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just thinking

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Just a random question that I'm curious about:

Say you were given an object that represented your lifespan. An hourglass, a clock, a candle, whatever. Not only does that object represent how much time you have, but if anything should happen to it, you could die.

Would you want to keep it, or give it back?

I think that the answer could say a lot about a person, but I dunno.

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I'd keep it in a closet or something. Admittedly I'd rather break it, because it makes me think of a deadline, and deadlines don't make me work fast lol. Probably slower, in fact. But, well, the chance of dying because of it breaking is a bit more of a risk.

And I couldn't really leave my life in someone else's hands. Especially since I'm not sure if I'm familiar with who's giving it to me. Like... if for some reason it was my mom or brother giving it to me? I'd probably give it back.

... So this person that would give me the object in the first place, if I gave it back, could I trust the object to be safe? Or would I be risking that person destroying it and killing me?

That was the first thing that came to mind before any debate about whether or not I'd keep it.

That probably says something about me right there...

That's the point. Do you trust this other person, being, whatever, with your life, or do you take it into your own hands?

I'd still have to know who this other person/being/thing/whatever is first of all. This person already had my life as an object in their hands. I am being offered this object. I can accept or refuse the offer. That stays the same no matter who this person is based on your entry.

My thought process would then be different depending on that person. A benevolent being, malicious being, god, demon, angel, Spin, guy down the street, Tanaka, my mom, strange fortune teller half a country away, Derek, Derrick, a fuzzy bunny, Godzilla, Great Fairy from Zelda, the president, and so on...

If I felt the person would harm the object, I'd take it. If I felt the person wouldn't hurt it, then I'd start the debate on whether I'd be better suited to hold on to it. Could the person protect it better than me? Would it be a burden to the person? Why would the person do so? Is it the person's job?

I'm not getting to the part of knowing my lifespan or anything. I'm still thinking about this person.

... Actually, whether or not I'd believe that object was my life in the first place would also be dependent on that person.

What if, say, the object was left on your doorstep, with just a note explaining what it was, and you could choose to accept or reject it?

You totally make valid points, I'm just curious.

I'd still question if that object was in fact connected to my life or a silly joke. I think I would bring it in the house, regardless on whether or not I believed it because why the would I leave anything on the doorstep like that? (assuming the object doesn't look like a bomb or camera, but something safe)

I might stick it on the table by the front door for a while then put it on top of my bookcase or something. I may peek a glance at it from time to time to see if anything changed, like the note said. Only if I saw a change that couldn't be explained by some natural force (e.g. water evaporating), then I might believe that the object was in fact connected to me.

By that time, that would make it seem like I accepted, huh? In truth, I'd still be too concerned with the origin of the object and whether or not I believed it. My first thought would be to not believe it.

I'm assuming that the only one who would have an object pertaining that close to my life would be God, and I'd be giving it right the hell back. There are things that I just do not want to know beforehand.

OH AND. I am also terrible with fragile things, so I would be afraid of inadvertantly breaking it. Definitely return to sender.

Edited 2009-12-16 05:52 (UTC)

I would return it. I would immediately return it and if I could avoid looking at it at all in the first place, all the better. I do not want to know how much time I have left. I would either end up rushing to get everything done or procrastinating until it's too late. I do everything I want at my own pace and I like it that way.

If we're talking like a normal person giving me something like that, I'd be keeping it |D that's my first thought.

But, if we're talking a higher God or something, then I'd be giving it back. Or attempting to anyway, as I need to get better about that whole trusting things will work out thing >_>

I'd want to know why the heck somebody else is holding my life! I'll be taking that yesterday, thanks. ... I wonder belatedly about the exact scenario, but figure it doesn't really matter.

You're right, that does say a lot about a person. Their answer as well as the questions they ask before answering.

I would say it depends on who is giving it to me...but then again how do you KNOW this crazy random stranger with your life-item ISN'T an angel/God/deity/etc.

So...I think I would take it. However, I would make sure to secure it some place else because I've seen how those items turn out and they almost always get broken if you keep them on your person.

I'm not sure how I would do that exactly...but yeah.

I wouldn't believe that the object represented my life. I'd think that's a load of bull. So I'd probably laugh it off, say something like, "Yeah, okay dude, whatever you say," and not even take it in the first place.

Unless, of course, the person giving it to me proves that that is my life right there. In which case I have no idea what I'd do about it, because on the one hand, I want to determine my own damn fate, and on the other, I'd want to be sure that the thing's safe on the off-chance that I could die if something happened to it.

In the end, I'd probably keep it, both to ensure its safety and to have it as a physical reminder of who and what I'll be proving wrong as I make my own life. :)

Also I would probably be interested in studying the hell out of this object to try and figure out just how a physical object representing my life could be possible. I wouldn't go mad scientist on the thing, just probably turn it over in my hands, stare at it, maybe even try to take it apart to see how it works if it's something that can be taken apart like that, idk.

Edited 2009-12-16 16:38 (UTC)

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