# Would you want to be the last living human being? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 7, 2014, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-want-to-be-the-last-living-human-being/704007 "2014-11-07T19:30:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2014, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-want-to-be-the-last-living-human-being/704007/1 "2014-11-07T19:30:23Z")
(With apologies to Clara Oswin Oswald.) So you’ve been hanging out with a brilliant, heroic, similar-to-but-not-really human extraterrestrial hero, writing wrongs and singing songs as y’all explore the universe. Unfortunately, the latest adventure has ended badly. The Earth’s atmosphere has been rendered unbreathable for humans; the CO level’s been raised to lethal levels, by, I don’t know. Brainiac. The Humanity’s been wiped out, and this time there’s no clever reversal at the last nano-second. Dejected but philosophical, your hero friend is boarding her spacecraft and about to resume her wanderings through the stars. Take as a given that there are other superficially humanoid species in existence, but none that are really _human_; that is, you may be able to have sex with some of them, but you won’t be making babies with 'em, and the most psychologically-similar to human race is as different from us as Star Trek’s Vulcans. Most are even stranger. Also take as a given that your hero friend has no access to time travel technology–there’s no do-overs–and that the villain responsible for humanity’s virtual extinction has been killed, so there’s no danger of him tracking you down to finish the job. Do you join your hero friend, or remain on the suffocated Terra to die? ---
**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:** [November 7, 2014, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-want-to-be-the-last-living-human-being/704007/2 "2014-11-07T19:33:52Z")
I’d still live and join the hero friend. I see no reason not to. Now if I were the last \*creature \*in the universe - well, I’d be too depressed. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2014, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-want-to-be-the-last-living-human-being/704007/3 "2014-11-07T19:38:33Z")
I’d strap on my travelin’ shoes and hit the (interstellar) road. ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2014, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-want-to-be-the-last-living-human-being/704007/4 "2014-11-07T19:39:39Z")
Continue living, for now. Can always change my mind, later. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2014, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-want-to-be-the-last-living-human-being/704007/5 "2014-11-07T19:40:28Z")
Spaceward ho! Not even a tough choice. ---
**Author:** ![Suburban\_Plankton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suburban_plankton/32/219_2.png) [@Suburban\_Plankton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suburban_Plankton)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2014, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-want-to-be-the-last-living-human-being/704007/6 "2014-11-07T19:44:26Z")
Have I been everywhere yet? If not, I still have places to go and things to see. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2014, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-want-to-be-the-last-living-human-being/704007/7 "2014-11-07T19:46:09Z")
Of course I’d join my friend. She is my friend. Plus, it’s always possible that there are other humans off-Earth: there are all those tales of alien abductions, and just as I am with my friend, so others may be with their friends. ---
**Author:** ![Calatin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/439d5e/32.png) [@Calatin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Calatin)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2014, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-want-to-be-the-last-living-human-being/704007/8 "2014-11-07T20:07:41Z")
To paraphrase Calvin, “It’s a magical universe, Hobbes, ol’ buddy… let’s go exploring.” ---
**Author:** ![The\_Second\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@The\_Second\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Second_Stone)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2014, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-want-to-be-the-last-living-human-being/704007/9 "2014-11-07T20:08:04Z")
I’d enjoy being the smartest and best looking human alive for a little while. ---
**Author:** ![Renee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/renee/32/287_2.png) [@Renee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Renee)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2014, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-want-to-be-the-last-living-human-being/704007/10 "2014-11-07T20:15:27Z")
So I have this hero friend who will take me on a tour of the universe, but I also have the option to stay on a ruined planet as the last of my kind? Yeah, this isn’t a terribly difficult choice. I’d take the universe tour even if Earth was pristine. ---
**Author:** ![Aquadementia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aquadementia/32/555_2.png) [@Aquadementia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aquadementia)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2014, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-want-to-be-the-last-living-human-being/704007/11 "2014-11-07T20:26:58Z")
I wouldn’t TRY to be the last human being but if I were to find my self the last I would say **I won!** Or does that mean I’m coming in as last to cross the finish line in the human race? Then Able won, or so the story goes. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2014, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-want-to-be-the-last-living-human-being/704007/12 "2014-11-07T20:28:34Z")
Shouldn’t you be apologizing to Lady Cassandra O’Brien Dot Delta Seventeen? ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2014, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-want-to-be-the-last-living-human-being/704007/13 "2014-11-07T20:30:12Z")
I would boldly go where no man had gone before. ETA: Shoulda mentioned this was a public poll. It doesn’t matter much in this case, but it’s the courteous thing to do. (In case you have a hypothetical, I dunno, masturbation poll in the future.) ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2014, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-want-to-be-the-last-living-human-being/704007/14 "2014-11-07T20:33:20Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > Shouldn’t you be apologizing to Lady Cassandra O’Brien Dot Delta Seventeen? I have no idea what you’re talking about. I like DW, but my watching of the show has always been erratic, even more so since the kids. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2014, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-want-to-be-the-last-living-human-being/704007/15 "2014-11-07T20:35:17Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > I would boldly go where no man had gone before. > > ETA: Shoulda mentioned this was a public poll. It doesn’t matter much in this case, but it’s the courteous thing to do. (In case you have a hypothetical, I dunno, masturbation poll in the future.) Automated polls warn you if they’re public when you’re about to vote. Go start one in About This Message Board if you don’t believe me. Anyway, I decided to set up the poll a few minutes after hitting submit, and it was too late to edit the OP. ---
**Author:** ![NeonMadman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/58f4c7/32.png) [@NeonMadman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NeonMadman)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2014, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-want-to-be-the-last-living-human-being/704007/16 "2014-11-07T20:36:15Z")
Is there still Netflix? ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2014, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-want-to-be-the-last-living-human-being/704007/17 "2014-11-07T20:38:19Z")
> [@Renee](#): > > So I have this hero friend who will take me on a tour of the universe, but I also have the option to stay on a ruined planet as the last of my kind? Yeah, this isn’t a terribly difficult choice. I’d take the universe tour even if Earth was pristine. Yeah, being given the choice when Earth and humanity _weren’t_ dead would be more telling. As it stands, I’d be sad once in a while when I thought of what was lost, and I’d want to salvage some things for the Galactic Museum and Library… but most of the time I’d be busy with space adventure and getting to know my alien peeps. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2014, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-want-to-be-the-last-living-human-being/704007/18 "2014-11-07T20:53:08Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > Automated polls warn you if they’re public when you’re about to vote. Go start one in About This Message Board if you don’t believe me. > > Anyway, I decided to set up the poll a few minutes after hitting submit, and it was too late to edit the OP. I must have missed that. ---
**Author:** ![Enderw24](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba9def/32.png) [@Enderw24](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enderw24)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2014, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-want-to-be-the-last-living-human-being/704007/19 "2014-11-07T20:55:18Z")
Depends. How many books can I bring with me? Follow up question: is there a way to repair eyeglasses? ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2014, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-want-to-be-the-last-living-human-being/704007/20 "2014-11-07T21:29:55Z")
Kind of hard not to take the second choice. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-want-to-be-the-last-living-human-being/704007.md?page=2)