What would you do?

I recently finished reading "On the Beach" by Nevil Shute. For those not familiar with the book (or the movie with Gregory Peck, Ava Gardner, and Fred Astaire) a nuclear war has been waged in the northern hemisphere; the southern hemisphere is undamaged but a cloud of radiation is slowly settling from the north to the south. In Australia where the story takes place the population is aware that death is not only certain but the month of the death of all creatures
is known. Yet, the majority of the people go on with their lives, planting a garden, going to school and work, having babies. The story centers around an American Navy submarine that makes its way to Australia and the captain of the sub; a young Australian woman who before the American shows up is slowly drinking herself into oblivion; an Australian naval officer and his wife and infant daughter; and a scientist who knows that all will be dead in less than a year.

The book was almost unbearably sad to read but very thought provoking. We know we will die but blessed not knowing when; would the knowledge of an end date for one and all change our behavior for the better or worse or not at all? It made me think and wonder how brave I could be in the face of this situation.