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Today one of mine friends stumbled upon a very interesting news brought by The Guardian. On Saturday ballistic missile was launched toward Hawaii. People had about 30 minutes to evacuate or decide what to do with themselves. Fortunately it was „just” false alarm (link to news here).
So we started to discuss whole thing. As this is pretty extreme situation we were wondering how to spend your last 30 minutes in best way. Start the riot and burn the neighborhood? Or maybe jump from high building or take pills while drinking tons of alcohol? Kill or rape someone or maybe help and save someone? Call your friends and familly, say last goodbyes or maybe run to meet them and try to find shelter? Tell whatever is on your mind to your boss or just sit in corner crying and waiting for missile to hit the island?
Despite all weird and uncommon solutions and ideas I focused on something else. People are reacting in unpredictable ways once they are under pressure or in very stressful situation. Information about whole alarm was send as an emergency alert by governmental institution (Hawaii Emergency Management Agency) so chances for this info to be true were in my opinion around 100%. In such case there were probably plenty people who undertake a poor decision (like doing something crazy or immoral) and after 20 minutes they received next text message that it was false alarm. For me it sound like „It's a prank bro!. Do not worry there is no missile its a prank bro.” Although for someone who overdosed painkillers in this moment or beat the crap from boss he didn't like at work... well it was not prank at all but 180 degree change in his life. And all in mannered time of 15 minutes. And it made me wonder once again: How many lives were devastated , twisted or fouled up by such misinformation?
Maybe it all was just a simple test to see how people will react and behave to such threat? Nevertheless share in comments what would you do if your clock would start counting down 30 minutes at this moment.