In this thread, the President comes on screen and warns that universal death is imminent - like a few hours.
I was wondering -
Suppose Bush addressed the nation, and warned us that it had been definitely established that a huge asteroid was going to hit the Earth and destroy all life - but the expected impact date was ten years in the future?
Assume for the sake of the thread that it was quite certain to be true. The asteroid is roughly the size of Jupiter, and rocky, so atom bombs are not going to divert it Just in ten years, not overnight.
I’d assume Bush was lying (like I always do) and verify it elsewhere. If it turned out to be true then I’d wait to see how the rest of the world reacted before I made any more plans. I’d have to believe there would be severe repercussions for the economy and some degree of anarchy. Mostly, I would just hope to live my life as normally as possible until the end. I’d probably make an effort to do some world travelling with my family, though. I want to go to Israel before I die.
Doesn’t make much sense to me, so I wouldn’t do anyhting until I had done enough research to see what the truth was.
As pointed out in that other thread, a mass the size of Jupiter is planet, not an asteroid. I can’t to imagine how such a mass could get mobile, so I can’t imagine how I’d deal with it. It’s like asking what I’d do if the president told me that marshmallows were shooting people. It’s a state that makes no sense in my perception of how the universe works, so I simply cant imagine how I’d react to such news. For it to be triue there must be a very important peice of information missing form the picture that will totally change how I react.
With real asteroids being rocky is an advantage, not a disadvantge when it comes to dealing with them, particularly if we have 10 years. Rocky asteroids can be a real bugger to deflect because they tend to fragment and absorb pressure. A rocky asteroid can be easily pushed out of the way by nukes or simply by attaching motors. Over a period of 10 years even solar sails would probably work.
So the short answer is that I’d start doing whatever I could that’s practical. Given a 10 year period of grace there has to be something we can do to increase the odds in our favour. Since I have no technical skills in astrophysics, aeronautics etc. it would probably come down to volunteering for the “Save the Humans” campaign. Lobbying poiliticians and industry, starting campaigns to encourage others to lobby politicians and industry, collecting donations for the “build the big rocket motor” campaign". All that sort of thing.
One thing I wouldn’t be doing is waiting around, living life as normal and being fatalastic. This is a real-world problem based on the laws of physics and a long time away. Thus at least potentially soluble, and I’d be trying my damndest to help solve it however I could.
And of course everyone knows we should also be trying to enlist the dolphins in the “Save the Humans” campaign.
I’d assume that, upon the news getting out, civilization as I know it is pretty much going to collapse fairly quick, so I wouldn’t really plan on living very long. Like infrastructure will collapse and I’ll starve; or some fanatic in Eurasia is going to press “The Button” and start WWIII; or I’ll get shot by some lunatic who went on a killing spree through town after the news drives him nuts. Or maybe the shock/horror/grief will just get to me first, and I’d blow my head off or jump off a cliff.
On a related note, anyone else see the movie Last Night, by any chance? Kinda touches on the same theme.
Well, for one thing, I’d quit worrying about saving for retirement! Some of my retirement money would go for travel, in fact, while it was practical.
My friends would be involved in brain-storming sessions trying to work their way out of it, and I’d be in them with them. These friends include a science fiction writer and several genius engineers, so there might be a chance, but I think that goes against the spirit of the OP.
Basically, I’d continue to try to live life to the fullest and enjoy it as much as I can. While it would be a disappointment, I don’t think it would destroy my faith. The world has to end sometime; I’m just happier assuming I won’t be around to see it. If the way I’ve lived the last 40 years of my life hasn’t pleased God, then I don’t see why He’ll be fooled by me radicalling changing my behaviour when faced with certain death. I hope God’s smarter than that.
Shodan, I have a question for you. I gather you consider yourself very much a Christian, and a conservative one, as opposed to my rather liberal form of Christianity. In the other thread, you said you’d live your life the way you always had, but you didn’t mention prayer. I did. Some of this is coming out old injuries when conservative Christians have said I’m not a real Christian because of my views, but I’m wondering why you didn’t mention praying. I promise you, I’m not asking out of malice, anger, or a desire to hurt you or call you out, but out of genuine curiousity. Consider it along the lines of my confusion when faced with Christians who don’t give things up for Lent.
Gee, I would have to give up a lifelong self-imposed ban on owning guns and buy many with much ammo and practice.
I would immediately join any worldwide project to try and either divert the asteroid or Build an Ark to escape this poor planet.
I would not expect to be on it but I would hope maybe my kids or niece or nephew might be given the chance, but I would try to help others escape, even if I knew up front that no one in my family would have a chance.
I would definately stop worrying about retirement.
I would do everything possible to give mankind hope of escape.
I am ex-navy and a huge Sci-fi Fan. I would believe until the last day, we could do something.
