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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 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year 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] 5 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (2 children)

Is there an afterlife in this scenario? Do I ask my question and go to heaven? Or is this just asking a question, getting the answer, and your consciousness blinking out of existence at the moment of death?

Because if it's the latter, frankly, I don't think I'd care that much about anything because nothing will matter in a moment. What good is knowledge without a mind to keep it? The concerns of the material world are ultimately irrelevant to void that I will soon be a part of.

I'd probably ask something stupid like "I lost my copy of Pokemon Blue when I was a kid, where did that end up?" and then disappear into that sweet, sweet nothingness.

If there's a heaven...I'll just ask people what they asked when I get there.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago

LoL people would end up a jibbering mess if they came up face to face with a cosmic deity that could answer any questions that they would absolutely end up accidentally asking something like, "Oh no! Did I leave my car running?" "Did I remember to feed Mr. Mittens?" Or just "Oh, am I dead then?"

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

I left it open to interpretation on purpose. I didn't want to shy anyone because of their beliefs. The point of the scenario is experiencing one bit of potentially unattainable knowledge, just for the sake of knowledge itself and not to make any profit or practical use of it. I was curious to know what would others want to know. For me there is no god or afterlife, yet if given the chance I would still ask about something non trivial, even knowing fully well that I'd blink out of existence after I get the answer.