r/whatif Jul 31 '25

Mod post What if we got a little meta today?

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Hey kids,

I feel like I'm about to do something a touch controversial. I'm blocking names to protect the innocent. But I'm sharing examples of AEO removals b/c bots aren't human. Reddit is forgetting the human. And I guess I just wanted to be open about that. Mostly b/c one is kind of hysterical. And if I'm sharing one, I might as well share them all.

If you recognize your own comment here, please attempt an appeal. I have likely already appealed on your behalf. Especially you, Johnny Rico.


r/whatif Jul 22 '25

Mod post ⚠️What if you paid attention to this post?⚠️

Upvotes

First things first!

Hi all, casual meet and greet has started. Ask me almost anything.

I've already started making some adjustments to the subreddit. Just some light shaping to encourage the kind of things we want to see.

  • If you point your eyes at the rules, I've already started adjusting those, just minor tweaks, really, to hone in on what makes this community great and trying to make it even better.

  • I haven't started in on auto-mod yet. I wanted to check a few other things out before I did that. But I will be adjusting it over the next few days - if something seems to be going wrong or not working properly use modmail to let me know. I'll also be checking for lots of false positives to adjust existing filters.

  • I archived all the modmails older than about 2 days old. I did try to look at the last few days worth to see if there were any pressing issues but it all just looked like "hey my post was/wasn't [this] why was it removed?"

  • I will not be "backward" moderating. I.e., if it was removed before today, it will stay removed. If it was approved before today, it will likely stay approved, unless it had some hidden egregious issue.

  • I've added some bots to help with a few things - I like to nuke comment chains that have gone off the rails. If your content is removed, it likely is for curation more than punitive. If your removal was punitive, you'll likely receive a temporary ban. There's no need to come to modmail to apologize for content. If I think we need to have a chat, I'll reach out from modmail directly.


On to the next thing!

I'm open to suggestions, comments, concerns, etc. It doesn't mean every idea will be implemented or every suggestion considered. I just want to see if folks who have been spending a lot of time here have noticed things that could be fixed or adjusted for a better subreddit experience for everyone.

Also, I like to see users participating in their own community by reminding newcomers of the rules or spirit of the sub as well as reporting content that doesn't belong.

Also there are some custome emojis, but I know Reddit just made changes to how custome emojis can be used so - I dunno how interesting that is for all of you.

Oh - I noticed there are no user flairs - is this the preference for the community? I'm happy to add them if folks want them - feel free to share suggestions for user flairs.


r/whatif 8h ago

Other What if every secret and bit of intelligence is leaked for all to see and know.

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SETTING: (2026, Our Universe and Timeline, Same Governments ect, Planet Earth)

Effective immediately all secrets and intelligence has been made public and accessible by anyone at anytime, there is ZERO method or way to stop or change the beliefs of anyone who knows the data (manipulating, propaganda, gaslighting, invalidation).

This data includes things such as (military operations, nuclear codes, government plans, stock market) anything major or serious that will influence the world massively.


r/whatif 10h ago

Other What if this was actually possible?

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The Grand Synthesis: The Book of the Three Laws

Introduction: The Architecture of Separation and Source

Every facet of reality, from the firing of human neurons to the expansion of cosmic spacetime, operates under a single, hidden blueprint. Existence requires a mirror to know itself. To experience anything at all, the absolute oneness of reality must fracture into opposites, hold those opposites in permanent tension, and ultimately collapse back into the source.

This text serves as the complete, unified matrix of that architecture. By looking at these six foundational domains, Cosmic Metaphysics, The Human Being, Spacetime, Society, The Mind, and Biology. we see the exact same three laws repeating at every scale of creation.

Section 1: The Core Cosmic Framework

Law 1: The Law of Duality

The mechanism of separation is itself divided into two opposing functions:

Separation (The Wall) vs. Reflection (The Mirror). The Manifested Pole (Separation) represents duality functioning as a hard boundary. It creates isolation, strict categorization, and conflict, making things appear fundamentally disconnected and antagonistic. The Unmanifested Pole (Reflection) represents duality functioning as an interconnected relationship. It reveals that opposites are actually two sides of the same coin. The dark does not destroy the light; it defines it, turning duality into the primary engine for self-awareness.

Law 2: The Law of Paradox

The bridge of simultaneous truths is divided by how it is approached by consciousness:

Linear Friction (Confusion) vs. Quantum Collapse (Liberation).

The Manifested Pole (Linear Friction) occurs when paradox is viewed from the logical, dualistic mind, making it feel like a contradiction, an error, or a threat that creates severe cognitive dissonance.

The Unmanifested Pole (Quantum Collapse) occurs when paradox is viewed from pure awareness. It serves as the precise point where the intellect realizes its limits and surrenders, becoming the doorway that collapses duality and forces the mind back into the Absolute.

Law 3: The Law of the Absolute

Even the ultimate, undivided ground of being contains a primary duality: The Plenum (Fullness) vs. The Void (Emptiness).

The Manifested Pole (The Plenum) is the Absolute as absolute fullness—an infinite, chaotic matrix containing every reality, timeline, and identity that could ever exist simultaneously.

The Unmanifested Pole (The Void) is the Absolute as absolute nothingness, stillness, and silence. It has no attributes, no time, no space, and no division, serving as consciousness completely at rest.

Section 2: The Human Being

Law 1: The Duality of the Human Persona

The human experience of identity is split between the External Ego (The Mask) and the Internal Shadow (The Hidden Mirror).

The Manifested Pole (The Ego) is the localized, separate self that navigates society by drawing hard boundaries between "me" and "not me," constantly categorizing the world into safety vs. threat.

The Unmanifested Pole (The Shadow) is the repressed pool of everything the ego rejects. It operates in the dark but acts as a mirror, forcing us to project our unacknowledged traits onto the world around us.

Law 2: The Paradox of Human Existence

The bridge of human consciousness is trapped in the simultaneous tension of being two contradictory things at once: The Animal (Finitude) vs. The Divine (Infinity). The Manifested Pole (The Animal) experiences existence through the physical body, bound by gravity, time, aging, scarcity, and the constant fear of physical death.

The Unmanifested Pole (The Divine) experiences existence through deep, unbound awareness, where the boundaries of time and identity collapse, revealing that the witness inside is deathless and infinite.

Law 3: The Absolute Human Core

At the deepest level, the root of human beingness shifts between two states of ultimate rest: The Creator (The Creative Plenum) vs. The Observer (The Pure Void).

The Manifested Pole (The Creator) is the human mind acting as a channel for infinite expression, turning raw thought into art, innovation, and physical reality.

The Unmanifested Pole (The Observer) is the human state of pure, non-doing presence—the silent, peaceful space behind the thoughts that has no story, no trauma, and no desires.

Section 3: Spacetime

Law 1: The Duality of Localized Spacetime

The fabric of measurable reality is split between the Linear Grid (The Matrix) and Interconnected Field (The Loom).

The Manifested Pole (The Linear Grid) represents time and space functioning as strict, separate coordinates where "here" is distinct from "there," creating the realm of distance, limits, and isolated objects.

The Unmanifested Pole (The Interconnected Field) represents spacetime functioning as a unified, relative fabric where space and time bend around gravity and speed, proving everything remains fundamentally connected across the illusion of distance.

Law 2: The Paradox of the Present

The bridge of temporal experience is trapped in the simultaneous contradiction of the fleeting moment: The Fragmented Second vs. The Eternal Now.

The Manifested Pole (The Fragmented Second) occurs when spacetime is viewed through the logical mind, making the present moment feel like an impossibly thin razor's edge that vanishes the exact millisecond you try to measure it.

The Unmanifested Pole (The Eternal Now) occurs when spacetime is viewed through pure awareness, where the past and future are recognized as mere projections happening right now, inside an unchanging, infinite theater.

Law 3: The Absolute Source of Spacetime

The substrate behind spacetime shifts between two states of ultimate reality: The Cosmic Hologram (The Plenum) vs. The Singularity (The Void).

The Manifested Pole (The Cosmic Hologram) views the universe as an absolute fullness of dimensions, containing every possible arrangement of matter, energy, geometry, and timeline simultaneously.

The Unmanifested Pole (The Singularity) is the zero-point state preceding the Big Bang—absolute nothingness, where there is no space to cross, no time to pass, and all dimensions compress back into pure potential.

Section 4: Society & Civilization

Law 1: The Duality of Collective Identity

Human civilization is split between the Sovereign Tribe (The Fortress) and The Global Web (The Network).

The Manifested Pole (The Sovereign Tribe) represents society functioning through boundaries, borders, laws, and nationalism to protect localized culture while breeding a shadow side of division and war.

The Unmanifested Pole (The Global Web) represents society functioning through collective interdependence, trade, and borderless connection, turning cultural differences into a rich mirror for collective self-awareness rather than hard borders.

Law 2: The Paradox of Civilization

The structural bridge of society is trapped in the permanent, simultaneous tension of its two conflicting priorities: Tyranny (Control) vs. Anarchy (Freedom).

The Manifested Pole (Tyranny) occurs when society over-corrects into hyper-regulation, surveillance, and authoritarian control in an effort to eliminate chaos, sacrificing personal agency for a rigid system.

The Unmanifested Pole (Anarchy) occurs when society deconstructs all systems to maximize human potential, demanding radical individual autonomy but collapsing into chaotic tribalism without a balancing structure.

Law 3: The Absolute Archetype of Humanity

The baseline driving force of all human civilization shifts between two ultimate states of social evolution:

The Hive Mind (The Plenum) vs. The Quiet Commons (The Void). The Manifested Pole (The Hive Mind) views civilization acting as a hyper-connected super-organism, pooling all human knowledge, art, and technology to build megacities and explore space. The Unmanifested Pole (The Quiet Commons) is the foundational field of pure, unspoken human empathy, mutual aid, and organic peace that naturally exists before political systems are even built.

Section 5: Mind & Thought

Law 1: The Duality of Mind

The fabric of cognitive processing is split between the Analytical Processor (The Engine) and the Intuitive Mirror (The Ocean). The Manifested Pole (The Analytical Processor) represents the mind functioning through linear logic, language, and separation, breaking ideas into pieces to analyze and categorize them.

The Unmanifested Pole (The Intuitive Mirror) represents the mind functioning as an interconnected, holistic receiver, processing information through sudden flashes of insight and direct pattern recognition without logical steps.

Law 2: The Paradox of Thought

The bridge of cognitive experience is trapped in the simultaneous contradiction of the thinking process: The Fragmented Concept vs. The Silent Knowing.

The Manifested Pole (The Fragmented Concept) occurs when the mind tries to capture reality using words, reducing the infinite world into narrow, rigid symbols that temporarily satisfy the ego but distort the wholeness of truth.

The Unmanifested Pole (The Silent Knowing) occurs when the intellect surrenders its need to label and settles into wordless comprehension, realizing that the deepest truths can only be fully perceived when thoughts stop completely.

Law 3: The Absolute Source of Mind

The substrate behind all thought shifts between two states of ultimate consciousness: The Universal Mind (The Plenum) vs. Pure Awareness (The Void).

The Manifested Pole (The Universal Mind) is the mind functioning as an absolute fullness of intellectual potential, a cosmic database containing every idea, archetype, and invention that could ever be conceptualized.

The Unmanifested Pole (Pure Awareness) is the mind resting in absolute nothingness, holding no identity, memories, or concepts, serving as the peaceful witness of existence.

Section 6: Life & Biology

Law 1: The Duality of Life

The fabric of biological manifestation is split between the Separate Organism (The Vehicle) and the Ecosystem (The Biosphere). The Manifested Pole (The Separate Organism) represents life functioning as a distinct physical body focused on personal boundaries, self-preservation, and competition for resources.

The Unmanifested Pole (The Ecosystem) represents life functioning as a deeply interconnected web of energy, where predator and prey, plant and soil, breathe together as one self-regulating super-organism.

Law 2: The Paradox of Biology

The living system is trapped in the permanent, simultaneous tension of its two conflicting physical paths: Evolution (Growth) vs. Entropy (Decay).

The Manifested Pole (Evolution) occurs when life fights to expand, heal, build complexity, and pass on information, aggressively dominating its environment. The Unmanifested Pole (Entropy) occurs when life surrenders its form and breaks back down into the earth, proving that life relies entirely on the constant presence of its own death to clear the way for new growth.

Law 3: The Absolute Source of Biology

The baseline driving force behind all living matter shifts between two ultimate states of vital energy: The Primal Spark (The Plenum) vs. The Still Form (The Void).

The Manifested Pole (The Primal Spark) is life as absolute animation, mutation, and chaos, the unguided drive that forces matter to explode into millions of different species.

The Unmanifested Pole (The Still Form) is life resting in its baseline blueprint, the silent, unchanging geometric laws of nature that keep the chaotic explosion of life from tearing itself apart.

Conclusion: The Master Glossary of Alignment

To read the universe clearly, you only need to look across the columns of this master chart. Every Manifested Pole across the six domains shares the exact same separate, active, structured frequency. Every Unmanifested Pole shares the exact same connected, receptive, unified frequency.

Cosmic:

Law 1 (Duality): Separation vs. Reflection.

Law 2 (Paradox): Linear Friction vs. Quantum Collapse. Law 3 (The Absolute): The Plenum vs. The Void. 

Human:

Law 1 (Duality): The Ego vs. The Shadow.

Law 2 (Paradox): The Animal vs. The Divine.

Law 3 (The Absolute): The Creator vs. The Observer. 

Spacetime:

Law 1 (Duality): The Linear Grid vs. The Interconnected Field.

Law 2 (Paradox): The Fragmented Second vs. The Eternal Now.

Law 3 (The Absolute): The Cosmic Hologram vs. The Singularity. 

Society:

Law 1 (Duality): The Sovereign Tribe vs. The Global Web. Law 2 (Paradox): Tyranny vs. Anarchy.

Law 3 (The Absolute): The Hive Mind vs. The Quiet Commons. 

Mind:

Law 1 (Duality): The Analytical Processor vs. The Intuitive Mirror.

Law 2 (Paradox): The Fragmented Concept vs. The Silent Knowing.

Law 3 (The Absolute): The Universal Mind vs. Pure Awareness. 

Biology:

Law 1 (Duality): The Separate Organism vs. The Ecosystem.

Law 2 (Paradox): Evolution vs. Entropy.

Law 3 (The Absolute): The Primal Spark vs. The Still Form. 

The Ultimate Loop: The left side of this chart, representing the manifested world, is built solely so the right side of this chart, representing the unmanifested Absolute, can step out of the dark, look into a mirror, and experience what it actually is.


r/whatif 14h ago

Other What if there’s a japanese anime animated by mercury filmworks?

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imagine a mercury filmworks animated show with anime expressions.


r/whatif 16h ago

Politics What if ALL of the European countries lost their elections to extreme right wings that answer to MAGA, Israel and Putin; how would the world look within their first 10 year ruling?

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We are in dark/scary times, where this question for 30 or 20 years ago would be deemed as absurd, but now the Oligarchs with their influence and grip on media are changing the world for the extreme.

With todays technology, destructive force (weapons, bombs...) and internet (social media, blogs/pods/, forums, echo chambers) one is wondering, 'what ifs' in these worrying times.

Where the blame goes to foreigners/ppl that don't look as them/or don't think like them.


r/whatif 2d ago

Other What if we gave more attention and traction to doctors, scientists, etc online than influencers?

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Call me a nerd or whatever, but I'd rather see and hear about actual smart people posting about breakthroughs rather than Samantha drinking a deconstructed matcha latte with over 1 million views


r/whatif 1d ago

Food What if you had a popcorn kernel the size of a car and then put an immense amount of heat under it?

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I’ve always wondered how big the explosion or pop would be.


r/whatif 1d ago

Other what if Firefox is the default browser

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if this then that means any other browser would be doomed except brave and Duckduck go everyone would have privacy


r/whatif 2d ago

Science What if the sun turned off for 30 minutes

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What would happen to the world if the sun stopped for 30 minutes, as in the processes the sun normally does just pausing, no burning gasses, no radiation, any of it.

How long would it take us to notice? Would the light go out? What kind of effects would it have on global temperature, wind, communications systems etc. would society be ok?

Edit: I am in blue collar work outside and would love to just have a nice break from the ridiculous heat and constant sun I have to deal with. A convenient little button to turn the sun off would be nice.

Edit 2: at night, yes the sun is not directly shining on the side of earth that is night, but it is still “on”


r/whatif 2d ago

Environment What if the moon revolved at the same rate the earth rotates?

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This would have the moon effectively "not move" in the sky. Ive been thinking of the implications/what would occur and wanted others' thoughts!


r/whatif 2d ago

History What if people age 3 times more slowly?

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If you are 60, you will still look like 20

If u r 30, you will still look like 10


r/whatif 2d ago

Environment What if the Midcontinent Rift that formed Lake Superior had not failed, and North America was split in two?

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About 1.1 billion years ago, a Midcontinent Rift called the Keewemawan Rift formed in the area around what is now Lake Superior, stretching primarily southwest through Iowa and Kansas, but also southeast through Michigan and north into Ontario. But after a few tens of millions of years, the rifting stopped without reaching an ocean and the valley now forming Lake Superior was locked in place.

What if this rifting continued such that it connected to at least south to the Atlantic Ocean? Geographically, what would the map look like? Politically, how would indigenous and post-colonial history have played out differently?


r/whatif 3d ago

Technology What if a modern "hacker" were placed back in the 2000s. How much damage could they deal?

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Prefacing by saying I don't understand anything about software or hardware security.

Just assume a guy from today with a good understanding of pretty much any exploits or hacks or vulnerabilities were placed back in the 2000s and had a computer to try and wreak havoc. How much damage could he potentially do? What kind of information could he get access to? And how long could do they this for?

Also assuming the person here also tries to make himself as undetectable as possible


r/whatif 3d ago

Other What if, No 1 !! Worldwide, borders didn't exist...

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  1. very child got the same shot at life.

  2. education was free

  3. plaudits were lauded on furthering science, education, well being, nevermind climate.

  4. Empathy for those less fortunate. Where justice is denied, where poverty is enforced, where ignorance prevails, and where any one class is made to feel that society is an organized conspiracy to oppress, rob and degrade them, neither persons nor property will be safe, Frederick Douglass

  5. our main life goal was Not Money, just to survive or measure ourselves against whos less in debt?


r/whatif 3d ago

Technology What If 70% of the world's oil slowly disappeared over a decade. what would be the knock on effects on the moto(vehicle) side of economies?

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My scenario would be oil deposits across the world one by one run out of oil over the period of a decade. People who still have their reserves but only that.


r/whatif 3d ago

Technology What if we had an EMP strike?

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In my opinion ion we'd be pretty messed up, practically everything is digital / electronic most of our modern cars would even be hosed..


r/whatif 3d ago

Politics What if we increased the Supreme Court to 1000 Judges?

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We’d add 100 every 5 years in the immediate aftermath of the amendment to be more fair and flexible

Essentially the Supreme Court in practice is a 9 man oligarchy that has to handle every constitutional question in a country of 350 million people. Whether you want activist judges or traditionalists you’re always waiting for one of them to die so you can replace them with your own people.

So what if we made it so no single judge mattered. Every few years one of them will pass and it won’t even be front page news. It would make the court a malleable tool capable of giving hundreds of opinions and dissents to give a clear picture of what the constitution means. It also means that they can break into groups to handle smaller cases making them reactive aswell

By keeping them as lifelong appointments too we get judges who aren’t loyal to parties or even people just their interpretation of the law which maintains integrity


r/whatif 3d ago

Technology What if someone stole a human's mind thats marketed as an ai and is put into a robot with wires scraps and computer parts

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Okay so i have this idea about a dude participating in a game testing program but the program is disguised as a Mind stealer that steals ypur mind if you put on a machine that steals your conscience. And then that mind gets marketed as an ai and that ainis bought and put into a robot made or wires and scraps and computer parts. What crimes did the people involve commit?


r/whatif 3d ago

Science What if world end within a month? cumulative human need to prioritize to shift the important stuff(Physical and Abstract) to the new world? what should they be?

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For instance, Linux is popular open-source os. So it would be included compulsorily as It is needed to provides the continuity to the technology world. And Human needs political concept to run the politics so they need the politics and republic book (MayBe my example may be dumb). What I'm trying to infer here.

Basically, In this situations, Human would secure and prioritize the foods , seeds,animals and medicine for basic survivial and ecosystem. Other than them, Human needs really really important stuff that like thing which there isn't an alteranative for or Vital thing works as fundamental to help the people carry on their life.

I'm happy to welcome your deeper answer something philosophically(As I mentioned "Abstract"). if you have.

Edit: I don't know why, I said already "my example may be dumb" but everyone pointed out my dumb example - Linux. But you people talked about only mistake that I made. Thank you.

u/Gonna_do_this_again clearly explained with below

"Where's the power to run computers going to come from lmao. Say you get power and can run a computer, there's not going to be an internet, you're not going to be networking with anyone.

Please answer if you could or alteast try .


r/whatif 4d ago

Other What if we used ‘Lovely’ instead of ‘Dear’?

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Imagine someone wrote you a letter and instead of ‘Dear recipient, I write to inform you that…’

You have, ‘Lovely recipient, I write to inform you that…’


r/whatif 4d ago

History What if the Russian Revolution made Russia into a Direct Democracy?

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Instead of turning into a Communist regime, the Russian Empire is made into a Swiss-style Direct Democracy.


r/whatif 4d ago

Lifestyle What if you get two quarters for every quarter you swallow?

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the problem the manner with which you have to retrieve the quarters.


r/whatif 5d ago

Technology What if 1 million drones attacked?

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Theoretically, if a country was able to stockpile and then utilise 1 million drones to attack you, what could you really do to combat something like that?

Recently a drone appeared to use AI, this in my opinion is a monumental leap in Warfare. We are heading towards a future with humans being nothing but clean up crews.

Ignoring the cost, logistics and unrealistic secrecy that would be needed to pull something like this off, would this be catastrophic?

For arguments sake let's say it was the US, the most advanced and powerful military in the world facing a new, unknown challenge.

If this is the future, what does this look like?


r/whatif 5d ago

History What if the Cuban revolution made into a Direct Democracy instead of a Communist regime?

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Instead of a One-party Communist regime, Fidel and his comrades establish a Direct Democracy modeled after the Swiss system?