"If you were given a book containing your entire life story, would you read the end?"
Now then, this seriously got my brain going and I haven't been able to stop thinking about it since. I am not entirely sure why because it seems like a simple statement to make in just a simple state of mind. However, being female I tend to over think everything, and this is one of those times.
I have asked other people what they think of this statement and whether they would actually read the book, and it seems we have a really varied spectrum of opinions. Many people agreed with each other, but also differed in several aspects. It would seem that this slightly simple statement has turned in to something that has been dug even further.
First of all, I will start with what I think about it, then move on to things that other people have said etc.
So, I have several questions for this statement - not that it can ever be answered, so bring on philosophy.
First of all, I want to define "the end". What is the end? Surely the end of every person's book would be the same? It is inevitable that everyone ends in the same way; that end being death. So I am not sure why I would want to read the sentence "and today Danielle died". However, there is an essence of morbid curiosity surrounding this, I think. I would quite like to know how and when I will die. Is that weird? I feel like I am jinxing it now. It would be both interesting and then also terrifying to know when you are going to die. It would be like something out of a movie; a surreal atmosphere of just awaiting when you're going to die. Although it could be argued that this is what a human does. So based on this theory, I am not sure that I would read "the end" of the book simple to stop myself getting stressed.
I think if I did have the option to read anything in this story, I would tackle the middle. This would probably constitute the next 20 years of my life from now. I'd quite like to know about graduating university, what I actually do with my life, and if I ever settle down. You know, all those details that you usually find yourself pondering anyway. Having said this, surely this would then lead to the similar situation regarding the end of the book? You would spend the majority of your life actively searching for the things that you have read will happen to you, which in turn would probably mean that you don't find them at all? Thus technically rewriting your entire story and taking you back to square one?
Although I severely dislike surprises, isn't the entire point of life to have that element of unpredictability to keep everything in check? Whether or not you agree with this, having that surprise element is what most people enjoy in life - not knowing what is going to happen and when. The spontaneity of life would be completely ripped to shreds if you had a copy of your entire life story to hand. Humans are very curious creatures, and the smallest amount of temptation can drive anyone mad. So surely having a copy of this would essentially ruin human nature? People would become obsessed with finding this written prophecy which would probably make the world an even more nightmarish place than it already is.
I think that most people wouldn't like parts of their life story and would think to "edit" parts out, and not face them properly. They'd get increasingly more irate with parts and focus on them, therefore focusing on the bad and blanking the good, which would most likely worsen the confusing nature of humans more.
Having done a bit of research on this, I think people would go one of two ways about their life from reading this. The first being that of what I have already described; being caught up in knowing about what will happen but also enjoying life. Then there would be the opposite person who would give up if their life doesn't go how they had imagined it. It's likely that life would become tiring and boring if everyone knew what was going to happen.
I'd also want to know who had written this book? Who knew so much about me as to determine my future? How had I been described? Maybe I am not as good of a person as I originally thought I was? Would I want to read all about my previous mistakes? Would I want to know about the many mistakes I am most likely going to make?
All in all, I think I would happily sit and watch the book burn. At the end of the day, if my life was already pre-written, nothing that I can do or say will ever change it. Although I would be curious as to what someone has in store with me, I would rather not endure constant panics about maybe I had missed something, or I knew something bad was coming up.
So I ask you; Would you read the book?
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