Decide Quote by Julian Barnes
““And what percentage of people take up the option to die off?’ She looked at me, her glance telling me to be calm. ‘Oh, a hundred per cent, of course. Over many thousands of years, calculated by old time, of course. But yes, everyone takes the option, sooner or later.’ ‘So it’s just like the first time round? You always die in the end?’ ‘Yes, except don’t forget the quality of life here is much better. People die when they decide they’ve had enough, not before. The second time round it’s altogether more satisfying because it’s willed.’ She paused, then added, ‘As I say, we cater for what people want.’ I hadn’t been blaming her. I’m not that sort. I just wanted to find out how the system worked. ‘So … even people, religious people, who come here to worship God throughout eternity … they end up throwing in the towel after a few years, hundred years, thousand years?’ ‘Certainly. As I said, there are still a few Old Heaveners around, but their numbers are diminishing all the time.””
About This Quote
The dialogue explores a society where death is a selectable, often‑chosen end, emphasizing personal agency over mortality and the diminishing role of religious belief.
In simple terms: Death as a voluntary, managed choice.
Key Takeaway
Choice reshapes meaning of life.
Themes
mortality
agency
technology
religion
existentialism
Mood
thoughtful
dystopian
Type
dialogue
philosophical
When to use this quote
- future dystopian setting
- ethical debates on euthanasia
- societal impact of life‑extension tech
Key Concepts
voluntary death
quality of life
cultural shift
Practical Applications
- speculative fiction world‑building
- philosophical discourse on death
Questions to Reflect On
- What does voluntary death imply about the value we assign to life?
- How might societies preserve purpose when mortality is no longer inevitable?
A Different Perspective
If death is optional, the urgency that gives life meaning may erode, leading to existential ennui.
