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

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Discussion Overview

The thread explores hypothetical scenarios regarding how individuals might prepare for an impending extinction-level event, specifically focusing on what actions they would take in the final month leading up to such an event. The discussion includes personal reflections, emotional responses, and various lifestyle choices, blending humor with serious contemplation.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants express a desire to spend quality time with loved ones and make amends for past actions.
  • Others suggest indulging in extravagant food and drink, emphasizing a hedonistic approach to the end of the world.
  • A few participants propose practical survival strategies, including stockpiling food and preparing for societal breakdown.
  • Some express skepticism about human behavior in crisis, questioning whether people would come together or descend into chaos.
  • There are humorous suggestions about engaging in reckless or adventurous activities as a form of escapism.
  • Several participants mention the idea of living each day as if it were their last, indicating a philosophical approach to life and impending doom.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally share a mix of lighthearted and serious responses, with no clear consensus on how humanity would react to such a scenario. Multiple competing views remain regarding the emotional and practical responses to an impending apocalypse.

Contextual Notes

Some discussions hinge on assumptions about societal behavior in crisis situations, which remain unresolved. The emotional and psychological aspects of facing an apocalypse are also explored but not definitively concluded.

Who May Find This Useful

Readers interested in speculative discussions about human behavior in extreme scenarios, as well as those exploring philosophical questions about life and mortality.

Ivan Seeking
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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 :)
 

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