Let’s explore the accepted definitions of “Deadline”
What Is a Deadline, Really?
Traditionally, a deadline is defined as a time or date by which something must be completed. But the origin of the term is much darker. It came from American Civil War prisons, where a “dead line” marked the boundary prisoners could not cross without being shot. From literal life-or-death consequences, it evolved into something more psychological—yet still stressful—applied to the world of publishing, journalism, and the arts.
Today, a deadline is a finish line. A marker of commitment. A line in the sand between “someday” and “done.”
You will have an opinion, likely a strong one, no matter where you stand on the recent brouhaha that saw Susan G. Komen Foundation (SGK) defund Planned Parenthood for providing mammograms to poor women. That’s about $700,000 a year in lost support.