What would you do if The Purge was real?

[brokenspirited]

Rules

The rules for the annual Purge are as follows:

• Sirens blare throughout the land to signal the start and end of The Purge.
• All police, fire, and emergency medical services are suspended for the duration of the carnage.
• The president, first family, and government officials of rank 10 are granted immunity from the Purge, meaning that they must not be harmed. (This was revoked in Election Year to permit the murder of political opponent, including Roan).
• Only Class 1–4 weaponry is permitted, while Class 5 arms (such as explosives) is prohibited.
• Violations of any Purge rules will result in public execution.

 

[Forveleth]

Any and all crime is legal, yeah? (I have never seen any of the movies and have only a vague idea of how it works)

Everyone always goes for violence. Why? Killing your next door neighbor solves nothing.

Hack banks/the IRS, find the richest 1%. Redistribute funds to the 99%.

 

[Dejected 55]

It's just a stupid premise no matter how you slice it. If such a thing was real, I wouldn't participate. In a world where people would want and be willing to kill and rob their neighbors with impunity for a specified period of time... it means everyone is literally horrible and shouldn't be trusted the rest of the time because you know they want to kill you and take your stuff. That world would not be sustainable.

 

[Angst Filled Fuck Up]

I'm not really an aggressive person so I wouldn't want to exact revenge on anyone. Maybe just the pot-smoking dipshits in my building, for stinking up the place. Oh and the maintenance staff can get it too. They don't fix anything properly. Also this one moron who cut me off by doing a u-turn right in front of my car at 40mph yesterday. I'd go with a semi automatic 12 gauge shotgun since I'm not the best shot, as evidenced by my woeful performances in Duck Hunt as a kid. But in my defense, killing my brethren was traumatic and put me off my game at the time.

 

[Ghostinplainsight]

• The president, first family, and government officials of rank 10 are granted immunity from the Purge, meaning that they must not be harmed.

So the royals are up for grabs?.. watch out andrew

Jokes aside, i'd hide in my flat in the dark hoping nobody comes near me, people are scary.

 

[brokenspirited]

So the royals are up for grabs?.. watch out andrew

Probably not, if the games were conducted in the United Kingdom. As head of state, the king would have same status as the president.

Jokes aside, i'd hide in my flat in the dark hoping nobody comes near me, people are scary.

I would likely do the same, to be fair.

 

[Satori Komeiji]

I'd either rob a bank or just hide at home. Although I imagine there would be 100+ other people trying to rob the same bank as me and we would all fight to the death over the money :)

 

[Dejected 55]

What they don't cover is... Okay, say you rob a bank on Purge day... but can you really spend that money? I mean if you deposit in a bank that was robbed and they know it is their money, can't they just legally take it back? You would be immune from prosecution for the robbery, but surely they could take their possessions back.

Like... if you stole your neighbor's car, you couldn't be prosecuted for the theft... but the next day, he could just take his car back because he can prove it is his... Couldn't he?

So hurting people is the only crime you could get away with since it all happens on the day and the next day it's just done.

Although... I wonder... if you killed them on Purge day but just left the body in your backyard... couldn't police find that body and charge you with ancillary crimes related to possession of the dead body?

I don't think the concept was really too well thought out.

 

[Unsure and Useless]

Hack banks/the IRS, find the richest 1%. Redistribute funds to the 99%.

This is the only right answer to the Purge

The president, first family, and government officials of rank 10 are granted immunity from the Purge, meaning that they must not be harmed. (This was revoked in Election Year to permit the murder of political opponent, including Roan).

Hypothetically, though, if enough people wanted them dead, it would be difficult to be enforcing this rule, and considering there are multiple ways to harm someone without using a firearm while also being untraceable, I doubt that these people would actually be able to survive the Purge unless they literally left the country

Although I'd like to rob a bank, it's likely that I'd still get in trouble in for it afterwards. Robbing a bank during the Purge is totally legal, but once the Purge is over and laws are reinstated, the authorities could detain you for distributing illegally obtained money. So, realistically, I'd probably stay home and hide like Ghostinplainsight and Satori Komeiji suggested

 

[EmptyBottle]

Probably not, if the games were conducted in the United Kingdom. As head of state, the king would have same status as the president.

I would likely do the same, to be fair.

I'd probably hide, maybe even in a bunker... having some basic weapon like lighter + deodorant can (close range flamethrower) or some less than legal (at least in Australia) pepper gel (could have the ingredients ready and DIY on the day of the purge)

 

[princexhhn]

I go to company owned stores and perform a beautiful thing called theft

 

[Custos]

I've thought about this before. The problem is that there are no laws or rights. It says crime is legal, but in reality there are very few laws. Laws not only prevent you doing things, they also give you rights. So contrary what people say, theft wouldn't be legal, because the notion of ownership is suspended. So you could take something, but as soon as the purge ends ownership is reinstated. And theft is being in possession to something that you don't legally own.

Oh and, not only murder is not illegal but so is rape, pedophilia, distribution of any content, and disgraceful religious and cultural practices. So I think people would end up being worried about things other than "going out to hunt".

 

[EmptyBottle]

I've thought about this before. The problem is that there are no laws or rights. It says crime is legal, but in reality there are very few laws. Laws not only prevent you doing things, they also give you rights. So contrary what people say, theft wouldn't be legal, because the notion of ownership is suspended. So you could take something, but as soon as the purge ends ownership is reinstated. And theft is being in possession to something that you don't legally own.

Oh and, not only murder is not illegal but so is rape, pedophilia, distribution of any content, and disgraceful religious and cultural practices. So I think people would end up being worried about things other than "going out to hunt".

at the same time, normal people might use the s*x offender registry to lookup houses to do drive by's (quickly empty a cartridge and leave for thr next house), and assuming crimes under the purge can't be charged, then 1 less offender exists.

 

[lasttogo]

Kill myself immediately because I am terrified of other people hurting me. Same answer as zombies

 

[EternalHunger]

The same as usual, there's not really anything I'd wanna do in that sort of situation. But considering the amount of pressure such a thing would have especially with the addition of potentially being robbed of all my possessions and murdered by groups, I would likely freak out and end it all especially if there quite literally is a group out there trying to get in; I don't have enough confidence in myself or human morality/empathy to gamble just talking through with them or trying to fight back.

I'd only try to defend even against a massive group if there was something I'd want to defend, like if this was a period where I actually have a pup I'm raising lovingly.

 

[Dejected 55]

at the same time, normal people might use the s*x offender registry to lookup houses to do drive by's (quickly empty a cartridge and leave for thr next house), and assuming crimes under the purge can't be charged, then 1 less offender exists.

I think too critically virtually all the time to not think deeper about this.

Who frightens you more:

1. A convicted sex offender who served his time for his horrible abuse of children, but has been out of prison for a decade or more and knows he is being constantly watched because everyone knows who he is.

OR

2. An unknown person who, during the Purge, kills sex offenders because this unknown person knows they can kill and get away with it during the Purge.

On the one hand, you have a horrible person who has been proven to do horrible things, but has been punished and is being watched all the time so probably cannot commit further crimes against children... on the other hand, someone perhaps that you even know really really wants to kill someone and waits until they know they can get away with it.

Honestly, if I live in that world... I'm going to be increasingly less afraid of that sex offender I know where he lives and know a lot of people are watching him... but I don't know who the maniac is that takes advantage of the Purge to kill people. Sure, maybe this time he killed a sex offender, but do you KNOW for sure that wasn't about convenience? And he has a taste for killing now, so likely to kill again... and maybe he has a sliding scale so today it's sex offenders, tomorrow its someone who looked at him funny.

 

[EmptyBottle]

I think too critically virtually all the time to not think deeper about this.

Who frightens you more:

1. A convicted sex offender who served his time for his horrible abuse of children, but has been out of prison for a decade or more and knows he is being constantly watched because everyone knows who he is.

OR

2. An unknown person who, during the Purge, kills sex offenders because this unknown person knows they can kill and get away with it during the Purge.

On the one hand, you have a horrible person who has been proven to do horrible things, but has been punished and is being watched all the time so probably cannot commit further crimes against children... on the other hand, someone perhaps that you even know really really wants to kill someone and waits until they know they can get away with it.

Honestly, if I live in that world... I'm going to be increasingly less afraid of that sex offender I know where he lives and know a lot of people are watching him... but I don't know who the maniac is that takes advantage of the Purge to kill people. Sure, maybe this time he killed a sex offender, but do you KNOW for sure that wasn't about convenience? And he has a taste for killing now, so likely to kill again... and maybe he has a sliding scale so today it's sex offenders, tomorrow its someone who looked at him funny.

that is so true, reminds me of the riddle where "there were 2 murderers in a room, person enters and kills one... how many are there", and the answer is still 2 since the person entering has killed someone.

And ofc, what if there was someone else nearby? they would be at risk from the broad gunfire (even if only aimed at that house).

imo, a better solution would be educating everyone before some people end up evil.... so they can prevent themselves from harming others in such nasty ways... and stay safe from such evildoers.

I wonder if people will do more petty stuff, like throw trash everywhere because they "always wanted to" vs the less often, more newsworthy stuff.

 

[_AllCatsAreGrey_]

I appreciate the comments here. My honest answer is hide and hope I'm not perceived. Same as usual.

 

[Dejected 55]

Yeah, I haven't seen the movies so I don't know if this concept gets covered at all... but to me, if this was a real thing that happened in the real world... I don't know how you could trust anyone the rest of the year outside of the Purge once you knew what they were capable of doing during the Purge.

I mean, if you saw your neighbor gleefully bash someone's head in just because they could get away with it... even if they never threatened you, how cool do you feel about having them as a neighbor now?

 

[dissociation]

I would break into the vet's office to steal N.

 

[starboy2k]

the same shit I do all year long…..
eat snacks, jack off, and doomscroll. If someone manages to kill me, then great. At least I won't have to kill myself

 

[EmptyBottle]

I would break into the vet's office to steal N.

wow, now thaaat is a creative answer.

I remember the days of "N from D" (or A).... but I wasn't even registered, nor had $ to buy. Even the nitrogen/helium tank idea was out of my reach, only the DIY-with-stuff-I-already-have was available.

Oh wow... what if SN sellers use the purge as a "Purge sale"

 

[Obliviate]

I would Unalive ALOT of abusers, PDFs, grapists, animal abusers, incels, misogynists etc basically a lot of human males.

 

[beebeb]

I don't know if I'm completely insane for this, but to me the obvious answer is "become killed." easy.

 

[Namelesa]

Probably escape my house by breaking a window (I am literally trapped by family and this would be the only way for me to get out as I don't have access to keys) and my family can't stop me this time in that they can't call the police to get me so I can freely go kill myself or just get killed by some other person in this purge.

 

[Pluto]

 

[Grav]

Never saw the movies and thought they were kind of a dumb story but let's say it was real: I'd hunker down in the house, having already stocked up ammo and food. Anyone looking wanky coming near gets wacked. And like others said the next day would be one of problems. I would like to believe I'd move to somewhere where the local community said "yeah, we're not doing that purge crap".

 

[Irisse]

Although I want death I want it to be on my own terms, so I would just hide inside my home. It would have been ideal if I could have somehow broken into a local drug store and then get benzos and antiemetics and everything else I need for SN but I suppose I'm too clumsy and too much of a coward to do that.

 

[WhatCouldHaveBeen32]

Whatever I'd want to do, I'd first make sure to not do it on Purge night since it would be the most obvious time to do it. It's not consequences that stop me, nor do they scare me.

What scares me is my own morality; won't I become the same thing as what I was fighting? probably not, people dehumanized themselves, I didn't do a damn thing to them. I have no empathy for a certain part of them and yet because of my naive character I still choose to endure. But I was inspired in spite of some recent events and I think I'll choose to live until I'm strong enough or an opportunity offers itself to me to take a part of the trash out; on purge night, fictionally speaking , obviously.

 

[Dejected 55]

Sadly, there are a lot of people in the world increasingly advocating for the Purge to be real and taking things into their own hands. This might be like when Mike Judge made the movie Idiocracy and we found our world becoming more and more like it... the world may in the next few years be a year-round Purge. Hopefully I'm not going to be here to see that.