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Just before death you are granted one truthful, understandable answer to one question. What would you want to know? (mander.xyz)

submitted 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago) by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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Obviously a hypothetical scenario. There is no way to pass on the knowledge to anyone else. Time freezes for you only, and once you have your answer you are out of this world.

The question can allow you to see into the past, present and future and gain comprehension of any topic/issue. But it's only one question.

Edit: the point isn't "how to cheat death". You can't. Your body is frozen and there is nothing you can do with this knowledge other than knowing it, and die. So if you would rather be frozen in a limbo just thinking of numbers for eternity, be my guest.

Such a variety of replies, it's been really interesting to read them!

What would you want to know? Personally I'd want to see a timelapse or milestone glimpses of humanity's future until the end of Earth's existence (if we survive that long)

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[–] [email protected] 31 points 11 months ago (1 children)

I don’t think there is a short clear way to avoid potential centuries of suffering. Living in pain could be worse than a violent death.

Imagine a life time as a comatose patient who is still conscious and can hear but not respond?

Years of nearly starving to death. Years of physical abuse? Slowly dying in a hospital from cancer / some other slow painful death.

Hiker trapped alone on a mountain.

In short no thanks.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 11 months ago (1 children)

Honestly, those are all selling points. I'd love to understand how a coma patient thinks a few months in, a few years in and a few decades in. What it's like to die in war in the year, 700, 1700 & 2700. To die as a newborn and then eventually see how those very parents are affected. So long as it is randomized and I'm statistically likely to see something radically different tommorow, I don't think I'll ever get sick of the human experince.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 11 months ago (1 children)

No. It's not a selling point and you don't want it. I have a condition that puts every part of my body in pain continuously. It's been 4 years and I've forgotten the sensation of painlessness. Many people with my condition kill themselves, not only because the pain alone is intolerable, but because every step of the way somebody will tell them they are being lazy or faking it.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago)

I feel for you and I'm sorry you also are going through it. I don't blame you for taking umbridge with this all. But I also live in constant pain as well, after a dog attack a few years ago I can't walk for more than an hour at a time, laying sitting and standing all hurt and even with pain meds, I can only get to a dull ache. I can't work and the life I had before is gone, it was such shit trying to prove to skeptical condescending doctors saying just to do stretches and it will get better, but... Here I am still waiting.

So while I feel where you are coming from with this time of chronic pain, I am ready to deal with this and other life debilitating conditions if I also get to feel like it was to run again, to climb, to see through the eyes of an athlete. To be able to walk normally and enjoy events again. I'd take my own pain and yours again to feel human again.