I assume “every one finds out for sure” means something like everyone being about as convinced as they are about global warming, Any stronger conviction means something really weird is going on so I have no idea what would happen.
I’d expect something similar to what happens to people in doomsday cults (probably with less cultishness, because people in those cults did join a cult unlike most humans).
I’m not an expert on those but my impression is that the upcoming apocalypse has very little effect on their lives.
So… a couple news cycles about the revelation, another round before the event. Maybe a movie. I wouldn’t expect much more than we got for 2012 apocalypse. Maybe some small groups doing good/ evil/ extreme hedonism/ trying to avert it but I think almost everyone would basically ignore it.
And given how such revelations tend to pan out they’d be right to.
This is a fair point. There is no (individual or combined) source of information that’s trustworthy enough to get much more half the people to half-believe it (meaning: willing to make immediate personal sacrifice in any way). I imagine something like a little countdown timer appearing in the new HUD that everyone suddenly has, with a personal appearance of an avatar who explains that the simulation will be shutting down at 00:00 on 31-12-2023 would do it. That would have other effects than simple announcement of impending doom, though.
I assume “every one finds out for sure” means something like everyone being about as convinced as they are about global warming, Any stronger conviction means something really weird is going on so I have no idea what would happen.
I’d expect something similar to what happens to people in doomsday cults (probably with less cultishness, because people in those cults did join a cult unlike most humans).
I’m not an expert on those but my impression is that the upcoming apocalypse has very little effect on their lives.
So… a couple news cycles about the revelation, another round before the event. Maybe a movie. I wouldn’t expect much more than we got for 2012 apocalypse. Maybe some small groups doing good/ evil/ extreme hedonism/ trying to avert it but I think almost everyone would basically ignore it.
And given how such revelations tend to pan out they’d be right to.
This is a fair point. There is no (individual or combined) source of information that’s trustworthy enough to get much more half the people to half-believe it (meaning: willing to make immediate personal sacrifice in any way). I imagine something like a little countdown timer appearing in the new HUD that everyone suddenly has, with a personal appearance of an avatar who explains that the simulation will be shutting down at 00:00 on 31-12-2023 would do it. That would have other effects than simple announcement of impending doom, though.