Dear Ethicist: What's Appropriate Behavior If the World is Coming to An End?

Dear Ethicist: What if everyone knew it was their last day on earth and there would be no consequences for any action? Is it a no brainer that most people would behave like there was no tomorrow-literally.  Can you be moral when there’s no future? Or are there people who would still act appropriately, obeying the Ten Commandments and especially the one that states “thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s wife?” Is it unrealistic to maintain the notion that two people would not act on long simmering desires? Am I going to spring out of bed and go for blow even if it means eating the whole Subway Series of heroes they have been advertising and risk getting a stomach ache? Even if it isn’t until llPM that I get it on with my neighbor's wife, won't my neighbor still feel the pain of rejection for an hour? Won't this give me pause? Is morality best viewed as an universal concept that should be applied when even when your boat is capsizing? Or do you have to choose your battles, even when you know the end is nigh?

read "Pornosophy: The Pleasure Principle" by Francis Levy, HuffPost

and listen to "Love Machine" by The Miracles