If you could know your future would you want to?

[Missy]

You may or may not be able to change things. It would depend. Some things you probably would be able to change but others you wouldn't be able to change. Just depends on what it is.

Would you rather know or not know? Is ignorance bliss? Or is knowledge power?
So what say you? Yay or nay?

 

[Missy]

I vacillate between yes and no. On one hand I would like to know and it would take the unknown out of the equation. And I can change certain things perhaps for the better.

On the other hand if there are bad things coming that I cannot change I would rather not know. It might ruin the joy I have right now and what good would that do?

 

[lyra]

No way. I'm barely managing day to day as it is. I couldn't stand to know if something bad was going to happen. Day to day is easier.

 

[Missy]

No way. I'm barely managing day to day as it is. I couldn't stand to know if something bad was going to happen. Day to day is easier.

Yes this is a concern. But then I think what about the things we can change if we knew in advance what was going to happen? That could really change things for the better. Of course we would have to take the good with the bad and yeah finding something unpleasant out that we could not change could ruin our present time.

 

[MamaBee]

I wouldn’t want to know. If I knew something bad was going to happen it would ruin the present.

 

[yssie]

Logically... We do know what our futures are - every single one of us knows that we will die. We might not know when or how, but we know that that's what's going to happen. So also logically - if we would change anything meaningful if we knew when or how, then shouldn't that always be something that we change anyway?

Someone I'm very close to had a health scare recently - not Covid, although Covid certainly created hospitalization drama. It made me rethink a lot of what I prioritize, emotionally and in terms of time invested. I need to do a better job of changing my "somethings that I should change anyway".

 

[PreRaphaelite]

I'd want to know so that I would have time to reflect and say goodbyes, and more than anything to say Thank you to those who have made a difference in my small life.

Also, I'd want to make sure that no one had any work to do on my behalf after I'm gone.

 

[anne_h]

When I read this question, I didn't even think about death... I already accept I am going to die, and no, I don't want to know when or where.

My first thought was would I want to know about any bad or difficult things ahead in my life (stuff in work, relationships, with family & kids, etc) and the answer is NO! lol

Anne

 

[pearlsngems]

i vote no-- I'd rather my life unfold one day at a time.

 

[kenny]

This question is a great premise for a Twilight Zone episode.

Entertaining surely, but not something I'd ponder as a reality any more than mental feel-good masturbation stuff for which there's no evidence, like life after death.

 

[AllAboardTheBlingTrain]

I think that knowing what is to come will take both the surprise out of the good things and amplify the dread in the bad things. So in that sense I don’t want to know. I think I would like to be able to pick and choose - know some things (negatives that I can change, or a few positives to come when I’m really upset) but then I’d fear that my knowledge of them will impact them coming true. So on balance it’s probably best to not know.

 

[GreenPapaya]

No, I don't want to know anything about the future! Mine, my family or anyone's! Heck, I don't even want to know anything about the present
I'm currently sticking my head in the sand, I just need a few more days of avoidance to regroup and face life again.

 

[asscherisme]

No way. I'm barely managing day to day as it is. I couldn't stand to know if something bad was going to happen. Day to day is easier.

I totally agree.

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

No way
I have enough trouble getting out of bed now !

 

[LemonMoonLex]

Ive been having dreams about the future since I was a child (my mother has this gift & I believe she could have passed it onto me) along with many other paranormal experiences & I still haven't found a way to really use it for good.

It's not like how it is on tv, just this clear cut image, and even if it is (which it has been), I dream every night and remember them all so I'm never sure which ones are actually premonitions or just my dreams.
I only find out when that scene comes to pass or I get horrible deja vu and clam up because it feels as though I'm reliving it & that I'm on some truman show.

The only thing it has done is made me aware that there is a larger web of energy out there, that some choose to tap into or naturally tap into.

Even if I could differentiate between a regular dream vs. premonitory dream it would be so stressful going around making sure something good I saw somehow came to fruition or something negative that I saw didn't, I don't see how I could function and live a truly happy life as these dreams happen often.

So for me personally would I want to know?

Absolutely not, then there's no purpose for me, if I know every absolute detail about my future and who I will become.

 

[Tartansparkles]

Hmm. If we know the future and take action to stop a bad thing happening, does that mean that the bad thing that didn't happen, because we took action, wasn't the future at all? Makes my brain hurt!

 

[Made in London]

I don't want to know what is in my future.I worry too much already about the bad things that could happen in my life.

 

[Missy]

I'd want to know so that I would have time to reflect and say goodbyes, and more than anything to say Thank you to those who have made a difference in my small life.

Also, I'd want to make sure that no one had any work to do on my behalf after I'm gone.

This resonates with me.

I would add since we might never "know" the future far in advance one can take measures to do the above any way. Always tell the ones we love how much we love and adore and cherish and appreciate them. Make sure the important people in our lives know how grateful we are for them. And have our affairs in as much order as they can possibly be.

 

[Missy]

I don't want to know what is in my future.I worry too much already about the bad things that could happen in my life.

Same. I am a worrier. And a warrior. As one needs to be when one is a worrier lol.

 

[Missy]

Hmm. If we know the future and take action to stop a bad thing happening, does that mean that the bad thing that didn't happen, because we took action, wasn't the future at all? Makes my brain hurt!

The answer is (since I made up this "game" or as @kenny calls it mental m******ation*) it depends. Some things we can change and some we cannot. Just like real life when we find something out (unpleasant or pleasant) in advance. We can make changes for the better so why not here too? I mean let's look at worse case scenario. One finds out they have a deadly disease. If they find out early enough perhaps it can be successfully treated. Knowledge can be power. If one cures oneself of a deadly disease one can go on to live a longer and hopefully happier life but yes changes can and will occur (so the future changes) because said person is now alive. It's complicated as is life in general.

The Robert Frost poem comes to mind.
Perhaps if we had the ability to "see" the future we might take a different path. And yes things would change. For better or worse.

 

[Missy]

Ive been having dreams about the future since I was a child (my mother has this gift & I believe she could have passed it onto me) along with many other paranormal experiences & I still haven't found a way to really use it for good.

It's not like how it is on tv, just this clear cut image, and even if it is (which it has been), I dream every night and remember them all so I'm never sure which ones are actually premonitions or just my dreams.
I only find out when that scene comes to pass or I get horrible deja vu and clam up because it feels as though I'm reliving it & that I'm on some truman show.

The only thing it has done is made me aware that there is a larger web of energy out there, that some choose to tap into or naturally tap into.

Even if I could differentiate between a regular dream vs. premonitory dream it would be so stressful going around making sure something good I saw somehow came to fruition or something negative that I saw didn't, I don't see how I could function and live a truly happy life as these dreams happen often.

So for me personally would I want to know?

Absolutely not, then there's no purpose for me, if I know every absolute detail about my future and who I will become.

You bring up an excellent point. Part of the thrill and adventure that is life is in the not knowing. Seeing it unfold before our eyes can be and often is joyous vs seeing every single detail in clear focus. Which could take the excitement out of things in a way.

 

[Missy]

No way
I have enough trouble getting out of bed now !

LOL I hear you @Daisys and Diamonds!
I wonder if Bruce would want to know the future...

We could have seen the pandemic 2020 coming and been more prepared! Of course if the "geniuses" in charge were paying attention we knew something like this was coming and should have been more prepared. The classic case of ignorance in the face of knowledge but I cannot say more because the topic is verboten.

 

[Missy]

No way. I'm barely managing day to day as it is. I couldn't stand to know if something bad was going to happen. Day to day is easier.

I totally agree.

Yes when things are overwhelming one day at a time (and one hour at a time) is the only way. Just keep on moving forward taking things as they come and doing the best we can. Amen.

 

[Missy]

No, I don't want to know anything about the future! Mine, my family or anyone's! Heck, I don't even want to know anything about the present
I'm currently sticking my head in the sand, I just need a few more days of avoidance to regroup and face life again.

LOL I feel you! Sometimes sticking one'e head in the sand is the only way to get through particularly challenging moments. And we can recharge and face them head on...(((hugs))).

 

[Missy]

This question is a great premise for a Twilight Zone episode.

Entertaining surely, but not something I'd ponder as a reality any more than mental feel-good masturbation stuff for which there's no evidence, like life after death.

Entertaining is good. We have a lot going on in the world and we cannot discuss you know what here so any topic that takes us out of our heads for a bit is entertaining and good. No? I love thinking about different scenarios and this is Hangout after all...

 

[Missy]

I think that knowing what is to come will take both the surprise out of the good things and amplify the dread in the bad things. So in that sense I don’t want to know. I think I would like to be able to pick and choose - know some things (negatives that I can change, or a few positives to come when I’m really upset) but then I’d fear that my knowledge of them will impact them coming true. So on balance it’s probably best to not know.

Same. I would (if I could) just want to know the good but one step further. I would also want to know the "bad" if I could change the bad. So the stuff that cannot be changed that is unpleasant I would rather not know but the stuff that is unpleasant that could be changed for the better well yeah, bring it.

 

[Missy]

When I read this question, I didn't even think about death... I already accept I am going to die, and no, I don't want to know when or where.

My first thought was would I want to know about any bad or difficult things ahead in my life (stuff in work, relationships, with family & kids, etc) and the answer is NO! lol

Anne

Yeah I wasn't referring to death because we all die as @yssie wrote. But rather we would know the circumstances and when and how and why. About it all. When I ponder this issue I always arrive at the same conclusion. No. Unless I could know what I could change for the better. Then I would want to know.

 

[Missy]

i vote no-- I'd rather my life unfold one day at a time.

Yes that choice is really the only one we have in our control anyway. As it unfolds one day, one hour, at a time.

 

[Missy]

Logically... We do know what our futures are - every single one of us knows that we will die. We might not know when or how, but we know that that's what's going to happen. So also logically - if we would change anything meaningful if we knew when or how, then shouldn't that always be something that we change anyway?

Someone I'm very close to had a health scare recently - not Covid, although Covid certainly created hospitalization drama. It made me rethink a lot of what I prioritize, emotionally and in terms of time invested. I need to do a better job of changing my "somethings that I should change anyway".

I am sorry for your loved one's health scare and I hope all is OK now with them. I have had lots of opportunities to ponder life and death issues (unfortunately) and being a worrier anyway has allowed me to prioritize important issues and living life as best I can in the moment. Enjoying each day as that is really the only thing we can be sure of. The here and now. The present. And the present is a present if you kwim. And I take it as such. Every single day.

 

[Missy]

I wouldn’t want to know. If I knew something bad was going to happen it would ruin the present.

Yes that is the main concern as I see it too. Knowing anything bad (that we cannot change) would ruin the present moment and the here and now. And what is the sense in that?


Is there anyone who feels differently? That knowing is better than not knowing despite finding out things that would be upsetting? There must be because when I look at the poll results over 27% ( 6 out of 22 voters currently) of those who voted chose #1 that knowledge is power and they would want to know the future. Please weigh in here with a post explaining. If you dare...