How would everybody knowing the hour of their death affect society?

July 10, 2006 5:27 AM

SettleAnArgumentFilter: If everybody knew *when* they would die time-wise, but didn't know *how* [or why, or by whom, etc.] - what would happen to society?

A close friend insists that if people knew exactly how much time they had left, society as we know it would basically collapse. People would say, "I've only got X days left to live! I'm going to do A, B, C and screw the rest of you after that because I won't be here!"
The friend also insists that crime, war etc. would go through the roof as people panicked at the stark truth that a) Hey you're mortal [most peopel forget], b) This is exactly how long you have to live, OMG isn't it puny? It's every man for himself!

I'm inclined to think otherwise, that if tomorrow all people everywhere knew when they would die, after the initial panic wore off [say skip forward a few generations], that we'd be a more "zen-like" society. Trivial things would/could be worked out with the knowledge of, "I only have 234 days left here, a fly in my soup is no biggie." I must also add though that I don't bleive people are inherently good, so I myself am a tad puzzled at my take on this question.

So - knowing the exact hour of your death but not the circumstances or reasons - would we regress into barbaric thugs or become a stoic, calmer and less fearful society?

Or would the knowledge not affect us in the slightest and 100 years from now, we'd still act the same? [Not likely IMHO]

posted by Chorus to Human Relations (4 answers total)

I'm not sure if it's the possibilty of death or the prospect of pain that stops people from commiting entirely reckless acts. Just knowing when you were going to die doesn't mean you're not going to experience a lot of pain and anguish up until that point, and so it is possible that, until near the end-date people might act in a way approaching normal.

As the date came nearer, perhaps people would act something like people who are diagnosed with a terminal illness who, as far as I'm aware, tend not to start going round getting back at those who've pissed them off during their life, but instead prefer to die with quiet dignity.
posted by chorltonmeateater at 5:50 AM on July 10, 2006

Let me take a crack at this: People would be more conscious of their Creator and start preparing for their afterlife. Church attendance would flourish. Society would be calmer and less fearful, but not stoic.
posted by rinkjustice at 5:50 AM on July 10, 2006

People have to believe in a Creator first, before preparing for the afterlife.

This is nearly an impossible question to answer. I think the poster's viewpoint is taken with consideration as to how many people react when they've been told to expect to die within a period of time. I.E. "You have six months to live."

The more I contemplate it, I'll agree with the poster's opinion on this one. I think only the people who had nothing to appreciate in life would turn to mayhem, and even then, the appreciation of a limited time on earth might change that.
posted by Atreides at 6:01 AM on July 10, 2006

I'm reminded slightly of that episode of Family Guide wherein Death sprains his ankle. People go out of there way to be morons and do things would kill them or others without reprecussions. That said, being hit by a bus and living isn't a lovely prospect, harking back to what Chorltonmeateater said about pain and suffering still existing.

All in all, I'm incline to agree with you... people would be far more realistic about the transcience of biological existence.

I'd love to know about the ceremony on the last hour(s).
posted by trinarian at 6:02 AM on July 10, 2006