Also, I am dreading the inevitable increase in "WORLD TO END 2012 MAYA APOCALYPSE REPENT!!!" talk. I saw an ad for Ameritrade or some such investment company and they directly referenced 12/21/12, the DAY OF DOOM. Reversal of gravity, apparently, which would actually be an awesome way to end the world. But it's not going to happen!
I once dabbled in 2012 dreaming, having read all about the Mayan calendar decades ago. But back then, no one else much knew, so it was cool. But now? LAME!
No, now I know and understand Science, and thus have moved past all mythological answers to real questions. The world might end on 12/21/12 - but it could also end tomorrow. Or a billion years from now - it will end one day, our world at least. An asteroid, a volcano, a cosmic ray, lots of ways. But I bet it won't end on 12/21/12 and if by some strange chance it did, that still proves nothing about Mayan religion of Gods. It might speak to their astronomy, however doubtful.
But! The very idea of it - and this meme has grown wings and will soar ever higher in the sky as we approach the dread date - aye! This very idea will be self creating, as lost, lonely people latch onto it and try to make it real. Hoarding, looting, general mayhem could happen as fear mongers in the media ratchet up the tension.
Wait and see. I had a vision.
4 comments:
Most people mix up the end of the world with the end of our civilization (or way of live). An astroid could end the latter one, the sun blowing up at the end of it's fusion processes (in 4-7 billion years) would end the world. I find it important to clear the difference of these apocalypses, when having a discussion about it.
Good point. I'm always referring to the end of our human world, or perhaps even the world of life on Earth. Earth itself will survive most anything, with a few inevitable exceptions.
This holds true with Global Warming as well. It won't affect the Earth, but it will impact every single living thing on it.
From our perspective, we are the world.
Before you go trashing Mayan astronomy, keep in mind that the actual date is December 21, 2220. 2012 is a sloppy interpretation of their math.
Really?
And I don't question the Mayan's astronomical skills. It was top notch. But rather the conclusions of apocalypse and fate.
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