Someone on /lit/ posed this bleak thought experiment to me a while ago and I've been thinking about it recently so I figured I'd repost it:
You are locked in a room. In the room is every book you could ever want, a pen and an unlimited stack of paper. You know that in 10 years you will die and the contents of the room will be obliterated. You have no contact with the outside world. There is also a revolver with a single bullet on the desk.
What would you do? Be honest.
Die of dehydration
I'd probably just talk to myself, mostly. Tell stories to myself. God would hear them, if no one else would.
>>9312982
Let's assume unlimited food and water are a given. I almost added that to the OP but then I thought "No, nobody on /lit/ would be autistic enough to make that joke". Yet here we are.
>>9312977
What's the point? You die or you die. So will I spend ten years growing obese and sick wasting my time or will I blow my brains out before that? Gee. Probably laze around for five years and then shoot myself.
>>9312995
You created a shit thread I'm gonna give you a shit answer. Nothing about this thought experiment is interesting in the slightest bit.
All of these answers are pathetic shit.
>Seven years reading Bloom's Western Cannon reading list.
>Two years writing Infinite Jest II
>One year learning to contort my body to such an extent that I can pleasure myself orally
>Die
definitely kms. there's no point in this.
Use the revolver to break the glass on the window.
This is our reality. I mean we have near-indefinite access to books at this point. Suicide is always an option. We have more than 10 years of time in an equivalent situation within our current existence. Therefore, our answer to this scenario is just a reflection on existence in general.
>I would kill myself, there is no point
>I would masturbate, then kill myself
>I would write a book and develop my thoughts, then probably kill myself
>I would read the bible and analyse it thoroughly, while always revering the hallowed name of the lord in order to ordain entrance to heaven
>>9313085
>the contents of the room will be obliterated
>You have no contact with the outside world
Some sad reality you're living, bro
>>9312977
This is basically my daily life for the past 5 years.
So, I would read, and write and talk to myself.
like I do now.
>>9313371
The Universe is already a vacuum to itself
>all these brainlets who can't read the intention of the OP and the purpose of the hypotehtical
>>9313029
>What's the point? You die or you die
Yes, just like the regular life you lead. The point is nothing you do will outlast you and you can always end it at anytime.
You're suppose to say something like you'd write and read anyway, something essentially human demands you do.
start drawing porn and masturbate furiously till i go insane desu
when things get grim i'll shoot myself in the dick just to see what it feels like then shoot myself in the head
I guess I'd be depressed but I'd definitely read through a ton of religious texts, commentaries and history books while making notes. Basically what I do now in my spare time. I guess I'd make a schedule too.
If I'm trapped and definitely going to die in 10 years the only thing I can do is what's fulfilling to me personally, so I'd keep reminding myself not to worry about an outside purpose because the predicament is outside my control. The gun would actually be a motivator because I'd have a way out and it would ultimately be my choice to keep living rather than being forced to. It would be a lot worse to not have the gun.
>>9313626
>You're suppose to say something like you'd write and read anyway, something essentially human demands you do.
reading and writing are to communicate, there's always the assumption of some receiving party