Tuesday, January 31, 2017

Protect the Timeline?


At the heart of much speculative fiction (and fiction in general) is a question. What if? On Tuesdays I like to throw one out there and see what you make of it. Do with it as you please. If a for-instance is not specified, feel free to interpret that instance as you wish. And if you find this becomes a novel-length answer, I'd appreciate a thank you in the acknowledgements ;)

Another time travel question...

What if a friend of yours was doing the time travelling, and he/she has just come back from the future (or, future him/herself is visiting you in the past)? What if he/she knew something about your untimely demise? (By "untimely", I mean you'll be killed, not die of old age or some unpreventable disease.) Would you want to know about it?
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31 comments:

  1. Hilary Melton-ButcherJanuary 31, 2017 at 8:46 AM

    No - nothing can be done and I'd rather not have that horrid expectation hanging over me!! Cheers Hilary

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  2. bettyJanuary 31, 2017 at 9:15 AM

    No; I agree with what Hilary said. I wouldn't want that hanging over me. I think it would affect adversely how I would live. But then I wonder if I knew it, could I prevent it from happening? But then maybe that would involve living in a bubble type world, shielded from everything. So no, I don't want to know :)

    betty

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  3. Chrys FeyJanuary 31, 2017 at 9:17 AM

    I wouldn't want to know, but if my friend could give me a warning (without saying I'll die) like...don't drive your car tomorrow...that would be nice.

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  4. Sherry EllisJanuary 31, 2017 at 9:28 AM

    No. I wouldn't want to know. I probably wouldn't believe my friend, anyway.

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    1. Liz A.January 31, 2017 at 3:39 PM

      That's a point. Would you believe your friend was time travelling? That would be a hard one to know for sure.

      Delete
  5. BirgitJanuary 31, 2017 at 11:39 AM

    Hey if I could dodge death and live to a nice old age, yup but if there was no way to change it, then I would not want to know

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    1. Liz A.January 31, 2017 at 3:40 PM

      I did not specify that there is no way to change it ;) Is the future set, or do we have the ability to change our futures?

      Delete
  6. PaulaJanuary 31, 2017 at 12:32 PM

    No! I want to live each day as if it is my last! Well, that sounds good anyway!

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    Replies
    1. Liz A.January 31, 2017 at 3:41 PM

      Live each day to the fullest, I think you meant ;)

      Delete
  7. J E OneilJanuary 31, 2017 at 12:49 PM

    Totally. I'd hate not knowing way more than anything. I wouldn't care if I couldn't do anything about it. I'd just like being able to prepare.

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  8. AnonymousJanuary 31, 2017 at 2:33 PM

    No, not under any circumstances.

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  9. bookwormJanuary 31, 2017 at 3:44 PM

    I'd only want to know about it if I could change the outcome with my actions. If I couldn't - no way! Alana ramblinwitham.blogspot.com

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  10. LilyElementJanuary 31, 2017 at 4:54 PM

    I'd say no I wouldn't want to know. But part of me would want to haha then I'd wonder if I changed that if another thing would pop up.

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    1. Liz A.January 31, 2017 at 5:08 PM

      Well, yeah, what if you changed something else that made things worse? Although, it couldn't get much worse, could it?

      Delete
  11. BeaJanuary 31, 2017 at 5:50 PM

    If there's no escaping my fate, then, no, I'd prefer to be kept in the dark.

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    1. Liz A.February 1, 2017 at 6:13 PM

      I never said you couldn't change the future...

      Delete
  12. The Yum ListJanuary 31, 2017 at 6:08 PM

    Could knowing of the untimely demise make you change your actions to avoid it?

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  13. PamJanuary 31, 2017 at 6:47 PM

    No...I don't think so. I would find myself worrying about that time to come, thinking it is getting closer, can I stop it, can I change it.....Nope...I am good not knowing. Great question though.

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  14. peppylady (Dora)January 31, 2017 at 9:31 PM

    I don't think so...I believe in fate and fate isn't something to mess with. Not saying I'm affraid of dying. But if I knew a certain day I'll die. I would just go to bed and hope I would pass in my sleep.
    Coffee is on

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    Replies
    1. Liz A.February 1, 2017 at 6:14 PM

      In this case, it isn't a passing in one's sleep.

      Delete
  15. UnknownJanuary 31, 2017 at 10:18 PM

    I'd want to know so that I could forget about watching what I eat and drink!

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  16. mshatchFebruary 1, 2017 at 5:28 AM

    Yes for three reasons: first, I could put my affairs in order, second, I might be able to prevent it (or my life could turn into final destination), and what Pinky said :)

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  17. Darla M SandsFebruary 1, 2017 at 5:16 PM

    I really enjoyed the comments here! As for me, I'd rather not know. My ultimate preference is to die before I'm physically or mentally wrecked. So that would be useful information.

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  18. Anna (herding cats-burning soup)February 3, 2017 at 9:22 AM

    If I could change the outcome then yeah I'd want to know but if it was like that movie where they dodge death only for it to come another way then another way then another way then nope I wouldn't want to know. And goodness I cannot for the life of me remember that movie title. lol

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I appreciate your comments.

I respond to comments* via email, unless your profile email is not enabled. Then, I'll reply in the comment thread. Eventually. Probably.

*Exception: I do not respond to "what if?" comments, but I do read them all. Those questions are open to your interpretation, and I don't wish to limit your imagination by what I thought the question was supposed to be.

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