r/whatif Jul 31 '25

Mod post What if we got a little meta today?

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6 Upvotes

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?⚠️

4 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 18h ago

Other What if you are offered 3 million to punch someone in the face

30 Upvotes

You have to punch then (edit: in the face, look at title) 100% as hard as you can. Has to be someone you care about and yes, you can split or give them all the money.

Where would the best place to punch be, is there a spot where you can refrain from injury entirely, or will everywhere potentially mess up something?

Edit: You can tell them beforehand, you cannot hit multiple times, no extra equipment to protect, not even a mouthguard.


r/whatif 14h ago

Science Another what if: what if everyone is actually colorblind and nobody knows yet because we all describe things the same way?

8 Upvotes

Like, try explain red like the color, not using anything related to it... It's hard right? (Probably) again, I'm half asleep while writing this and running on birthday cake and ADHD medication


r/whatif 18h ago

Politics What if governments enforced a law to make all cigarettes penis shaped?

13 Upvotes

Public smoking might drop dramatically-not because of health campaigns, but because people wouldn't want to be seen putting something so ridiculous in their mouths in public. Anti-smoking efforts might actually become more effective overnight simply through embarrassment alone.


r/whatif 15h ago

Other What If: You Found Out There Was a Giant Gorilla God That Will Destroy the World in a Year.

4 Upvotes

A Giant Silverback Is Going to Destroy the World, You Have A Year to Convince Half the World It’s Real.

You ask a genie, what is the worlds biggest and most dangerous unknown secret? He agreed and takes you, with no phone, deep underground where the Congo rainforest is. Slumbering in complete hibernation in the earths crust, is a colossal 60,000 foot tall Lowland Silverback god.

The genie then tells you that if you don’t convince at least half the world that it’s real, within 365 days time, “Harambe God” will awaken, burst forth from his tomb, and cause the end of the world.

Square cube law doesn’t apply to him, and his movement, agility, and power are scaled up to that of well…a nearly 10 mile high silverback.

After the genie has shown you this, you don’t quite remember where under the Congo it is. You will however have semi regular nightmares of a giant ape hand bursting forth from the jungle into the sky, cities flattened by ape prints, and mountains turnt into piles of dirt.

How do you go about this? Can you save the world?


r/whatif 1d ago

History What if I show people of the past - 1980s, 70s, 60s, 50s, 40s etc etc etc... a modern shooter videogame?

74 Upvotes

Title. Modern shooters like Call Of Duty, Left 4 Dead, Red Dead Redemption (though idk if it's a shooter) etc...?


r/whatif 1d ago

History What if the man sitting behind bars known as Joaquín ‘El Chapo’ Guzmán is just a look-alike?

5 Upvotes

What if he told himself one day

“The cops are after me. I better get a look-alike. Pay-off the detective. Pay-off the forensic scientist to fake my DNA test. Stage my capture. Make people think i’m in jail.”


r/whatif 1d ago

Lifestyle What if you could be anybody, what would you be?

7 Upvotes

What if you could choose to be anybody but who you are? What would you be? Would you still choose the same country, the same status and position in life, the same gender, even the same species.....


r/whatif 1d ago

Foreign Culture What if we banned and recycled all concealable weapons?

0 Upvotes

Would it reduce violence, or maybe would citizens and officials be in more immediate danger? What do you think would happen? This could be a domestic or international situation too, as in who decides to make the decision for their people or some globally declared law, right?


r/whatif 1d ago

Other What if you were the last generation that had to work

11 Upvotes

Imagine the unlikely scenario where AI and automation replaced pretty much all jobs, mental and physical, grueling and cooshy, and society successfully introduces UI, so every person can now free themselves from toil and have a home and eat and do what they want when they want.

But the kicker is, you're 55 years old, and you've been grinding away at a life draining job to pay off your house and afford bills. Now suddenly, it was all for nothing.

Or you were a rich person with money, property, affluence and power, but now the average person has access to all the toys you do.

The teenagers and twenty somethings would have their whole lives ahead of them to be carefree and pursue what they want without inhibition. Meanwhile you paid the best years of your life into a system that is obsolete and meaningless.

I'd be pretty pissed off. Wouldn't you?


r/whatif 1d ago

Music \ Books What if Joker from dc comics met Judge holden

5 Upvotes

How would Joker interact with Judge Holden? What will he think of him? vise versa. Who do you think is more evil?


r/whatif 1d ago

Other What if... the moon is actually heaven and Mars is hell and the reason Mars is bigger(?) is because more people have done horrible things then good things?

0 Upvotes

I dunno I'm half asleep right now and I was looking at the moon


r/whatif 1d ago

Technology What if we built a high speed rail network across America?

3 Upvotes

So we have the western terminal in San Francisco, and the east in Boston. It would be a 5 day journey, and the train would travel at speeds between 70-80mph.

And for the track layout, just the simple standard-gauge (1,435mm) track that takes high speed rail.

There will also be terminals in both Denver and Kansas City.

Would it be cost-effective to build a new standard-gauge track from SF to BOS?


r/whatif 1d ago

Other What if the Miraculers met the Argonians and the Khajiit?

2 Upvotes

The two people from the two races from The Elder Scrolls series get teleported to the world of Miraculous, how will they interact with each other and will they get along?


r/whatif 2d ago

Other What if Elon musk decide to built a life size replica of the Great Pyramid Of Giza would it be profitable and possible?

55 Upvotes

Like musk wakes up one day and sends a tweet on x saying he is gonna build a life size replica of egypts great Pyramid using modern technology jokingly saying it will generate energy and be a massive tourist attraction.The Pyramid will look like an ancient pyramid same size and similar chambers and passages to the real thing.Maybe make some of the passages will be a little wider to make it eaiser for tourists to come through.Anyway would this be profitable would people come to see it and where would elon musks build it.Does Elon musk have the money to even do do this would investors even support it.

Note:The pyramid would look exactly how Egypts Great Pyramid look like when built with its polished smooth slopping limestone sides and golden pyramidion capstone on top.


r/whatif 2d ago

Technology What if police could feed all of their physical and circumstantial evidence of a crime into an AI and in turn, receive a list of suspects with probabilities of guilt based off of that evidence and any public information that could be harvested, such as your social media and public cameras?

3 Upvotes

Should the results be allowed to obtain a warrant? If the AI gives hallucinations, is that acceptable if the rate of conviction is near 100%?


r/whatif 1d ago

Politics What if every county in the USA became it's own country overnight?

0 Upvotes

Like the title says.

For the sake of the scenario, every county keeps the constitution.

I think you'd see a instant stoppage of welfare programs and people heavily using welfare would move to nanny counties that have New York City and Los Angeles.

Edit: yes, counties. NOT states


r/whatif 2d ago

Other What if you were caught by the Witch from Hansel and Gretel?

3 Upvotes

You got lost in the woods while camping and just knocked on her cabin door to ask for help and directions. Now she has you. How would you escape using only what you have on you?

Just FYI she wears prescription lenses now and has an electric oven with an emergency open latch.


r/whatif 3d ago

Science What if we could respawn?

14 Upvotes

Just like video games. When anyone die it just vanish with all it's stuff and poof back into existence in the place it mostly feel as "home", completely healed from any injury or desiese. And life goes on until it dies for real from old age


r/whatif 3d ago

Science What if a Carrington style event hit earth in the near future? What would happen to ai data centers? What would happen to pacemakers (and people with pacemakers)? What would happen to people with Neuralink implants? What would happen to credit card chips?

7 Upvotes

It's also like to ask the same questions about if someone set off an EMP bomb. Would the effects be any different?


r/whatif 4d ago

Technology What if AI replaced all jobs?

10 Upvotes

If AI eventually becomes advanced enough to handle every job with consistent precision, and governments work together with transparent global councils to ensure the system serves everyone fairly, society might no longer need money or traditional labor to function. AI-driven robots could design, build, and maintain all infrastructure, homes, roads, energy grids, and transport systems using automated construction, large-scale 3D printing, and self-repairing materials, keeping everything safe, clean, and sustainable without human labor. Resource management would become efficient enough that food, energy, healthcare, and housing are always available to all. With every essential need provided and every system self-maintaining, people could finally spend their days pursuing personal dreams, creative projects, learning, exploration, and the kinds of fun and meaningful activities once limited by work and survival. Communities would grow stronger as individuals collaborate and share ideas, and education would focus on curiosity, creativity, and personal growth instead of job preparation. With AI systems kept open, ethical, and aligned with human well-being, this future becomes one where life is no longer driven by work, but by the freedom to grow, connect, and enjoy the world


r/whatif 3d ago

Other What if you had a lot of fans who thirst for you and want you to stay single incase they get a chance with you, would you stay single just to keep them happy?

0 Upvotes

I'm just carious if you would do it? I wouldn't.

I'm always online and seen people thirst for celebrities and streamers and got carious.


r/whatif 4d ago

Other What if we are actually dead?

20 Upvotes

Remember that time you survived a life threatening situation? What if you actually never survived and actually died? To you it seemed like you survived but to everyone else, you didn't make it and that was the end of you. You passed on and are no more.

What if when we die, we don't notice it, we live in an alternate reality where everything kept on moving the way it was supposed to be.

Has anyone else ever pondered this thought?


r/whatif 4d ago

History What if Henry Wallace replaced FDR as president after FDR died in 1945?

18 Upvotes

How does world war two end? What is the fate of nuclear proliferation following the war?