When I was reading Exhalation I was a little disgusted at how overly appalled the inhabitants were at the idea that they only had a few centuries left to live. A few centuries?? Please, we're lucky if we even get one. But when I thought about it, it was completely understandable. For one, they thought they were more or less immortal so a revelation that they weren't would be quite disturbing. In further defense of the people in this story, they had lived for countless centuries so how they think of time is different from how I would equate that expanse of time as well. Anyhow, the story mentioned how people were freaking out and doing silly things which made me wonder... what would I do if I knew I wasn't going to live much longer?
I would go to Spain. It's number one on my bucket list (it is part of my major after all). I want to see all the different parts of the country from Andalucia to Madrid to the cliche Barcelona. I would want to live there, meet the people, see how they did things, etc. I am so fascinated with Spanish culture.
I would also like to live long enough to see them take the Heisman from Cam Newton. That would be number two on my bucket list...
What would you do?
It is actually a very difficult question to answer. If we were in that situation, we inevitably would be under a great deal of stress and sweat the small stuff; that could be the only way that we would be able to withstand that amount of stress.
ReplyDeleteBut, if I knew I was not going to live much longer, I know exactly what i would do. First, I would actually go skydiving.(they make you jump with an instructor the first few times)I would also be very interested in traveling to New Zealand. It is like a foreign planet compared to what we have grown accustomed to seeing. The flora and fauna differs from our own in so many respects. Having never been, I can only speculate as to how amazing it is.
I would also like to add that if I am presented this same situation, except a few decades from now, my choices would be very different. I would instead opt to go to the moon or possibly even another planet. This is especially appealing because i am a biology major, and there is almost nothing that is more interesting. I imagine that space travel will soon be privatized at reasonable costs, but that of course requires many technological advances. I don't see it as an unreasonable possibility.
Highly appreciate the Cam Newton comment. Go to hell Auburn.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I did a semester in Mallorca, Spain last year. It was pretty amazing. My one regret was not getting the opportunity to travel through the country as much as I would have liked. It's a beautiful area.
I agree with you, Jennifer! I was getting really exasperated with their reactions. But, at the same time, I was trying to think about it from their perspective - we expect that we'll die one day. They didn't grow up with that same expectation, so it was a completely new revelation to them. But, on the bucket list note, I would really like to have my picture taken with Leonard Nimoy.
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ReplyDeleteBeing aware that my time in this world is already fairly short anyways, I would be sticking to my current life plan. I would hike and camp in and around some of Earths scenic natural locations (Yellowstone, Th Grand Canyon, and I'd like to go back to the alps). I would also save up as much money as possible so I could catch a ride on a privately owned ship into space. I could die happy (happier at least) after getting to look down at our planet from orbit.
ReplyDeleteI live everyday to the fullest anyways! You never know when a car accident or an asteroid or an alien invasion is gonna be the death of you...If I knew my time was soon, I would give my dad back his sports car, donate all my money to my church, and go serve with my friends at the Dream Center in New York.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, I kinda got a fatalistic feeling reading Exhalation. Oh the joy of living in a finite universe...
None of us will live much longer, certainly not from the perspective of the people in "Exhalation." So you all should set about doing all those things you mention.
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