# Would you read a book about your life that "might have been"? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 29, 2015, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-read-a-book-about-your-life-that-might-have-been/732948 "2015-09-29T14:28:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2015, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-read-a-book-about-your-life-that-might-have-been/732948/1 "2015-09-29T14:28:48Z")
So you run into a genie with a Kindle. And genie explains that this Kindle shows what would have happened if you’d made a different major decision in your life; i.e. said “yes” to the job offer, not left the job you hated, accepted that nerd’s marriage proposal, whatever. We all make decisions and wonder about the road not taken. Do you read it? ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2015, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-read-a-book-about-your-life-that-might-have-been/732948/2 "2015-09-29T14:37:37Z")
No and hell no. Aslan the lion, of all the things he said, had this most salient thing to say: we cannot know what could have been, and it would probably drive us crazy. Regrets are bad enough as it is. > [@](#): > > “But what would have been the good?" > Aslan said nothing. > “You mean,” said Lucy rather faintly, “that it would have turned out all right – somehow? But how? Please, Aslan! Am I not to know?” > “To know what would have happened, child?” said Aslan. “No. Nobody is ever told that.” ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2015, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-read-a-book-about-your-life-that-might-have-been/732948/3 "2015-09-29T14:48:17Z")
Yeah I’d gladly read it. I’m sure it would just be a story. Like the one I tell myself is my current life, but with different plot points. ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2015, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-read-a-book-about-your-life-that-might-have-been/732948/4 "2015-09-29T15:04:14Z")
Put me down as a no. May have been is something I’m curious about in great things and I read a lot of fiction based on the principle. But on the personal level I really don’t care; I’m not much for looking back at my past and what could have been different. ---
**Author:** ![brovolone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a88e4f/32.png) [@brovolone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brovolone)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2015, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-read-a-book-about-your-life-that-might-have-been/732948/5 "2015-09-29T15:05:47Z")
If the genie is offering a book that is heavily illustrated and captioned objectively, I would be very interested. A scrapbook, perhaps. Otherwise, I have no interest in reading someone else’s interpretation of my life decisions and the results of such. ---
**Author:** ![McDoogins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6a8cbe/32.png) [@McDoogins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/McDoogins)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2015, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-read-a-book-about-your-life-that-might-have-been/732948/6 "2015-09-29T15:38:31Z")
Wouldn’t want to read. I know because I wish I would have chose the major I have now. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2015, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-read-a-book-about-your-life-that-might-have-been/732948/7 "2015-09-29T15:46:15Z")
Ditto on the hell no. If it turns to a tragedy I’ll be too invested in the characters. If it has a happy ending it might detract from the happy tale I’m living right now. Better not to know either way. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2015, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-read-a-book-about-your-life-that-might-have-been/732948/8 "2015-09-29T15:49:14Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > Ditto on the hell no. If it turns to a tragedy I’ll be too invested in the characters. If it has a happy ending it might detract from the happy tale I’m living right now. Better not to know either way. Seriously. I’m happy now but what if my other life was amazing? What if I was rich AND happy? ---
**Author:** ![oft\_wears\_hats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7993a0/32.png) [@oft\_wears\_hats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/oft_wears_hats)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2015, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-read-a-book-about-your-life-that-might-have-been/732948/9 "2015-09-29T16:20:09Z")
Haven’t voted yet. Can this Kindle show the results of **every** road not taken? Or is it based on only one specific choice? Also, does it show my entire life to the end, or just up to my current point in time? Either way, I’m leaning pretty far towards “no.” I’m happy with my life so far, but I’d be worried that I would end up obsessing on any outcomes that I perceived as better than what I have now. It’s not a good idea to obsess on the past or what could have been, IMO. No way to change it, so why dwell on it? ---
**Author:** ![OffByOne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/45deac/32.png) [@OffByOne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OffByOne)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2015, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-read-a-book-about-your-life-that-might-have-been/732948/10 "2015-09-29T16:23:34Z")
I am writing this book all the time… ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2015, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-read-a-book-about-your-life-that-might-have-been/732948/11 "2015-09-29T16:29:06Z")
No lie: I had this same exact idea for a thread/poll at about 3am this morning except mine was a VR thing that’d use (magical) probability to let you re-live parts of your life along a different path and if you’d want to do it. Then I finally fell asleep and forgot until I read this thread. I wonder what my life would be like now if I had posted first? ---
**Author:** ![dracoi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/90db22/32.png) [@dracoi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dracoi)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2015, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-read-a-book-about-your-life-that-might-have-been/732948/12 "2015-09-29T17:17:08Z")
Yes, I definitely would read it. While it’s too late to change decisions that have already been made, it’s not too late to learn important things about myself. For example, if I find out that taking career route 2 would have made me happier and richer than the route I took, my reaction is not to feel sorry for myself… my reaction is to get my butt into career route 2. Better late than never, probably. At the very least, I’d have learned something about myself. Likewise, if I really should have married the other girl, it would be worth 1) understanding why that relationship was better than the current one (maybe I can improve things where I am) or 2) maybe it’s not too late to reconnect now or in the future. And maybe the book shows that I actually made the right decisions. Knowing that would give me a lot of confidence/peace about where I am in life. In fact, I wouldn’t be at all surprised if this was the case; things are not bad in my life. Not perfect, but I’m happy with it overall. Knowing that I made the right decisions and that I’ve made the best of the options available would be a great source of confidence and peace in my life. (On a more trivial note: I hope at least one version of the book contains detailed records of my exploits as a day trader. Now that would be really useful!) ---
**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 29, 2015, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-read-a-book-about-your-life-that-might-have-been/732948/13 "2015-09-29T17:45:05Z")
I already know I’ve made a lot of bad choices in my life. I certainly wouldn’t want to dwell on how much damage I’ve inflicted upon myself. ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_T-Cups](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Sir\_T-Cups](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_T-Cups)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2015, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-read-a-book-about-your-life-that-might-have-been/732948/14 "2015-09-29T17:47:31Z")
Hell no. I already hate pretty much every aspect of my life, I don’t need a reminder of what a mistake I truly am ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2015, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-read-a-book-about-your-life-that-might-have-been/732948/15 "2015-09-29T17:59:03Z")
I am content and complaisant at this time. It turns out that my decisions have, at this late date, lead to a long and mutually respectful marriage and two daughters who have become functional adults. I don’t have any regrets in hindsight. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2015, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-read-a-book-about-your-life-that-might-have-been/732948/16 "2015-09-29T17:59:08Z")
I’d be interested, though I doubt I’d find anything to regret. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2015, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-read-a-book-about-your-life-that-might-have-been/732948/17 "2015-09-29T18:17:12Z")
Knowing my luck, the battery would be dead. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2015, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-read-a-book-about-your-life-that-might-have-been/732948/18 "2015-09-29T18:24:18Z")
It would be better if I had a chance to live it, with the option to return to the present reality. But yes I would read it eagerly. ---
**Author:** ![Greg\_Charles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/839c29/32.png) [@Greg\_Charles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Greg_Charles)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2015, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-read-a-book-about-your-life-that-might-have-been/732948/19 "2015-09-29T19:02:25Z")
> [@Sir\_T-Cups](#): > > Hell no. > > I already hate pretty much every aspect of my life, I don’t need a reminder of what a mistake I truly am ☹ I never do this, but {{{{Sir T-Cups}}}} ---
**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 29, 2015, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-read-a-book-about-your-life-that-might-have-been/732948/20 "2015-09-29T19:14:42Z")
Do I get to pick which decision? I would be anxious to read it regardless. Most of the folks saying “no” seem to assume that the other decision would have turned out better, and their regrets will only be increased. But what if the book reassured you that you were right? Things happened as they needed to? And even if they didn’t, at least I’d get the chance to know what that better life would have been like. I could live/enjoy it vicariously, and have the chance to make whatever anonymous amends were possible to anyone else who was hurt by it. But then, curiosity pretty much rules me. I’ve never understood people who can just shrug and ignore things they can’t find out about. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-read-a-book-about-your-life-that-might-have-been/732948.md?page=2)