To say we are living in unsettling times is a vast understatement.
Global, political tensions escalated following the Russia/Ukraine conflict, and if anyone thinks the crisis will not have a rippling effect in other parts of the world, they have another thing coming.
If things continue spiraling into chaos, the worst-case scenario for many of us would be to flee our home planet and colonize Mars.
But we won't jump to conclusions, right? After all, there are other fears that are not an improbability at this point.
Redditor Internet_Prince had a hypothetical question for strangers online.
"If WW3 gets officially declared, what is the first thing you would do?"
For some, it was business as usual.
Punch In
"Go to work I guess."
– Str_
"My job has contingencies for if a nuclear war breaks out. It’s comforting to know that even if America turns into an irradiated wasteland my supervisor will call and harass me about not showing up that night."
– BeefInspector
As You Were
"Same thing we do every night pinky."
– ackillesBAC
Go To Reddit
"Read Reddit comments."
– Striking_Cloud9516
"It would be interesting to see the views of Redditors on the other side of the battlefield."
"I'd look forward to seeing their human side, bypassing the 'my team' propaganda."
– MichiganGeezer
The Burning Question
"Just groan and say 'just like every other day, I wonder which country is going to blow up first.'"
– Mikegaming202
The realization would slowly settle for these Redditors.
A Serious Inquiry
"Wonder why all the stores are out of toilet paper."
– IndeSyCiv
Regrets
"Realize I should have taken Doomsday Preppers a lot more seriously."
– AbyssalRedemption
Observe, Then React
"Double check, then sit around and wait until it actually affects me."
– obscureferences
Getting Intellectual
"I would start a debate on whether the number 3 or III is more appropriate."
– anonymouspotatoskins
Let It Play Out
"let's go to the Winchester, have a nice cold pint, and wait for this all to blow over."
– RLDKA
Things got more serious.
Going Into Combat
"I'm active duty Army, so in all reality I’d probably get deployed, then die a horrible painful death."
– burntkofte
Last Words
"Probably just tell the people I know that I love them."
– insecure_poetry
Bottom's Up
"I'd drink. What else is there to do? It's like when the Titanic is sinking: You can either run around the deck in panic to see there's no lifeboat left or you can spend the remaining time like a gentleman, listening to the orchestra and drinking the last bottle of wine. If i go down anyway, then i go down like the second one."
– Diacetyl-Morphin
People's reactions were varied depending on their geographic location.
The ones who were further removed from origins of political turmoil seemed to have the most sarcastic answers.
But no matter where we are in the world, no one will never be immune from the atrocities of living in war time.
Want to "know" more?
Sign up for the Knowable newsletter here.
Never miss another big, odd, funny or heartbreaking moment again.
@winnieharlow/Instagram
@realDonaldTrump/Truth Social