You know the world ends next month and you can stop it, but...

[M0rp43vs]

Picture this movie scene.
Say you somehow become privy to some knowledge that Catastrophe is about to happen in the near future. Perhaps you gain a vivid, prophetic vision telling you that Heaven and Hell are gonna duke it out on earth. Perhaps your unique, science-y measuring instruments tell you that Zeus is about to unleash a massive (hopefully not literal) shitstorm worldwide. Perhaps you stumble upon an group of aliens on coffee break and overhear them talking about this massive invasion force arriving.

And because this is a movie scene, lets say that you are 99% certain this will happen and hoping it won't would be too massive a risk to take
Lucky for you, armed with this knowledge, you can either defy the upcoming apocalypse or at least reduce the damage by informing the world powers and getting them to work.

Now....
How would you go about doing so without appearing like those sandwich board "End is Nigh!' people on the streets?
How would you convince a cynical, skeptical society to work to avert the coming disaster without ending up spending your final days staring at a padded cell?

I've been pondering this question and let me tell you, if this happened to me, you'd find me at the highest point watching the end-times roll with a bottle of whiskey by my side

 

[lechat]

unless you are one of the worlds most respected scientists with a shit ton of data to back your case and someone to present it to with a level of authority

 

[Hagi]

Anonymous internet posting is probably your best bet.

Sure, 99,99% of all the readers will ignore you or laugh at you. But 0,01% is probably crazy enough to take some preparations just in case. And if you spread it far and wide enough 0,01% can still be a decent amount of people. You might be able to ensure a few survivors.

As long as you take some care to stay anonymous you can keep on posting and spreading. If someone finds out it was you and wants to put you in a padded cell you can always just claim you were trolling if you don't want to risk anything.

Can't really think of any more effective way than that really.

 

[Bertylicious]

I was going to say I'd just grab all the heroin and pork chops before waiting for the end of it all, but then I thought about all them people what had their pets put down because a bloke on the internet said that the world was ending and I realised that it would be possible to do something productive!

Personally, however, I am an elitist swine so I'd only want people I'd deemed quality to survive so I guess I'd put a post on The Escapist before starting my pork fuelled heroin binge.

 

[Esotera]

Unless I have evidence and some form of plan so that it isn't inevitable, I'd present the evidence to the public first, and let them draw their own conclusions. If nobody paid attention then the chances are I'm crazy, so nothing is lost.

 

[Heronblade]

Assuming this didn't come from a prophetic vision or is otherwise not verifiable... Don't say a goddamn word to the press, they'll just misinterpret everything and spin it how they like. Instead, start off by publishing a technical report of my findings. It may take a little extra time while others verify the work, but lets just see the leaders of the world ignore me when every technical adviser they have is panicking and beating them over the head with proof of my claim.

If we are talking prophetic vision, then we're pretty much boned in terms of getting cooperation. I will indeed spread the word, but instead of wasting too much energy trying to convince people, I'll focus my efforts on setting up a protected colony with the tools needed to survive and rebuild. Hopefully the kooks who actually are likely to believe me won't cause too much trouble.

 

[Redlin5_v1legacy]

First, I invest all my money in making a bunker [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/groups/view/The-Internet-Bunker] for me and all the people I want to survive near me.

Next I find a way to revive Micheal Jackson. If he can say it after coming back from the land of the dead, they'll listen.

Not much hope for any of my other ideas.

 

[stormeris]

I wouldn't do shit.

Humanity has it coming.

 

[Akytalusia]

i would do nothing but use this information to finally relax. i'd casually mention the situation to anyone who asks why i'm so relaxed all of the sudden, but i wouldn't make any extra effort to convince them of it's authenticity.

 

[Grach]

I'd warn the UN. After getting laughted out of their meeting or whatever, I would wait for the Catastrophe. Then I'll just send a fruitbasket full of shit to the UN, with a little flag that says "Better answer that phone 'cause I fucking called it!".

 

[krazykidd]

No way . I'm not telling ANYONE . I'm going to quit my job and have as much fun for my last month . Then , on the last day, i'm getting piss drunk , crazily tell everyone, the world will end thah day. And wait for it to happen . Then, when i get to hell, i'll be like i told you so.

 

[FalloutJack]

I suppose it depends on the nature of the situation and how I feel, but let's assume I'm feeling magnanimous and that the nature of the coming threat does not amuse me at all I would, therefore, Xanatos the situation with cunning manipulation and clever words. Maybe someone gets a picture of what I'm doing, maybe not. I make a row of leaders and such believe that it was there idea and that they can even take the credit, pushing and prodding society into averting the doom and gloom in a manner that is Dangerously Genre Savvy.

And then, when it's all over and they're praising the people who did this or the hero that saved that...I get to laugh. I get to laugh long and hard, because they're all dupes who danced to my will like puppets on strings. So, dance, puppets! DANCE FOR ME! It is a looong joke with an excellent punchline.

 

[not_you]

hmmmmm, HMMMMMMMM

what would I do....

I must admit, I'd probably do what OP did Find the highest peak with the best view and just wait for everything to fall over...

if I had enough money (and I don't) I'd probably fly to a mega city (New York, London, Abu Dabi, Paris, Toyko... etc, etc) And watch the literal collapse of everything...

I mean, the world will end and everyone will die anyway, may as well get the view of the best stuff falling over...

 

[zidine100]

Depends on the situation.

If its a situation of Look were from mars ok, and weve got this big space plasma bomb which is very oddly phallic shaped, telling people might not be the best of ideas, would you prefer to have the last month outside or inside a hospital.

Really the only idea i have is taking("borrowing") the name of someone else online, lets say john titor and start posting away, at least then you have a name behind you (a name no one can prove) and you would be right.

 

[Feedmeketamine]

Id send a signed photo of my cock and balls to every girl ive ever loved and then reach for the heroin again.

 

[Right Hook]

I'd introduce my theory to the smartest person I know and trust (who is actually pretty smart). I'd let him pass the data along to the right hands, who'd hopefully relay the data even further, eventually it'd get to the right people who can make plans that stick. The important part is being able to prove yourself because if there is absolutely no proof, no one would believe it, I wouldn't even believe it myself and assume I was just being paranoid. I guess I'd also find a way to prove that this theory originated with me because then I either end up as a prophet who told of the end of our world or I end up as the greatest hero our world has ever known, saving the world would sit very comfortably with me.

 

[Arcanite Ripper]

Facts. Facts and evidence.

If you have an irrefutable scientific analysis that natural disaster is on the horizon it is your civil duty to bring your report to light. Believe it or not, people actually listen when you're making sense.

Also what's with all the people here paraphrasing "Fuck it, watch the world burn?" You people need to be hugged more.