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Published on March 31, 2008

This is the theme of a popular Japanese manga (comic book) called "Ikigami". It is set in a kingdom where one in 1,000 people are injected with a nano-capsule set to explode - for the kingdom's prosperity - when the person turns 18, Twenty-four hours prior to the big bang, the victims receive an "Ikigami", or death message. With that as a pass, the victims can board trains or planes free of charge and their families can get financial gains.

I just finished the first two episodes, and they are really impressive. In the first episode, a man hunted down those who caused him mental anguish during his childhood.

The second man mustered all his energy to sing the best songs to the world.

With an "Ikigami", people could come up with creative or destructive  ways of living their  last 24 hours.

What if an "Ikigami" is sent to all the people on earth? And if all nuclear warheads are nano-capsules in the comic, and would be detonated at the same time in the next 24 hours?

I imagine people in Africa would stop killing each other, knowing that tomorrow nobody would be around to rule.

People working for global organisations like the World Bank or World Trade Organisation would rush home to spend their remaining time with their families instead of dealing with years-long conflicts in many parts of the world.

 All shops would be left empty, opened to all who still yearn for the lavishness of pricey items. Of course, if you walk into a diamond shop and take the most expensive necklace, nobody will come after you, as there's too little time for that.

There could be crazy guys who could not bear the pressure. They could come out onto the street to hurt others, with whatever weapons they have. Like I said above, the death message could drive people towards a peaceful or destructive resolution.

Then, I wonder what would happen with all the money at banks. We all know that the value of the available money on earth is way beyond the actual amount of notes and coins. Some mad technology-savvy men who may want to be known to the Death Angel as the richest guys on earth could manipulate the system to have the money transferred to their accounts.

Who would care? We won't be alive to spend our money.

What worries me is if mobile phone and Internet networks could handle the flood of messages. While it seems nonsense to lead a busy life for financial security, it does not seem nonsense at all for telecom companies to invest now.

Achara Deboonme

achara_d@nationgroup.com

The Nation