Humans, some of them at least, have dreamed to be able to see into the future. History tells us that humans in the ancient times had been fixated in knowing the future: oracles of Delphi, the Norns, the prophets in the Abrahamic religions, and even until today. These so-called fortune-tellers and soothsayers dedicate their time (or maybe even their lives) to impart amongst the common humans the knowledge of the future. This act is regarded by the modern age as a lie or a mere hobby, but what if humans can actually see into the future?
Adherents of the horoscope hobby merely match up any events to the vague prophecy if hearing the prophecy comes later. Since horoscopes are made to be vague, there is a large enough chance that some event in the person's day is coincidentally similar to the prophecy. However, if the hearing the prophecy comes first, it might as well become a self-fulfilling prophecy when the adherent uses it as a guide to his life.
But what if humans can actually see into the future? If there is only a fixed future (a prophecy wherein foreseen events cannot be changed), then they will have to act accordingly and whatever action they do to act against this destiny will still coincide with the prophecy, like the story of Oedipus Rex. If the visions granted are those of possible futures, the adherent will just pick the one that is most desirable and follow the steps that leads to that outcome.
In this world where humans can see into the fixed future, the concepts of risk, accident, prevention, precaution, choice, chance, luck, et cetera will be abolished. They will be thrown into complacency and helplessness since decision-making will also be discarded. Any emergencies that will occur won't. They will literally have no choice but to follow their unchangeable destinies.
But if that had been since the beginning, life in that world would be linear and monotonous. "Development" and "progress" will also be illusions since they're predetermined. In that world, games and adventures don't exist; their fun must be derived somewhere inconceivable in this world.
However, in the scenario of humans being able to see possible futures, they will have to live in a meta-life instead of the actual life. Instead of deciding what choices to make in a real life situation, decision will be escalated into choosing what possible future will be more desirable. Life itself would be meaningless since the focus is shifted to religiously choosing futures; since humans will be fixated in the future, they will forget to live in the present.
In all honesty, I can't see why humans are fixated in knowing future events supernaturally when living life is more fun when you are fixated in the present and oblivious to an extent to what will happen to the future. A subjective view, yes, but I'm talking from the side of beings that live in a world where premonition is impossible. Aren't we all?
Carpe diem quam minimum credula postero.
