kanotix.com

Anything goes - End of the world

Swynndla - 13.10.2006, 22:10 Uhr
Titel: End of the world
This is "Anything goes" right?

Hypothetical question:

If there was a massive meteor headed for earth, one day from collision, that is so big that everyone will die and no-one will be able to stop it, then would you want to be told about it?

If so, why? If not, why?
wahmd - 14.10.2006, 21:12 Uhr
Titel: Just a thought...
Man's illusions are his most precious attribute; his greatest defense. He will fight for them, die for them, and because of them. For many, they are the bulwark against madness; the thing that makes life worth living.

I remember a Night Gallery episode years ago in which a little boy with psychic powers "knew" that the sun would go supernova the next day. His message to the masses was that the future would be bright (no pun intended), a world of peace and happiness. Cruel or merciful?

The question is not just "would you want to know" but also "if you knew, would you tell anybody?"

Just a thought...
Cathbard - 14.10.2006, 21:19 Uhr
Titel:
I'd want to know so I could get a front row seat. I wouldn't tell anybody because they might spoil the view. Winken
wegface - 14.10.2006, 21:23 Uhr
Titel:
Personally, i would like to know, but i wouldnt want mass population to know. I'd make sure i was so high on every psychedelic drug that exists- while on top of a welsh mountain. If the whole world knew, they ruin my trip Smilie

(edit) CathBard me and you seem to have much in common. haha i didnt even see your post when i was writing mine
eco2geek - 14.10.2006, 22:55 Uhr
Titel:
Um, Swynndla, is there something you're not telling us? Geschockt

On the one hand, I think people have a right to know about things (like natural disasters) that could affect their lives for good or bad.

On the other hand, if something like that did happen, and it was real, there'd be mass hysteria. Public order would probably break down completely. It would get very ugly.
Swynndla - 15.10.2006, 01:30 Uhr
Titel:
Hehe ... it's just a hypothetical question. Although, interestingly, after I asked it, I listened to a podcast:
http://theskepticsguide.org/
about skeptics not taking seriously at all a report:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1716655/posts

Note that I too think the report is bogus. Also note that I didn't see that report until after I had posted the question. I've been asking this question to people for a couple of weeks now, and it's interesting the sorts of responses I've got so far.

Some people have said that they would prefer not to be told. And some of those people said "Of course I wouldn't want to be told", as though it was obvious that no-one would want to know (ie what's the point, if there's nothing we can do? ... why be depressed?). But others have told me that they would want to know, as they would want to spend time with family. Some others have said that they would want to know so that they could make sure their children didn't find out!

Me personally, I would want to know, and that it would be really important to me to know for some reason. I'm not sure why I think that it's good to know it, but I feel strongly that I would want to know the truth, even if I didn't like it. I'm the sort of person who likes watching documentaries and doesn't like movies that much (although some other people have said to me that they'd want to know the truth, and they don't like documentaries).

This is sort of related to the Matrix, ie if you were given the opportunity to be integrated in the matrix and forget reality (and your past), would you accept? This question is a bit different, but related.

The answers that people have told me (including the posts above) fascinate me. I didn't realise that there is so much variety is what people think.
craigevil - 15.10.2006, 03:14 Uhr
Titel:
IF an ELE like a large meteor was heading towards the earth what would it matter if mass panic happened? So what people go crazy a day before the world ends.

If it was going to happen I would want to know, I would spend the day drinking and in bed with my wife.
Cathbard - 15.10.2006, 03:28 Uhr
Titel:
Swynndla hat folgendes geschrieben::
This is sort of related to the Matrix, ie if you were given the opportunity to be integrated in the matrix and forget reality (and your past), would you accept?What?
You think you're not part of an ai simulation? How else do you explain Michael Jackson? Don't tell me you think he's real. Sounds like delusions of grandeur to me. Accept it, you're an ai module in a script kiddy's Linux box in the year 2112. Winken
Swynndla - 15.10.2006, 03:54 Uhr
Titel:
Hmmm ... you have a strong argument Cathbard!
slam - 15.10.2006, 06:54 Uhr
Titel:
I would definitely like to know. Then I would inform Kano and he would release the final Kanotix 2006-01 today. We would spend our last day with installing and testing and hanging around on the IRC without any more questions about "when". Winken
Greetings,
Chris
turbowsr - 15.10.2006, 07:04 Uhr
Titel:
BUT......Where would we bury the survivors?
Gowator - 15.10.2006, 16:33 Uhr
Titel:
eco2geek hat folgendes geschrieben::
Um, Swynndla, is there something you're not telling us? Geschockt

On the one hand, I think people have a right to know about things (like natural disasters) that could affect their lives for good or bad.

On the other hand, if something like that did happen, and it was real, there'd be mass hysteria. Public order would probably break down completely. It would get very ugly.

Uglier than .. the end of the world?

Zitat:
The answers that people have told me (including the posts above) fascinate me. I didn't realise that there is so much variety is what people think.

Yeah I'm not sure if I want to know or not...
In theory I could fulfill several things... perhaps spend the time in bed with my GF... but suppose she freaked out...suppose I couldn't actually enjoy any of the things because I freak out?

In a way the question adresses also the fact we are all dying anyway...
However most of us don't make the most of our time left anyway...

On balance the mass hysteria would make fulfilling many of the things impossible anyway...

"Yeah dealer guy, can I score some coke?"
"Screw you, Im taking it all myself"
"Aren't you worried about addiction? - hmm guess not"

As for physchiadelaics.. whoah man what a bad time for a bad trip and paranoia.
wegface - 15.10.2006, 20:07 Uhr
Titel:
Our brain releases a huge hit of DMT at the point of death anyway, so if the whole world died, the whole world would be having the biggest trip out ever, all at once........ Thats an amazing thought....... at least to me Winken
Mad, but true.
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