# What would shock you the most? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 5, 2018, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-shock-you-the-most/815486 "2018-06-05T20:58:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Atomic\_Alex](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atomic_alex/32/175_2.png) [@Atomic\_Alex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atomic_Alex)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2018, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-shock-you-the-most/815486/1 "2018-06-05T20:58:13Z")
I was just mulling over today that everytime I think I can no longer be shocked or surprised someone, somewhere, manages it. It made me wonder what people here would be most shocked by if it was announced and turned out to be true. I’m thinking of things along the lines of the Pope holding a special conference to announce that he has been struggling with his faith for a long time and has decided to renounce his title and position and is now a declared athiest. That would be pretty shocking _(and actually might make an interesting thread, how would the Catholic Church and world react to it)_. Well, what would shock you? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2018, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-shock-you-the-most/815486/2 "2018-06-05T21:03:52Z")
> [@Atomic\_Alex](#): > > I’m thinking of things along the lines of the Pope holding a special conference to announce that he has been struggling with his faith for a long time and has decided to renounce his title and position and is now a declared athiest. …on the same day that Richard Dawkins announces he’s committing his life to Christ. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2018, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-shock-you-the-most/815486/3 "2018-06-05T21:14:00Z")
There are millions of things that could shock; I am guessing the OP is aiming for plausible-but-only-very-borderline and also high-profile examples. One would be the NFL or NBA openly admitting to rigging games. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2018, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-shock-you-the-most/815486/4 "2018-06-05T21:20:09Z")
The NRA announcing that they have been listening to their membership (who overwhelmingly support some gun control measures such as universal background checks) and will actually support those measures. ---
**Author:** ![campp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@campp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/campp)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2018, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-shock-you-the-most/815486/5 "2018-06-05T21:48:43Z")
Actual verifiable aliens showing up and not hiding at all. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2018, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-shock-you-the-most/815486/6 "2018-06-05T21:55:23Z")
Donald Trump leaving the White House in any way other than a body bag. ---
**Author:** ![Alpha\_Twit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alpha_twit/32/265_2.png) [@Alpha\_Twit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alpha_Twit)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2018, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-shock-you-the-most/815486/7 "2018-06-05T22:01:28Z")
All McDonald’s restaurants going vegan. ---
**Author:** ![snfaulkner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snfaulkner/32/433_2.png) [@snfaulkner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snfaulkner)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2018, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-shock-you-the-most/815486/8 "2018-06-05T22:11:10Z")
A couple hundred volts. ---
**Author:** ![Majestic\_Lee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Majestic\_Lee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Majestic_Lee)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2018, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-shock-you-the-most/815486/9 "2018-06-05T22:13:10Z")
Chelsea Clinton announcing she’s expecting Donald Trump’s love child. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2018, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-shock-you-the-most/815486/10 "2018-06-05T22:40:58Z")
If there was a knock on the door and it was my mom. Very few people can overcome being cremated. ---
**Author:** ![begbert2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/begbert2/32/3357_2.png) [@begbert2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/begbert2)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2018, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-shock-you-the-most/815486/11 "2018-06-05T23:20:57Z")
If somebody demonstrates scientifically double-blind repeatable tester/environment independent psychic powers. Moreso if that somebody is me. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2018, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-shock-you-the-most/815486/12 "2018-06-05T23:25:21Z")
Stephen Colbert, Pedophile :eek: ---
**Author:** ![erysichthon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d07c76/32.png) [@erysichthon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/erysichthon)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2018, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-shock-you-the-most/815486/13 "2018-06-05T23:53:29Z")
Incontrovertible evidence that we are living in a simulation. ---
**Author:** ![Two\_Many\_Cats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8dc957/32.png) [@Two\_Many\_Cats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Two_Many_Cats)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2018, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-shock-you-the-most/815486/14 "2018-06-06T00:11:33Z")
If it turned out passenger pigeons weren’t extinct after all. ---
**Author:** ![Asuka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@Asuka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asuka)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2018, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-shock-you-the-most/815486/15 "2018-06-06T00:21:49Z")
“Random person on the internet’s plan to take down Trump with a single tweet actually works” ---
**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2018, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-shock-you-the-most/815486/16 "2018-06-06T00:23:08Z")
Donald Trump doing a complete about-face and openly supporting progressive liberal positions on major issues: abortion rights, gun control, LGBT rights, etc. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2018, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-shock-you-the-most/815486/17 "2018-06-06T01:22:36Z")
> [@Two\_Many\_Cats](#): > > If it turned out passenger pigeons weren’t extinct after all. …just riding along with the carrier pigeons… ---
**Author:** ![Backwater\_Under\_Duck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ba8739/32.png) [@Backwater\_Under\_Duck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Backwater_Under_Duck)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2018, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-shock-you-the-most/815486/18 "2018-06-06T01:37:35Z")
I honestly don’t think anything at all could shock or surprise me. I read enough history to understand the violent, surprisingly non-human nature of humanity. And all the good stuff too. I’m a cynic, not a nihilist. Although… maybe I am. When the towers came down, my wife woke me up to inform me, and my only thought was, wow, it finally happened. Not that tragedy specifically, but the successful attack. ---
**Author:** ![FloatyGimpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/floatygimpy/32/7750_2.png) [@FloatyGimpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FloatyGimpy)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2018, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-shock-you-the-most/815486/19 "2018-06-06T01:43:51Z")
Seeing Christ descend from the heavens for the second coming. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2018, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-shock-you-the-most/815486/20 "2018-06-06T02:00:34Z")
> [@FloatyGimpy](#): > > Seeing Christ descend from the heavens for the second coming. \*…wait, WHO do you think I am? Nah, I’m Heywood Kalel, from Aldebaran 5. I’m here for a Marshall – Whiteapple – no wait, Applewhite. Yeah, I was supposed to be here about twenty years ago, but somebody spilled coffee on the Hale-Bopp timetable, and I missed my connection, sorry. But if I see this Christ guy, I’ll be sure and let him know you’re waiting. So, if you could just take me to Mr. Applewhite, and any fellow passengers he might wish to bring along, we can be on our way.\* [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-shock-you-the-most/815486.md?page=2)