There is an app out there whose sole purpose is to remind you that you are going to die. Five times a day, at unpredictable intervals, the app sends the same blunt, and slightly aggressive, message: “Don’t forget, you are going to die.” The message is accompanied by a quote meant to encourage “contemplation, conscious breathing or meditation,” though oftentimes, they just induce despair and nausea, according to The Atlantic. The app is one of over 1,000 mindfulness apps designed to help users disconnect from their phones. And though it is often a stark reminder of a pretty sad reality, the app also kind of works like a more cynical “Life’s too short!” message.
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