way for the new, I might be on with you, but the deepest human instinct (other than making more of us) is to struggle and fight against death to our very last moments. ETA: You can skydive and bungeejump, legally, without too much fear of repercussion. But if you are going to die in a week, what’s to stop you from going on a crime spree? ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2011, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-want-the-date-youll-die/596280/9 "2011-09-14T14:10:46Z")
I’ve given this question some thought over the years and came to this conclusion: Fuck no! You’d be marking time with a big DEAD END sign at the end. As you got ever nearer, I’m quite positive your disappointment, anticipation and regrets would amplify to an excruciating degree. It’d be like reverse Senioritis. I think it’s best to just not know, and live your life without trying to fit to some inorganic schedule of “accomplishments” before you roll over. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2011, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-want-the-date-youll-die/596280/10 "2011-09-14T14:29:25Z")
How about this for a plot twist: You know the date, but not the year. Like: You’ll die on December 3. How would you live your life differently? Would you go along the same up until, say, November? And to answer the OP: I wouldn’t want to know. ---
**Author:** ![Teufelblitz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@Teufelblitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Teufelblitz)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2011, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-want-the-date-youll-die/596280/11 "2011-09-14T14:34:40Z")
> [@Anaamika](#): > > Seriously, why not? Or even worse crimes. Humans are not at home with death in any way. Look at serial killers when brought up to the chair - they have been comfortable and happy in causing death and destruction and mayhem and bloodshed with as much pain as possible, but when time for their own death comes, most of them do everything they can to fight it, rather than face it with any kind of equanamity. If we were all true Buddhists and understood that death, too, is a part of life, and we must make way for the new, I might be on with you, but the deepest human instinct (other than making more of us) is to struggle and fight against death to our very last moments. > > ETA: You can skydive and bungeejump, legally, without too much fear of repercussion. But if you are going to die in a week, what’s to stop you from going on a crime spree? I don’t think that many people would throw morality out the window simply because they knew when they were going to die. Perhaps hedonism would rise, but I doubt full fledged criminality would explode for much the same reason that lack of religion doesn’t cause an atheist crime wave. People would be more focused on getting what they want done. I suspect the bulk of crimes spurred by this would be running up credit cards and other loans with no intent of ever repaying them. The travel industry would likely get a pretty hefty boost. Risky behavior in general would increase, but I doubt we’d all go Mad Max over it. ---
**Author:** ![clairobscur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2011, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-want-the-date-youll-die/596280/12 "2011-09-14T14:54:26Z")
Being able to know would be one of my fondest desires. I hate the concept that I could die at any moment without warning. > [@Happy\_Lendervedder](#): > > How about this for a plot twist: You know the date, but not the year. > > Like: You’ll die on December 3. . Hell no! That would drive me crazy every year, and it wouldn’t have any of the advantages of knowing the exact date (like planning your life accordingly, not having to worry until the time comes, etc…). ---
**Author:** ![PandaBear77](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@PandaBear77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PandaBear77)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2011, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-want-the-date-youll-die/596280/13 "2011-09-14T17:11:23Z")
Yes, if I could know the month, day and year. I’d plan accordingly and make sure I was covered with an obscene amount of life insurance before my date of demise and leave my family as comfortable as possible. ---
**Author:** ![Rachellelogram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rachellelogram/32/8689_2.png) [@Rachellelogram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachellelogram)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2011, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-want-the-date-youll-die/596280/14 "2011-09-14T18:04:32Z")
I think if I was provided with the date of my death, due to my contrary nature I would attempt to circumvent it in any way possible. If I found out I was supposed to die next week, I’d kill myself today. Just to beat the system. So no, I don’t want to know. (/tongue-in-cheek) This is a case of the Rachelberg Uncertainy Principle. Advance knowledge of the date of my death would most certainly cause it to change. ---
**Author:** ![Lightnin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightnin/32/180_2.png) [@Lightnin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightnin)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2011, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-want-the-date-youll-die/596280/15 "2011-09-14T19:51:52Z")
Absolutely. I think it’s worse \*not \*knowing when you’re going to die. If you know, you can plan accordingly. Besides, as others have pointed out- knowing the date of your death also means knowing all the dates you _won’t_ die. What would you do, if you knew it wouldn’t kill you to do it? ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2011, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-want-the-date-youll-die/596280/16 "2011-09-14T20:40:57Z")
I woudl definitely want to know. Think how much worry could be avoided in the mean time? And even if it was just the date but not the year - although enormously frustrating, it stil knocks out 364 days of fear. Mind you, there’s nothing saying that you can’t be injured months before and in a coma until the day. . . but I’ll take any scrap of certainty I can get. I don’t like surprises. ---
**Author:** ![drewtwo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2011, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-want-the-date-youll-die/596280/17 "2011-09-14T20:44:24Z")
On a universal time scale, we are all already dead (even when measured to within 99.9999993% accuracy, which is pretty darn accurate). So, live like you’ve already died and eat some brains. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2011, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-want-the-date-youll-die/596280/18 "2011-09-14T20:57:38Z")
If I knew with certainty the day I was going to die, then I’d start worrying about how I was going to die. Maybe I was going to die in some horrible and painful manner. I’d probably be so worried about this possibility that at the stroke of midnight on my dying day, I’d commit suicide just to avoid some worse method of dying. And my final thought would be, “Oh my God, it’s an ironic twist ending! My life is an episode of _The Twilight Zone_!” ---
**Author:** ![chiroptera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@chiroptera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chiroptera)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2011, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-want-the-date-youll-die/596280/19 "2011-09-14T21:02:32Z")
Oh hell no. I’m of an age where some of my peers have already died, so I already have a glimpse of my mortality. I really don’t see how I could enjoy life if I knew precisely when I would die. It would be interesting if this were a poll, broken down by age. I suspect I may have answered differently 20-30 years ago. ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2011, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-want-the-date-youll-die/596280/20 "2011-09-14T21:07:29Z")
> [@Lightnin](#): > > Absolutely. I think it’s worse \*not \*knowing when you’re going to die. If you know, you can plan accordingly. > > Besides, as others have pointed out- knowing the date of your death also means knowing all the dates you _won’t_ die. What would you do, if you knew it wouldn’t kill you to do it? Ahh, but perhaps the date you die is because you found out the date you’d die, thereby shortening your lifespan considerably, because of your reason for wanting to know is so you can act all willy-nilly, then BAM — **WHITE.** [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-want-the-date-youll-die/596280.md?page=2)