Doomsday
 

So with the CERN Large Hadron Colider going live this week amidst fears of it creating a black hole that will then instantaneously consume the earth, I was thinking what a wonderful thought experiment this is. To be sure the existential angst of facing one's mortality is seen by some (myslef included) as one of those ways in which to evaluate the life you have lived up to that point, decission you have made, and perhaps do some course correction in charting new decissions based on the finite time we have on Earth.

This of course provides even more limitations - not only death, but the entire planted sucked into sigularity so no legacy or artifact remaining (well maybe a voyager space craft or two).

So looking back on your life, how did you do? and considering the short window of opportunity remaining, what would you like to accomplish before the 10th (the one date I heard when the Colider goes "live" but haven't found confirmation).

Since I won't be leaving anything behind, perhaps I'll catch a final screening of Until the End of the World. It's ashame this is happening mid-week, would make for a great excuse for a party. All in al, I think the hedonist path would be the correct one for this imaginary scenario. Nihilists also do well I think.

Anyone else have anything planned for the imminent destruction of earth?

If it's the end of the world, why not have a party mid-week?


Oddly, I've been having the odd sensation of trying to sum up the worth of my life to myself for the past few hours without knowing why.


No conclusions yet. But it seems there's indeed a reason for me to proceed along this line for a while.



Um, till Wednesday is it??

I think it fires up on the tenth but the protons don't actually start colliding for a couple of weeks.

Me, I've got a few extra pounds I'd like to lose before then. Need to straighten up my office. Get some bills out.

You might also rent "Last Night."

Unfortunately of the LHC destroys the world (and I have 100% confidence it won't) it will be in such an instantaneous way that we will have no knowledge that it ended.

To me, this is inherently lacking in satisfaction and I can't work up the energy to greet the end in a grant fashion when I won't even know the end arrived.

Y2K, that was something worth greeting. Sure it might end civilization but we'd get to appreciate it.

So, all I can work up to for this is that I'll wait until Thursday to read the half-dozen functional and design specs I need to approve this week. No reason to put myself through that if there is even a 0.000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 01% chance it will be unnecessary.

This article quotes Thursday 3:30 AM EST - So that leaves tomorrow night for me. Now instead of trying the new Mexican place, I'm thinking maybe some Fois Gras would be in order...

I hope my husband comes home before then. Otherwise no nookie for me before the end of the world!

Susan is gone til Thursday (she is flying on 9/11 :eek: :rolleyes: ), so I am screwed.

Or not getting screwed.

At least by a partner.

Unless someone wants to come over.

The article says Wednesday...so if it happens on Wednesday, does that mean I don't have to turn 40?

Well, I guess no one really knows what goes on inside a black hole in terms of the passage of time, it may well be that you will be stuck in a percieved eternity of never quite turning 40.