Variables in Control

We’ve decided to try three bins
To arbitrarily bin you—

In bin one, everyone’s dying
In a global nuclear war;

In bin two, everyone’s dying
In a genocidal assault

On your hometown, people screaming
As ruthless soldiers mow them down;

In bin three; everyone’s dying
In a rest home, one at a time.

Since we can’t just kill everyone,
Given costs and loss of subjects,

We’ll use doses of suggestrene
With effective hypnotism

And augmented reality
While we ask the subjects questions

To ascertain levels of fear,
Avenues of consolation.

We’ll vary orders of treatment
As well as contents of questions,

But the last question will always
Be the same one for everyone—

What do you think it means, to be
Witnessing your own extinction?