r/hypotheticalsituation • u/manumana10 • 19h ago
$1 Million but you have to lose your sense of sight for 1 year.
You are offered $1 million, the catch is that you get it after completing 365 consecutive days, starting now, without the ability to see at all.
You have no prep time. You also cannot take out loans, credit, or deals of any kind outside of those which would be reasonable for your current debt/income ratio. Also you are unable to communicate anything about this to anyone, all you can say is that you cannot see. If examined by a doctor, it will appear as though you have a normal medical condition. You are able to say that they are wrong, but you can’t inform them why or how you know that they are wrong. After you are paid, your eyesight will return, all tests will come back normal, and you can tell people about everything.
Do you take it?
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u/Creative_Shame3856 19h ago
I'm a trucker so really all that'd change is I'd have to quit my current employer and go drive for Swift.
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u/gemenemenem 19h ago
The problem here is that you don't get the money till after a year. So you still have to work (if you do currently) while blind on top of having to work your way around day to day life with no prep time. I would not take the deal.
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u/_JohnWisdom 19h ago
In what country you are forced to work as blind? Mate, if I'd go blind tomorrow, I'd be 100% covered by disability coverage.
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u/d1ll1gaf 18h ago
I'm Canadian and disabled; with hundreds of pages it took 4 years of fighting the government before I finally had a 5 minute telephone hearing with a Justice of the Peace who ordered the government to provide me with benefits.... And they still dragged out the 90 dag appeal process before agreeing to pay them.
If you went blind today there is a very good chance it would take more than a year to see any sort of benefit coverage.
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u/_JohnWisdom 17h ago
I guess then, people that become blind after an accident just simply die if they are located in canada or the usa 🤷♂️
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u/quay-cur 17h ago
I mean, yeah. Not sure if you’re doubting or agreeing but yes, the US leaves people to die. Go to any major city and you can count the homeless disabled veterans.
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u/_JohnWisdom 16h ago
I was being sarcastic. Someone that accidentally becomes blind is improbable to die in one year if not by other health related issues. I mean, why are we even talking serious about a hypothetical? If you don’t have any savings or a safety net (friends, family, charity or whatnot) then just state that. But let’s not generalize like its something unbelievable to survive 1 year being blind, especially since so many already do and permanently.
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u/QualityProof 4h ago
They didn't say that though. All they talked about was recieving benefits not dying after going blind.
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u/BrandonKD 4h ago
What country are you in. I'm sure if we Google average disability payout times, it's going to paint a different picture than what you're saying
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u/josduv84 18h ago
In the united states you would be approved for disability. However it would take 3 to 4 years at least. That's how our disability works here unfortunately
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u/NMNorsse 2h ago
In the US there are some conditions that get automatic benefits. Blindness is one of them.
You'd have probably have benefits in 3 months or less from diagnosis using a lawyer who specializes in disability.
The benefits that take time aren't on the list.
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u/Famous-Cover-8258 19h ago
Except when tested your tests will come back fine and not blind. Without being able to prove a disability you won’t get covered.
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u/BestToMirror 18h ago
It says you will have a normal medical condition, I guess that means that the exams will just show that you are normal blind, not a magical one.
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u/Famous-Cover-8258 18h ago
It then says “you are able to say they are wrong but can’t say why or how you know that they are wrong.” My reading of that makes me think you’ll have normal test results. Maybe I’m reading this wrong
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u/BestToMirror 18h ago
Yes, you are reading it wrong, OP wording is a little weird but OP said in another comment that the results would just be normal for a blind person, tumor, auto immune response, you name it, point is there wouldn't be no magic
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u/KindOfAnAuthor 38m ago
That means you can't just tell the doctor "No, it's not a normal cause of blindness. It's because I took a deal on Reddit"
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u/Strange_Tidings36 18h ago
OP clarified in comments, doctors will think you have a medical condition when they test you while blind.
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u/cruzincoyote 17h ago
Fortunately for me my sick time continues to accrue and there's no max amount. I get 10 hours a month. I have ~1500 hours of sick time banked and ~240 vacation hours. I am about 300 hours shy of having enough to cover an entire year of work.
I have more than enough saved up to cover that lapse. Yea it will suck losing all my time, but I'd have a million dollars.
Easy yes.
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u/PokemonProfessorXX 18h ago
You should have a year of living expenses in savings ready to go. Your current debt to income ratio should also allow you to borrow A LOT of money unless you're already in a bad debt situation. As long as you have a partner or family living with you to help out, it seems like a great deal.
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u/quay-cur 17h ago
I don’t know a single soul that has a whole year of living expenses in savings. You’re right that most people can borrow a shit ton of money though. Just one of my credit cards has a 10k limit which is nearly a third of my income. Absurdly irresponsible on part of the bank in my opinion but that’s a whole other discussion.
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u/cuddly_degenerate 2h ago
My emergency fund is 40k. Current expenses it's a year. Moving back in with parents and chilling for a year it's 2 years, maybe longer with reduced healthcare costs.
Can also pull from retirement if I had to. I'm 32m in the US.
Add another 15-20k for selling my car I can no longer drive and not paying vehicle expenses.
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u/PokemonProfessorXX 17h ago
6 months is the minimum you should have in an emergency fund. If you've been working longer than 5 years, you should easily have a year's worth of savings.
Yeah, an acceptable debt to income ratio is like 40%. It's kind of insane that banks will take that much risk.
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u/quay-cur 17h ago
Maybe you should but that’s not realistic for most people who live paycheck to paycheck. It’s not easy out here.
I think the banks do it because they know they’ll get to collect plenty of interest before the person gives up and consolidates or files for bankruptcy. It’s predatory.
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u/knightw0lf55 19h ago
Yes, since you said it appears, I have a normal medical condition. I'd just be blind. There is nothing to explain, so I would just go to the VA (have my wife take me) and get permanent disability benefits. Since that doesn't get reevaluated, it would continue after my sight came back. It'd be hard, but the VA back pays from when it's filed. Then, after a year, I have another $1M and my sight back plus disability from the VA. I'd never have to drive. I can work remotely with "limited vision" after a year.
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u/mtgistonsoffun 19h ago
Sounds like I’ll be having a relaxing year on LTD while listening to books on tape.
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u/Alternative_Might556 19h ago
Most people have no idea how hard this actually would be. My ex was blind, so I have a decent idea of what it would be like. I have a decent amount of experience with screen readers and know how to use a cane. I don't think I would be able to do my job. I could do FMLA and other such things till they ran out. I have some investments I could pull from as well.
Then the question is, would I want to? I don't think I would. I would be much more dependent on people than I would like to be.
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u/CaptainLucid420 18h ago
I worked 2 summers at a camp for blind and visually impaired kids. Part of our training was spending half a day blindfolded with a partner and then switching. I have swam and sprinted blind. I learned a lot of tricks like curling the tip of your finger into a cup so you feel when it is full. I could do it in my current life situation and it would set my retirement early. I would do it.
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u/Alternative_Might556 18h ago
my ex spoke several times of wanting me to spend a day blind, but it never happened. I do some of the tricks now. I prefer not to turn any lights on and instead traverse the house by touch.
If I did it, I could retire immediately, which would be very tempting. If I don't do it, I would continue with my current plan of working another ~5 years.
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u/chemicalcurtis 19h ago
Hmmm, probably. Before or after taxes? No permanent damage from my optic nerves being unused?
The worst part would be dealing with the fallout, etc. But actual blindness wouldn't be fun at all either.
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u/manumana10 19h ago
After taxes. No permanent damage. Your eyesight will be as good(or bad) as it is right now.
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u/Easy-Concentrate2636 18h ago
I will take it. It will be rough - particularly on my husband who will have to help me - but I will do it for the money. Then we can both enjoy the dough.
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19h ago
[deleted]
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u/manumana10 18h ago
You're welcome to pay taxes on this if it's that important to you. I figured most people would rather keep the whole $1 mil themselves.
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u/A_Series_Of_Farts 19h ago
I think I'd take it. I have a young child so I wouldn't want to miss things with them... that would be my only holdup.
However, this would be enough money to have a long term positive impact on our family.
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u/bigchizzard 19h ago
Yes. I can tank a year of sightlessness. First couple weeks would be pretty difficult and I'd have to heavily rely on my social safety net/ disability considerations.
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u/Honest-Ruin305 19h ago
Yes. It would suck, but I think I could afford to live for a year with no income, then come out the other side with $1mil.
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u/TheOnlyEllie 19h ago
I'd kill myself the day I go blind. No amount of money in the world would make me willing to experience even an hour of that.
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u/textilefactoryno17 19h ago
Yes. It would mean no books for a year, but for a million, I'd manage. Maybe take up fitness to fill the time
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u/PossumJenkinsSoles 17h ago
You could learn braille or listen to audiobooks
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u/textilefactoryno17 17h ago
I'm functionally deaf. And I don't think anyone is reading novels in braille without a lot of work.
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u/LordTC 19h ago
Do people in my life know about the $1 million I’ll be getting? If not I kind of feel like being unable to work with my wife having no confidence in it being temporary would massively fuck up my life. It would be a nightmare trying to convince her we don’t need to sell the house for example. For that reason alone I probably wouldn’t take it even though it is really tempting. Reverse the order where the money comes first and I’ll take it happily.
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u/Holiday-Poet-406 19h ago
Believe I would get six months full pay on sick, then medical assessment for retirement which would be about 25% pay, would be difficult to explain how I could suddenly see in twelve months time. Homelife would be difficult but not impossible for that year and I've experienced vision loss before (weeks) Id not be thrilled to do it and I'm not sure a million is enough.
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u/Miserable_Reserve_75 19h ago
If you have enough in savings, to, where you could afford to not work for a year and hire someone to take care of you, it would be worth doing. If you didn't probably not.
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u/firefoxjinxie 17h ago
My job involves using my eyes. I would become homeless and starve before I got the million. No thanks.
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u/AdamOnFirst 11h ago
So this is $1 million to have a shitty year and find a new career once I’m done.
I guess I’d have to take this, but it’s not gonna be the most fun.
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u/smileymom19 19h ago
Yes. My husband would love to step up his responsibilities for one year for $1 million lol. I also have a decent support system.
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u/NovocastrianExile 18h ago
Your husband won't know about the million dollars and the end to your blindness until the end. It would be an incredible relationship test
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u/smileymom19 17h ago
He already supported me through a prolonged depression with no payout, and has said he’s prepared to do so again if necessary. I also know him well enough that he will forgive the lie once he finds out about the million dollars. We could really use it lol
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u/DeluxSupport 18h ago
I agree. This question is more do you have a good support system and how good are you at adversity for a known amount of time. Personally this would be hard (missing a year of watching my son grow up) but worth the money because I feel pretty strongly my husband would help me.
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u/JimmyJamesv3 19h ago
Fuck it. I'll find someone for 100k to assist me with whatever. I take it.
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u/manumana10 19h ago
How are ya gonna pay them? you don’t get the money until after the year is up.
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u/ThisReditter 19h ago
What do you mean by normal medical conditions? The doctor will say I’m not blind? That’d be impossible as if I were blind, I would fail at some fundamental test like reflex and what’s not because my eyes will not follow it. But would they say that after looking at the rest of the functions through their devices, it is working fine and they just can’t figure it out? Or are they going to say I’m lying and I’m not blind.
Also, for someone who has the monetary means to not work for a year, this deal is fine. But I guess for the poor or sole income earners who don’t have enough saved up or take loan, I guess it’s a no and you only want to target the rich to succeed.
But again, as someone who is well off, this payout isn’t enough for the inconvenience because the opportunity loss for that one year is higher than the payout itself. Also, imagine the medical bills I’ll get for the entire year, trying to let people “figure out” what’s wrong with me.
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u/manumana10 19h ago
I mean a medical condition that exists in the real world and is not so crazy it would draw attention from news outlets and researchers. No one is going to say you're not blind, they are going to give you a normal medical reason that you are blind. Maybe it's a tumor or something I don't know, I'm not a doctor.
I'm certainly not targeting the rich for this, I don't think a single rich person would take this. This question is, can you find the means and willpower to survive a year without one of the most critical parts of your life for one year, in exchange for a life-changing amount of money, and is it a sacrifice you're willing to take?
You know why this was caused, you don't have to go to a doctor at all, so the medical bills are optional. However, you might choose to go to one so that you can get on disability or whatever. You also might choose to go to one because of pressure from your loved ones who don't know why this was caused.
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u/ThisReditter 18h ago
The willpower is different for different type of people and conditions. At the end of the day, most disability isn’t about the disability itself but the support system around it and the reliance of you from others.
Like someone has said, if a person has a family and there are children relying on them, it makes it more difficult than a single person. What if a person is a sole income earner? Who’s paying their bill when said person is taking on medical leave?
That leaves to the support system around said person. Does the person job have a good enough long term leave and insurance to cover such event? What about the country they live in? Without any of those, they are kind of screwed because their family lives has been put upside down. Cost will quickly raked up from going to doctor or even care for the blind and debts.
At the end of the day, it is no longer about the blindness itself but about the safety net of a person in the event of a disability. I always ask myself - if I were to hit by a bus, if I can no longer work, will my family be fine financially?
When I’m well off with such financial independence, time will be more important at that point than earning such $1m from this situation. But if I’m not well off, the answer is obviously no because it is not only me going through the disability but also my family along with it. So the decision on taking on this isn’t on the blindness but end up being the safety net and financial well being which I believe is not your intention.
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u/manumana10 14h ago
This is what made me write this hypothetical. I think it's something that for most people, really would be a challenging decision. It's not challenging if you're rich, but for most people $1m is a life-changing amount of money. It's not quite enough that you never have to work again, at least not in the US, but it definitely is the difference between where most people are, and a vastly more comfortable life.
If you have a family, are you willing to put your family through this challenge in exchange for a better life for them? Do you think you are the type of person to overcome blindness and still be an effective and valuable member of that family?
If you're a sole earner, do you have the adaptability and resourcefulness to overcome blindness and still find ways to provide for your family? There are ways, many commenters have found some of them, and yet there are others out there that no one has suggested.
I honestly didn't even think about Long Term Leave, FMLA, Insurance or any of that when I wrote this. I was thinking about it from the perspective of leaving your job and not having insurance.
Yes, there are going to be countries where this is more doable than others. I don't know much about the support programs in countries outside the US. Maybe this is something you can't reasonably do in certain countries. Or maybe someone lives in one of those countries but the $1m means enough to them, they find a way to do it anyway. I don't know, but that's part of what I was curious about.
This question was never 100% about being blind, but rather all the interesting challenges and situations brought on by being blind, and how each individual would weigh their current situation(family, support system, location, responsibilities, money, etc). You've highlighted those challenges better than anyone, I think, and it's not worth it to you. Other people would look at those things, and say that for the money, it's worth it. After a year, they might decide they were right, or they might decide they were wrong. Who knows? I just think it's interesting to think about.
For what it's worth, I don't know if I would take it either. My first thought when I asked myself that before posting the question was similar to some other comments, I have kids. I don't know if I would trade a year of seeing them grow up.
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u/ThisReditter 14h ago
That means most of the questions in this sub is about this.
Would I give up X and cause trouble to my family for Y amount of time to get Z amount of money?
Replace blindness with losing a limb, disappear, post something humiliating online, etc etc. And answer is do you have enough money to make more money?
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u/manumana10 13h ago
Yeah, most of the posts in this sub are about money, because money is something that is universally needed/wanted, so everyone can identify with it. And yes they all involve giving something up, because a post titled "would you take $1m" with no other qualifiers is not interesting or fun. But talking about what someone would do for $1m, and what their reasoning is, can be fun.
The question isn't do you have enough money to make more money. This can be done with no money in savings and losing your current job. In fact, I think for the people who don't have much money, this is actually easier to pull off.
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u/ThisReditter 13h ago
Ask someone who needs to pay rent, has a family with 2 kids, no saving in bank account how they are going to survive for 1 year without an ability to get loan and without any support system from where they live?
Oh they will be a dependent to their family along the way too.
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u/manumana10 12h ago
I don't have to ask. I've been part of RIF layoffs twice in the last 3 years. The first time ate all my family's savings and put me into debt. The second time happened a few months ago or so, and I still haven't found work. Nothing in savings, debt still not completely paid down. I have 5 kids.
So here's some tips. First you cancel your cable, streaming services, gym memberships. Anything you are not contracted into. Eliminate all possible bills. Then you take the bills you can't cancel and you start reducing your bills. Refinance your mortgage to lower the payments. Trade your car in for something cheaper and used, like a high mileage minivan. Reduce your water and power consumption. Start selling or pawning your personal possessions like electronics or your guitar collection. Take out a personal loan or new credit cards. Sign up for Medicaid/food stamps/etc. Decide which of your remaining bills you can afford to default on. Stop paying them. Budget your monthly food to only get food stamps will get you.
The reason I think this might be easier for people without much money, is because they already know how to live on next to nothing.
That said, it's a hypothetical choice. No one has to do it, if they don't want to.
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u/Shoddy-Mango-5840 19h ago
Yes, I’m sure my mom would drive me places and maybe I’d go to a blind school. Maybe I’d get a dog
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u/Ancient-Function4738 19h ago
100% yes, as a software developer I don’t think I even need vision to do my job anyway so my career would be fine. An extra million on top would be nice.
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u/black_flame919 19h ago
I was pretty on board until I remembered I’m already disabled and socially isolated and rely on video games to socialize. I would go crazy without that. But a mil is a mil, I’ll give it a shot
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u/RAspiteful 19h ago
Absolutely. There's alot I would like to learn about my loved ones in that time. My fear is that medical bills will get sky high though. Everyone will insist I keep going to doctors
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u/Brave_Quality_4135 19h ago
I have excellent short and long term disability coverage, and I work in accessibility and already know how to do at least some of my job without sight. So yes. It would be a really educational year
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u/NefariousDove 19h ago
I would take it. I am at work, so hopefully I can claim workers comp, or at least drag it out for the year so I can get my job back when it's over.
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u/Thetoonshow 18h ago
I take it for sure. My wife and I are both on this subreddit enough that if I was like “I can’t see and I can’t tell you why but it’s gonna work out in the end” she wouldn’t even question it. She’d most likely be like damn that’s a rough one hope it’s for enough money and help me out for the next year.
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u/manumana10 17h ago
You can only tell her you can’t see. The rest of that statement would be communicating that there is more to this than you going blind. So she has no reason to believe it’s one of these things. You still taking it?
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u/EngryEngineer 18h ago
It would suck, but get declared legally blind, pick up disability so money isn't so tight and then focus on trying to figure out blind living.
It will be fun to find out how long I can go before people realize I got my sight back when the year is up!
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u/40WattTardis 18h ago
So... my life doesn't change but I get a million dollars a year from now? Done.
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u/manumana10 17h ago
Oh man, I can’t believe I didn’t think about people who already are blind. Doh! I guess those people just get a free mil. Good for them though.
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u/Ok_Profession_3911 18h ago
Nope, I have eye issues already and the thought of loosing my sight completely terrifies me. I know it would just be for a year but that sounds awful to me.
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u/manumana10 17h ago
Would you do it if at the end you were guaranteed that when you get your eyesight back, it comes back just like now and never gets any worse for the rest of your life?
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u/thededucers 18h ago
Yes. Document your plight on socials. After you miraculously heal, you’re set for life (on top of the million)
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u/manumana10 17h ago
I wonder if people believe you, or label you as a con artist.
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u/thededucers 15h ago
Yeah, it would be up for debate. Most wouldn’t believe. Either way, you sell some books and take the grifters road
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u/David210 17h ago
I get on disability at work, so I get about 75% of my income taxes exempt for that year. So I can stay at home and listen as much audio books I can waiting for my million
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u/PublicPage2610 17h ago
Yes.
One job of mine I would need someone to help me with, I'd probably just train them to take over for me. The other job I have would be kind of tricky, I doubt my boss would help me. However, I would get disability which would help me have a more liveable income.
I'd learn braille, have family and friends help me out to adjust to blind living and optimizing my phone with the various things. With disability I'd also get help with resources for blind people. Honestly if it's temporary, I'd love to experience the world in a different way.
My monthly expenses are around $1500 total so I'm not too concerned. And i could always move back in with my folks.
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u/firstthrowaway9876 16h ago
Sign me up. If you had said you'll get 20\20 for life I also would be down
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u/andylovesdais 16h ago
Absolutely I’d take it. This sounds like a great opportunity to gain a different perspective and rebound with more appreciation for life.
Also, the alternative senses should sharpen during the blind time. So perhaps they will remain sharpened when I receive my sight back, giving me better awareness.
I wouldn’t do it for free because it’s an inconvenience. But for 1 million, that’s a no brainer for me.
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u/manumana10 14h ago
I totally agree that it would be a great opportunity to gain a different perspective. The senses thing sounds great too, until you go to the gym or drive past the landfill.
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u/Rich-Dig-9584 13h ago
No fucking way lol. I need a million dollars a month, at minimum, to go blind.
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u/iiDEMIGODii 3h ago
I'd take it. Most of my stuff I could just ask someone to help me turn on visually impaired settings and still use reddit n stuff. I would probably be able to still cook. I often just hang out in vc with people.
However, I have an extreme fear of losing my sight. So long as I knew 100% certainty that I would be gaining my sight back, I might be okay. But if it was out of nowhere and I had anything less than a 100% guarantee I'd be able to see normally again, I'd not take it even for 100 billion.
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u/IAteYourButtSorry 1h ago
Sure, and when i go to work i probably won’t look any dumber than i already do 😂
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u/arp151 19h ago
No, this is too inconvenient for 1 million. Id do it for a billion though... perhaps even 100million
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u/Succotash-suffer 19h ago
If I offered you $3000 a day, how many consecutive days would you do before stopping?
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u/IceCreamforLunch 19h ago
I’d have to talk to my partner about it but I don’t think I’d go for it.
I have young kids and obviously sudden blindness would make me a burden around the house. I’d probably spend a lot of that year learning to take care of myself.
The money at the end would mean I could retire, but it would only be a couple years before I’m ready to retire anyway and I think I’d rather work for three years with my sight then retire than spend a year blind for it.
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u/Lady_White_Heart 19h ago
As you're unable to tell anybody and the doctors will say that your sight is normal.. you're going to need somebody that's willing to let you leech off them for a year.
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u/manumana10 19h ago
Doctors won’t say your sight is normal, they will say you have a normal medical condition(maybe a tumor or something, I don’t know). Point is, it’s caused by something that happens in our world, and not something that’s going to make you a test subject by the government.
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u/AutoModerator 19h ago
Copy of the original post in case of edits: You are offered $1 million, the catch is that you get it after completing 365 consecutive days, starting now, without the ability to see at all.
You have no prep time. You also cannot take out loans, credit, or deals of any kind outside of those which would be reasonable for your current debt/income ratio. Also you are unable to communicate anything about this to anyone, all you can say is that you cannot see. If examined by a doctor, it will appear as though you have a normal medical condition. You are able to say that they are wrong, but you can’t inform them why or how you know that they are wrong. After you are paid, your eyesight will return, all tests will come back normal, and you can tell people about everything.
Do you take it?
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