Expiration Date

Summary

In a society where individuals' "expiration dates" are determined at birth, a teenager grapples with the decision to accept a mandatory government-enforced tattoo of their death date or to join a group of rebels who oppose this practice.

Abstract

The narrative revolves around a world transformed by Dr. Karla Stein's discovery, which allows the prediction of a person's death date, known as their expiration date, at the time of their birth. This knowledge, intended to guide people in making better life choices, has instead led to increased chaos and stricter government control, including the requirement for citizens to wear their expiration date as a tattoo. A group of dissenters, including the writer's parents, believe that not knowing one's expiration date is crucial to life's meaning and value. On the eve of the protagonist's 15th birthday, they face the dilemma of either accepting the tattoo or fleeing the city to join like-minded individuals who reject the notion of knowing when they will die.

Opinions

The author suggests that Dr. Stein's intention for the expiration date discovery to be beneficial has backfired, leading to a more controlled and chaotic society.
There is a clear division of beliefs regarding the value of knowing one's expiration date; some see it as a way to enhance life, while others view it as a detriment to the meaning of life.
The government's enforcement of tattooing expiration dates is seen as an infringement on personal freedom and is met with resistance from a group of people who are eventually exiled.
The protagonist, though raised by grandparents who support the system, sympathizes with the rebels' perspective and is torn between familial loyalty and personal conviction.
The act of getting a tattoo of one's expiration date is perceived as a significant and life-altering event, symbolizing acceptance of the societal norm or submission to government authority.
The narrative implies that the mystery of life's end is what propels individuals to find meaning and value in their existence.

Writer’s Sunday Prompt #1

I’m supposed to find out when I die. There’s nothing I can do about it, and honestly, it’s depressing. A few decades ago, humans found out what we now call our expiration date.

For years humans have been obsessed with death and the dread of not knowing when their last day on earth would be. Then, one day, a brilliant doctor named Dr. Karla Stein figured out a way to predict the expiration of each human.

She realized the test needed to be done the day the person was born. She predicted that when a person was born on that same day, the person’s death was established. So now, in the first hour of a person’s life, they are not only checked for the usual medical things but are also tested to find their expiration date.

Dr. Stein felt this knowledge would help people make better decisions in life. The discovery may have helped some people, but it didn’t help others. Instead, it caused the world to be more chaotic.

Free Will and knowing one’s expiration date is a bad mixture.

Our country had gotten so crazy that the government had to step in and take over. As a result, we now have stricter laws than we did before. For example, the government has forced people to wear their expiration date on their forearms. In addition, when we turn a certain age, it is tattooed on us.

A group of people opposed the government and opposed Dr. Stien saying that her research was inhumane. This group of people believed that not knowing your expiration date is what made life worth living. They said it’s what gave life meaning. You were more likely to work harder to find value in life because you didn’t know when your time would come.

When the government made it a requirement to give expiration dates after birth, that group of people protested. They were captured and kicked out. They now live outside of the city.

I’ve only grown up with my grandparents as my parents were part of that group. The government took me away from my mom once I was born and gave me to my grandparents. That’s because some legal battle went on before I was born, and my grandparents won.

Today I turned 15, and I’m supposed to get the tattoo of my expiration date. I know what my grandparents taught me, but the thought of finding out that date freaks me out.

There is another option, but that requires leaving the city never returning. A group of teens has been planning to run away to avoid the expiration date for a while now. We all believe what others believe that we shouldn’t know.

I love my grandparents, and they have always been good to me, but I don’t believe what they have taught me. I also want the opportunity to meet my parents if they’re still around.

That is why I’m lying here awake at 2:00 am deciding if in 30 minutes I will meet up with the group of teens or if I will roll back over and go back to sleep, and in the morning get the stamp of my expiration.

Thank you for reading if you would like to support me you can buy me a cup of tea it’s what I drink when I write. Maybe it’s in my head, but I feel I write best when I drink tea.