Tomorrow (September 26th, Friday) is Petrov day, the day when nuclear war did not start in 1983.
Raemon in Meetup Month has a great overview of classic rationalist celebration[1] that goes over the history of humanity potentially culminating in red button being pressed.
Personally in 2025 I don't feel lack of existential terror, so I will be celebrating Petrov's day as if the button had been pressed. Some suggestions:[2]
Simulate nuclear detonation in the place where you live
Figure out what would be the safest place in your home to hide[3]
Turn on your battery-powered or dynamo radio to listen to official instructions[4]
Review nuclear preparedness guide and official local disaster preparedness instructions
Make a meal from the ingridients you have at home[5]
Acquire portable power station for home backup
Plan a nice camping trip
Gift your loved ones some jewellery to trade for food
Put on a show: being able to entertain yourself and others will be good for moral[10]
Share your pre-post-nuclear/disaster celebration ideas in the comments![11]
Complete with 35 page booklet and Amazon candle & candle holders recs ↩︎
I hate thinking about this stuff but I think it is useful and making it a holiday celebration a) gives it a deadline (no pun intended) b) makes it fun enough for me to overcome the dread ↩︎
Basement, or room separated from the outside by as many walls as possible, avoid windows ↩︎
Get one now ↩︎
Remember those good old early COVID lockdowns! I think there was a hashtag... ↩︎
Although I guess eating as many of frozen items (before they go bad without electricity) is useful practice too? ↩︎
100 oz ↩︎
That you will replenish afterwards ↩︎
I hope you like beans ↩︎
I plan to lean into my natural flexibility and attempt contortionism. Juggling, card tricks, and ventriloquism are also solid options. ↩︎
I am taking my family to a submarine (in a museum) so we can play-pretend Vasili Arkhipov. ↩︎