Parsing “The Measure”
Over the weekend, I finished a novel called The Measure. It poses a simple but unsettling question –
What if you knew exactly how long you were going to live?
In the book, every adult receives a box with a string inside—the length of the string represents the exact length of their life. As soon as I understood the premise I was really intrigued to see how the characters would live their lives, interact with others and whether they would try to take matters into their own hands.
Some people open the box immediately. A number of others never open the box. It set up a new world paradigm where people began relating to each other based on their now known lifespan. It was eerily reflective of how easily judgment can be passed based on limited information.
It also got me thinking about certainty and whether too much certainty is a “good thing.” Could too much certainty make our lives feel smaller?
If you knew your exact lifespan:
How would you approach taking risks?
Would you delay experiences because you knew you had a long time to live?
When it comes to investing and planning, we’ve always joked that we wish we had more certainty. However, the reality is that investments only grow and, in the end, plans only work because there is some degree of uncertainty. It is in the “not-knowing” and in the actual risk of loss that allows for growth. Almost like the PrairieFire metaphor – burn away the old to make room for new growth.
If you’ve read The Measure, I’d love to hear your take. My attention span for new authors and topics tends to be much too short. This one kept me engaged until the end.
