How will humanity prepare for the end of the world in 5113 years?

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The discussion revolves around hypothetical scenarios if humanity had only one month left before an extinction-level event. Participants share personal reflections on how they would spend their last days, with many emphasizing the importance of family, making amends, and indulging in life's pleasures, such as food and experiences. Some express a desire to live life to the fullest, while others contemplate the breakdown of society and the chaos that would ensue. The conversation touches on philosophical themes regarding death, existence, and the human experience in the face of impending doom. Ultimately, the thread blends humor with serious reflections on mortality and the meaning of life.
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We were joking about the 2012 end of the world stuff and rootx suggested a thread asking what people are going to do with their last month. So, for the fun of it, what if we really did only have one month until some kind of unavoidable extinction level event wipes out life on the planet? What would you do between now and December 21st?

There is a wonderful movie that deals with the idea of the last night on earth, called Last Night [1998], strangely enough. It was available for streaming at Netflix but is offline at the moment.

What do you do when you have six hours to live? Last Night chronicles a small group of people whose lives intersect as a nameless apocalypse descends on them, which director Don McKellar handles with grace and solemn dignity. A woman (Sandra Oh) tries to locate her husband to fulfill a suicide pact, while a young man (Callum Keith Rennie) has a rendezvous with a former high school teacher.
Netflix
 
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Just read On the beach. People would paint the fence and plant new crops for next year. Life goes on. Anyway I got no time to think about it. I have to hurry to be at Bugarach in time.
 
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Ivan Seeking said:
So, for the fun of it, what if we really did only have one month until some kind of unavoidable extinction level event wipes out life on the planet? What would you do between now and December 21st?

I'd get my Christmas shopping done.
 
I'd be studying for my coming exam.
 
A guy on another forum I frequent has a countdown in his sig - X days, X hours, X minutes...until everybody suddenly stops talking about the Maya. :smile:

What would I do if I knew the apocalypse was coming? I've no particular ambitions achievable in this timescale. I would try to be the best man, husband and father I can. Die with my boots on, civilian style, basically. And keep on teaching my son to read - you never know.
 
Make things right as much as possible:

I'd apologize to everyone for every stupid action, lie, dishonest act, and wrongful thing I've ever done. I would also thank the people in my life who don't realize how much they have effected me in life.

Spend as much time with my daughter and tell my current girlfriend of 3 years that I'm ultimately grateful for her love towards me-an undeserving fool.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone.
 
I'd spend all of my money buying all of the best foods I've never allowed myself to splurge on, and share with friends and family, one HUGE BINGE. Unfortunately, one month wouldn't be long enough to travel to all of the places I have yet to visit. Besides, who's going to be working?
 
czelaya said:
I'd apologize to everyone for every stupid action, lie, dishonest act, and wrongful thing I've ever done. I would also thank the people in my life who don't realize how much they have effected me in life.
That's also on my to-do list :smile:
 
rootX said:
That's also on my to-do list :smile:
They're all going to die and won't remember, go out and have fun instead!
 
  • #10
I don't know what I'd do. Maybe buy a ticket for Mars or the Moon since the Earth would be toasted.
Evo said:
I'd spend all of my money buying all of the best foods I've never allowed myself to splurge on, and share with friends and family, one HUGE BINGE.

Excuse me for my curiosity but I'd love to hear about some of these "foods". :smile:
Foods I've never tried but would like to try is ocsypek (borek knows this), a truffle (ok this one is so expensive! I think it's over 1000 dollars for 1 kilogram). And maybe the fugu fish just for fun.
 
  • #11
Evo said:
They're all going to die and won't remember, go out and have fun instead!
That's true. Maybe, I should borrow some money from them, buy some expensive food too and elope with all the food to Bora Bora :devil:
 
  • #12
rootX said:
That's true. Maybe, I should borrow some money from them, buy some expensive food too and elope with all the food to Bora Bora :devil:
Ooh, I'm coming with you!
 
  • #13
"I'd spend all of my money"

you guys sound like good marks for an end of the world scam.
 
  • #14
mathwonk said:
"I'd spend all of my money"

you guys sound like good marks for an end of the world scam.
LOL! Well, it would have to be REALLY certain. So far I have not been rooked by any of the end of the world scams. :-p

But, never say never. And "all of my money" comes to about $150, unless I don't pay that last month's rent.
 
  • #15
I doubt I would live for a month since society would probably break down nearly completely after such a revelation.
 
  • #16
Drakkith said:
I doubt I would live for a month since society would probably break down nearly completely after such a revelation.
That's really sad. You would think that if the end is here for everyone, everyone would try to make the end the best for all.

But that's just me hoping that humans won't act like humans.
 
  • #17
Evo said:
Ooh, I'm coming with you!
As far you promise not to eat all my chocolates :rolleyes:
 
  • #18
Andre said:
Just read On the beach. People would paint the fence and plant new crops for next year. Life goes on. ...
Yep. I'd be right here on Physics Forums.
 
  • #19
Evo said:
That's really sad. You would think that if the end is here for everyone, everyone would try to make the end the best for all.

But that's just me hoping that humans won't act like humans.

Well, its more like the breakdown of the economy. Why go to work when you won't even live for another month? Very soon supplies are gone and you are starving. What then?
 
  • #20
Drakkith said:
Well, its more like the breakdown of the economy. Why go to work when you won't even live for another month? Very soon supplies are gone and you are starving. What then?
I have enough food in my pantry and freezer/fridge to last more than a month without shopping.

I would raid the gourmet shops for the best items though. I mean, come on, it's the end of the world, what are you saving it for?

Oh and the liquor stores, time to get drunk, eh?
 
  • #21
Evo said:
I have enough food in my pantry and freezer/fridge to last more than a month without shopping.

I would raid the gourmet shops for the best items though. I mean, come on, it's the end of the world, what are you saving it for?

Oh and the liquor stores, time to get drunk, eh?

Ah, but the catch is that so would everyone else.
 
  • #22
I would do what every sensible man should do : try to survive... I don't know : try to bribe god, call Batman for help, even a voodoo ceremony... Yeah, a voodoo ceremony...
 
  • #23
Things would be a mess... I'd probably do something pretty crazy at the last minute, like try to steal a fighter jet and take it for a joy ride. I would probably be looking for all of those big thrills that might be too risky in normal circumstances... and a few would probably be X rated! :smile:
 
  • #24
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UwqgGgAWcGA
 
  • #25
Evo said:
I have enough food in my pantry and freezer/fridge to last more than a month without shopping.

I would raid the gourmet shops for the best items though. I mean, come on, it's the end of the world, what are you saving it for?

Oh and the liquor stores, time to get drunk, eh?
End of the World Party at Evo's. BYOAFLB.
 
  • #26
Evo said:
Oh and the liquor stores, time to get drunk, eh?
That bottle whiskey I always wanted to have but never got courage to spend that much money in the liquor store :biggrin:
 
  • #27
I would definitely cut off all of the tags on my pillows that say DO NOT REMOVE THIS TAG.

The toilet seat would always be left in the "up" position.

I would eat bacon and pizza as much as possible and then have Half&Half with 3 Musketeers Bars for desert.
 
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  • #28
I probably wouldn't change a thing isn't it sad?
 
  • #29
Containment said:
I probably wouldn't change a thing isn't it sad?

You would get up to an alarm clock every day and go to work or school? I seriously doubt that.
 
  • #30
No actually I just live every day like it's my last because more then likely it will be :)
 
  • #31
Containment said:
No actually I just live every day like it's my last because more then likely it will be :)

Sounds a bit like me. I was having so much fun in my 20's, that I never expected to make 30.
Then when I made thirty, I joked about having lived a whole lifetime in the course of ten years.
This made people around me nervous, as I suppose I sounded a bit suicidal. "If I should die tomorrow, do not weep, for I've lived more than 100 people do in 100 years."
Then I hit 40, and then I hit 50.

hmmmm...

I think I would do like Evo: Buy a few bottles of fine Scotch, some very good cheese, sit on my front porch, and watch people panic.

People are very fun to watch.

hmmm...

But then again, Don does have a very good point.

Are we having an end of the world chat?
 
  • #32
I would actually probably move back to the state I was born for that last month Minnesota winters are my fav :)
 
  • #33
I'd try starting a new religion on the spot. If there would be people who'd survive, I might just become the new prophet haha.
 
  • #34
I dunno. Talking bout total life extinction. No escape?I would get so high with LSD and 5-MeO-DMT during the last minutes and hope the dream will last.

... Or just sit with my family on our fav couch. ^_^
 
  • #35
Containment said:
No actually I just live every day like it's my last because more then likely it will be :)

And when you sit down and think deeply of how you, as a human being, is exposed to death any time and at any place, it feels painful. It's really scary every time I think about it. What then? is there really anything waits for us after death or it's just that, an eternal sleep in a very dark place.

I die and don't know what the world will be like 50 years later! what's the purpose of life? what's going to happen to Earth and to people? will humans go extinct? are life and the universe just a cyclic process (cyclic model)? if it's a cyclic universe, would I have another chance living on the new Earth with a new consciousness? it all comes down to thinking, why is there something rather than nothing?
 
  • #36
Abstr7ct said:
And when you sit down and think deeply of how you, as a human being, is exposed to death any time and at any place, it feels painful. It's really scary every time I think about it. What then? is there really anything waits for us after death or it's just that, an eternal sleep in a very dark place.

I die and don't know what the world will be like 50 years later! what's the purpose of life? what's going to happen to Earth and to people? will humans go extinct? are life and the universe just a cyclic process (cyclic model)? if it's a cyclic universe, would I have another chance living on the new Earth with a new consciousness? it all comes down to thinking, why is there something rather than nothing?
It doesn't matter because you will no longer exist to think about it.
 
  • #37
I'd hack into the television network, and start broadcasting the word "exterminate" into space with all the satellites' power. Hopefully then the aliens coming to destroy Earth will think we've already been invaded by Daleks, and be too scared to attack.
 
  • #38
I would acquire as many puppies as possible, fill my flat with them, and play amongst them until the end.
 
  • #39
nobahar said:
I would acquire as many puppies as possible, fill my flat with them, and play amongst them until the end.
Strangely philosophical - I like it.
 
  • #40
nobahar said:
I would acquire as many puppies as possible, fill my flat with them, and play amongst them until the end.
Oooooh, yes, and kittens, and all of my favorite foods.
 
  • #41
I'm thinking about people who can't spend their time with their beloved 1s, so I guess first of all I'd want to help these people...
 
  • #42
Abstr7ct said:
And when you sit down and think deeply of how you, as a human being, is exposed to death any time and at any place, it feels painful. It's really scary every time I think about it. What then? is there really anything waits for us after death or it's just that, an eternal sleep in a very dark place.
It isn't scary. Being a die-hard Atheist, I know that there is nothing after life. While I'm not afraid of death, I don't like to envision a Universe that doesn't include me.
I would do nothing differently than I do now. Four years ago, my doctor gave me 6 months to live. I told him to "something" off, because that was unacceptable. A year and a half ago, he proved me wrong. I did not at all like my brief period of being dead, however, and so put it aside. Things were acceptable until a month ago, when I once again had to depart my home via ambulance. I got back home a couple of days ago, but now am on oxygen full-time. That's okay, because I quite smoking back when I died from it. Not much chance of exploding, since I don't use ignition sources any more.
When it comes to death: been there, done that, didn't like it, got over it, don't intend to repeat the experience.
 
  • #43
Lisa! said:
I'm thinking about people who can't spend their time with their beloved 1s, so I guess first of all I'd want to help these people...
:!) Nice Lisa :!)

:approve:
 
  • #44
I will die on my own terms.
 
  • #45
Danger said:
It isn't scary. Being a die-hard Atheist, I know that there is nothing after life. While I'm not afraid of death, I don't like to envision a Universe that doesn't include me.

I'm still young and perhaps naive, but I think of death as the greatest mystery. I don't know if there's an afterlife, but I hope they have telescopes there if there is. But I take pride in the fact that everything I've done in life, even the simple act of breathing, has influenced the future of the universe forever. Even if it is only a tiny influence.
 
  • #46
Something that hasnt been said Read faster
 
  • #47
mathsciguy said:
I'd try starting a new religion on the spot. If there would be people who'd survive, I might just become the new prophet haha.

Praise be to the Prophet Haha!
 
  • #48
Ivan Seeking said:
Praise be to the Prophet Haha!
Ah, ha, Haha!
 
  • #49
Ivan Seeking said:
Praise be to the Prophet Haha!

...and more praise for the profit :devil:!
 
  • #50
lisab said:
...and more praise for the profit :devil:!

Hush, my disciple.
 

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