I guess I'd finally go to New Orleans.

At this point I've realized that dying really doesn't grant you any specialties. The only exception to the rule would be the make a wish foundation, for kids with terminal illnesses.

But no such thing exists for adults, as far as I know. Dying doesn't unlock you any bonus doors in our system. If you're poor, out on the streets and will never land that dream trip to the bahamas, dying won't make a difference. You'll still be poor, and out on the streets, never landing that dream trip to the bahamas.

So, I ask, why should the presence and awareness of death be the extra push you need to get up and do things in your life that matter to you? Because you suddenly know that you have this exact amount of time to work with before you'll never get another chance? It's rather ironic, actually. Right from the start, our cells are making copying errors and oxygen is slowly corroding our systems. The sunlight we absorb is blasting us with radiation to help break us down among many other things over time. Throw in random factors and you can go at any time.

And, knowing that, people still don't live up to their full potential. They don't live their goals or their dreams. Always putting them off for later. Maybe when they're retired. Maybe when I save up enough this, maybe when I have that.

If I was told I'd be dropping in one year, I wouldn't change much from what I'm doing now. Death wouldn't allow me to suddenly achieve what I'm after, what I want to do, or where I want to go. So, all that leaves is where I'm at now.

Eat all the food I hate

Quote from: T6 on January 18, 2016, 01:41:11 PM

Eat all the food I hate

I'll grab the pizza.

Pizza time

Quote from: Dean "Turkey" Strang on January 18, 2016, 01:23:29 PM

Quote from: Sandtrap on January 18, 2016, 01:10:49 PM

So, I ask, why should the presence and awareness of death be the extra push you need to get up and do things in your life that matter to you? Because you suddenly know that you have this exact amount of time to work with before you'll never get another chance?

1. You have a homework assignment due tomorrow
2. You have a homework assignment due next month

Which one motivates you to get it done sooner?

Both. The one that's due in a week, obviously, since I have a shorter time frame to work with.

So you understand the answer to your question, but you just want to be argumentative.

Quote from: Sandtrap on January 18, 2016, 02:35:10 PM

Quote from: Dean "Turkey" Strang on January 18, 2016, 01:23:29 PM

Quote from: Sandtrap on January 18, 2016, 01:10:49 PM

So, I ask, why should the presence and awareness of death be the extra push you need to get up and do things in your life that matter to you? Because you suddenly know that you have this exact amount of time to work with before you'll never get another chance?

1. You have a homework assignment due tomorrow
2. You have a homework assignment due next month

Which one motivates you to get it done sooner?

Both. The one that's due in a week, obviously, since I have a shorter time frame to work with.

So you understand the answer to your question, but you just want to be argumentative.

Not really, no. I'm asking how other people feel so fine and dandy to let things slip by them. As I told you. I'd take the project that's a month away and finish it in the timespan as if it were a project due in a week since I'm aware that for myself, procrastinating can be an issue if I let it.

Or, in this instance, I'm asking why so many people are keen on putting things off until the last minute. Of course a smaller time frame is going to motivate somebody to get things done sooner. But the point I'm trying to make, is why don't they try to get things done sooner normally without having death or something knock on their door and give them a boot in the ass to move?

That's my question. Why do they need that?

Quote from: Dean "Turkey" Strang on January 18, 2016, 03:01:18 PM

Quote from: Sandtrap on January 18, 2016, 02:57:21 PM

But the point I'm trying to make, is why don't they try to get things done sooner normally without having death or something knock on their door and give them a boot in the ass to move?

That's my question. Why do they need that?

For the same reason. Right now I eat healthy, exercise not entirely for fun, save 20% of my income in a retirement plan, and plan for the future specifically because I assume I'll have one. If I knew I would drop dead in a year, you can be sure I'd do it fifty pounds heavier without a penny to my name, fully satisfied that I'd lived all I could in that year.

But I don't do that now because I assume I'll live well into retirement and have plenty of time to do what needs doing.

You're talking as if there's no middle ground to be had between potentially living your last and living a long life. Kinda disappointing a little bit, don't you think?

I don't understand what you're saying. I don't just wallow in misery while I wait for life to happen, but I hedge my enjoyment of life in preparation for living later.

Quote from: Sandtrap on January 18, 2016, 03:11:26 PM

Quote from: Dean "Turkey" Strang on January 18, 2016, 03:01:18 PM

Quote from: Sandtrap on January 18, 2016, 02:57:21 PM

But the point I'm trying to make, is why don't they try to get things done sooner normally without having death or something knock on their door and give them a boot in the ass to move?

That's my question. Why do they need that?

For the same reason. Right now I eat healthy, exercise not entirely for fun, save 20% of my income in a retirement plan, and plan for the future specifically because I assume I'll have one. If I knew I would drop dead in a year, you can be sure I'd do it fifty pounds heavier without a penny to my name, fully satisfied that I'd lived all I could in that year.

But I don't do that now because I assume I'll live well into retirement and have plenty of time to do what needs doing.

You're talking as if there's no middle ground to be had between potentially living your last and living a long life. Kinda disappointing a little bit, don't you think?

I don't understand what you're saying. I don't just wallow in misery while I wait for life to happen, but I hedge my enjoyment of life in preparation for living later.

And you don't think that's taking a bit of a gamble that might backfire on you?

I'm not saying that you wallow in misery or just sit around and wait for things to happen. But, generally, people can always do more with themselves but they never go for it. They let a future they have truly no idea over what's going to happen in, hinder them in some ways.

That's not to say that everybody should go apeshit like it was their last day. You can always do things intelligently, after all. It's just strange to me that you'd need such a big kick in the ass like death to go after what you really want to do.

Write at least one novel, and a plethora of philosophical treatises.

Quote from: Sandtrap on January 18, 2016, 03:25:24 PM

And you don't think that's taking a bit of a gamble that might backfire on you?

I just don't understand what you're getting at. Which part of it is a gamble --  that I don't spend all my money hedonistically satisfying all of my desires? That I set aside money so that later in life I can live comfortably without working, or raise kids without fucking up my life? A huge problem with people these days is a complete lack of planning; many young people don't save money or establish credit or build experience or education when they get the chance. That's not a gamble; it's insurance.

Fair enough.