Mayan apocalyptic theories suggest that the end of the world is imminent. The multi-calendar society of the Mayan Empire predicts that December 21, 2012 will be doomsday. On winter solstice, for the first time in 26,000 years, the sun will align with the center of the Milky Way and some people believe that this will cause a reversal in the magnetic fields of the sun, causing a chain reaction on Earth. Possible results range from the Earth's rotation change causing massive floods, to the magnetic poles' reversal on Earth, which could act as a catalyst for many natural disasters that could destroy the planet.
Would you classify these doomsayers as utterly delusional? Keep in mind the moral message behind the apocalypse story, which is to treat nature better and achieve the honorability of leading a green life. There are so many outrageous beliefs today, ranging from UFOs to the end of the world as we know it. Why are we as a society so ready and willing to believe in theories? My take is that we want to believe. Not saying that all of society is as gullible as yours truly, but many of us want to have faith in the seemingly impossible.
Our generation lives with more stress and anxiety than previous generations. Those who develop the psychological standards that determine and diagnose personality disorders and phobias have had to re-evaluate the levels of stress and anxiety that are associated with these disorders. As a society, we are coping with higher levels of anxiety. This trend that is raising the norms makes me wonder if we are building a tolerance to these disorders through evolution. Or are we all becoming more manic-depressive and we just don't want to admit the truth? With the stress in our lives, I think we are all just looking for something else to believe in, something outside of the normal ideology.
However, given that the prophecy is true, isn't the end inevitable? Why do we so often worry about things that are out of our control? Maybe we need excuses to break our concentration from the monotony of life. Maybe thinking that the end of the world is near makes us appreciate our lives more. Do we intentionally create doom theories to give us excuses to lead a more rounded life with a balance of work and play?
In a world with nuclear weapons, brain-washed mobs, and close-minded people, sometimes it's hard not to see how something bad isn't inevitable. Does that mean the "bad thing" has to be the end of the world? No, but a growing pessimistic attitude is sweeping through the population that may cause a more cynical view to be adopted.
Did the Mayans know what they were doing when they created their various calendars and predictions? Some evidence has shown that their calendar creations were based on complicated mathematical algorithms, though others believe this to be another industry hype to build up the profit line, leaving the prehistoric people out completely. Dozens of books have been published on the 2012 theories and with the success of "2012: The Return of Quetzalcoatl" in 2006, more industries are flooding the markets with Doomsday products. The powerful mysticism associated with the apocalyptic theories is the result of it's placement on a day with such geological significance, that potentially could cause catastrophes on a larger scale than Hurricane Katrina.
For better or worse, let's take the warnings as they are, and live our lives to the fullest, with the hope that '2012' will come later, rather than sooner.
Comments
Mukluk commented, on November 19, 2007 at 9:03 p.m.:
Yay! way to completely miss the point. bonehead.
The Mayan calendar does start over again on that date. but thats hardly the end of the world. you Fail.
Anotherbrick commented, on November 20, 2007 at 10:51 a.m.:
What the hell Mukluk,I was kinda looking forward to one last great debauch riddled blowout before the end!
Anon commented, on November 20, 2007 at 12:49 p.m.:
Mukluk is right (and also rude, among other things). The Mayan calendar doesn't predict the end of the world, but the end of a cycle which starts again. Mayan predictions of future events past this date seem to discredit any notion that they believed it would be the end of the world.
In the mean time it's a topic of fear that many authors will likely take advantage of to get a quick buck.
Alexis commented, on November 20, 2007 at 2:23 p.m.:
"This is the dawning of the Age of Aquarius..."
But, seriously. It's the beginning of a greater sense of individual awareness as we leave the age of Pisces and enter Aquarius (the sign of the individual.) People are already becoming more self aware (their impact environmentally, politically, etc.) Apocalypse (Greek: ?????????? -translit. apoca'lipsis, literally: the lifting of the veil), is a term applied to the disclosure to certain privileged persons of something hidden from the majority of humankind. So, it is not the end of the world...it's the end of the world as we know it...and into a new era of enlightenment!
Tom Ritchford commented, on November 21, 2007 at 12:20 a.m.:
I talked to a Mayan in Belize who was very proud of his culture and laughed at the thought that time would end in 2012. "Does your car fall apart when the odometer rolls over?" he said.
Chuck commented, on November 21, 2007 at 9:56 a.m.:
We don't have to be rude to someone for expressing an opinion. However, I think this author is not correct in her views.
I found one statement especially strange: "Our generation lives with more stress and anxiety than previous generations." I don't know about anyone else, but I've never had to set my own broken bones, pull my own teeth, watch hordes of barbarians ransack my home, go to bed hungry because my crops failed, watch a loved one die in childbirth, or experience many other stressful and anxiety inducing events previous generations lived through.
Somewhere along the line, the definitions of 'stress' and 'anxiety' have apparently changed.
lex commented, on November 21, 2007 at 10:46 a.m.:
only god predicts when the earth will end nt the mayans
Pie commented, on November 21, 2007 at 10:36 p.m.:
Whatever happens that day, It will be 2 days before my 25th birthday....I'd better hold my party a week early....
Jim commented, on November 22, 2007 at 5:29 p.m.:
More power to you Katelyn! A sensitive subject being aired brings out the least intelligent comments. If you fully research the subject you will find that the Earth (and Mars and...) goes through a turbulent time every half celestial year. It did so last time and was known as Noahs flood. At that time, as this time, the poles aligned with the centre of the 'Milky Way'. There is a lot more evidence.
Ron Paul Fan commented, on November 22, 2007 at 7:51 p.m.:
Vote Ron Paul 2008 Primary it is our only chance to "enlightened" in any way...
Mike commented, on November 23, 2007 at 12:17 a.m.:
"The sun will align with the centre of the Milky Way" Wow!
The centre of the MW is a point, the centre of the sun is a point both points are always on a line! So what's new?
Al Gore commented, on November 23, 2007 at 5:07 a.m.:
hmmmmm.... disruption of the magnetic field leads to climate change... now how the heck am I going to cash in on THAT? I know! iPods! Too many iPods being played at one time disrupt the Earth's magnetic field, thus causing GLOBAL WARMING! The entire planet is AT RISK! Destroy your iPods NOW!
I am starting a new company which will destroy your iPod for only $49.95 plus shipping and handling. You should each do your part to SAVE THE PLANET by shipping your evil iPods to me and STOP this global catastrophe NOW! (Slide show presentations for your university or organization start at only $125,000.)
The Mayans knew the truth! Here's the scientific proof:
iPod = 9 + 16 + 15 + 4 = (16+4) + (15-9) = 2012!
Think of the penguins and their little happy feet being burned off by solar radiation, and the polar bears running from California wild fires... People can ya HEAR me? Help me SAVE THE PLANET NOW!
lidge commented, on November 23, 2007 at 9:21 p.m.:
mukluk is a rude arse and lex is a moron. =)
turtleman commented, on November 23, 2007 at 11:25 p.m.:
You're all retarded, get lives.
McLovin commented, on November 27, 2007 at 4:25 a.m.:
I heard the Mayan calendar didnt have leap years in it, and when you take in acount leap years, the date really is December 21, 2007. So that means sh*t will hit the fan pretty soon boys. I'm not counting on it to happen at any date, why look at it that way? We could walk out of are house and get hit buy a car and die tomorrow.
I say F*%k the Mayan calendar, just live life to it's fullest and be thankful for the time we been given.
God Bless.
mark commented, on November 30, 2007 at 10:32 p.m.:
What will happen is out of our hands. But remember when they said that when all the planets would align it would be the end. We are still here on earth and nothing happened. The suns magnetic poles switch every 11 years and we havent't toppled yet. but an asteroid could do some major damage.
sedge commented, on December 2, 2007 at 4:24 a.m.:
Hello! ppl I would like to point out a few things if ppl didnt notice in the date and time.
first things first the callcalateing of the numbers here's the sums.
1+2=3 then 1+2=3+3=6
1+2=3 then 1+2=3+3=6
1+2=3 then 1+2=3+3=6
Look at the numbers people.
now lets see u have 21/12/12 right
also the time aswell 12,12,12 so if u add the numbers up in the right way you will get 666.
I would like to point out to that 21/12/1988 is my B-day I wounder if im the devil lol o and and that date I will be 24 now 2+4=6 dose it not. now thats spooky.and get this also that flim 23 with jim carrey well believe it all not my nans house # is 23.
anther few things is that you may notice alot of events happening in 2012 like the olimpics in great briton and yep gess what im from great briton. also i do believe the soccer world cup. so there is a few other events I think aswell but hey to much of a coencidence if u ask me. what do you think of that math heh.
Jesus Follower commented, on December 5, 2007 at 12:08 a.m.:
Mayans r right about some other crazy sh*t 2. but like above god is the only one who will determine the end of time. just read the bible now thats freaky its all real
Jessica Fowling commented, on December 15, 2007 at 10:17 a.m.:
This is a scary idea that none of us can really predict if it will really come true. I will be only a junior in high school when this happens and we will probably have school off that day. But I don't think that this should get to us. Chance is it might not even happen. So I think we should just leave it to the scientests and just make the best of our lives. Just like Jesus Follower said, God will determine when the world ends, not us.
Jessica Fowling commented, on December 15, 2007 at 10:22 a.m.:
As I said in the quote up above, this might happen, and this might not happen. No one is really sure. But remember the episode there was in 2000? The theory that all technoligy will stop? It didn't happen did it. So mabe we should just regard this theroy untill the time comes. then we can start worrying what might happen.
L Canadian commented, on December 16, 2007 at 11:17 p.m.:
Jessica, yes you might find it interesting, but I wouldn't worry about it that much...This theory amounts to an adult boogy man fairytale with a lot of thought that went into it...Looks like a few conspiracy theorists will make a few bucks off of a few books.
Prateek commented, on December 29, 2007 at 3:22 p.m.:
Hi guys..u know what i sh## scared about this..i know i am acting a bit kiddish but cant help it..does any1 really know about the theory about all this stuff..please add me on prateeksuri@yahoo.com or prateek_suri@hotmail.com...guys please i need some1 who could really tell me what is gonna happen...i am sh@! scared..please
craig commented, on December 31, 2007 at 3:23 p.m.:
F$&k those crazy mexicans they can rot in hell. The wold won't end at least when I say so cause I'm god............At halo 3 I love that game
jenny commented, on January 3, 2008 at 5:29 p.m.:
Oh Gee Wiz....we could argue like this for the rest of our days.......there is no escaping it...just let it come.
Edna Netzke commented, on January 3, 2008 at 7:16 p.m.:
I heard My2K will be like Y2K with Mayan stuff. And just like Y2K nothing big will happen. (To me anyway)
Hank P. commented, on January 6, 2008 at 11:44 p.m.:
Edna, how about a My2k party? At www.my2k.homestead.com
annette commented, on January 15, 2008 at 12:28 p.m.:
what if it is going to be the birthing of a new way of thinking?
If aliens are real and "man is not the center of the universe"?
maybe it will unite the religions of this world?
it could be a new beginning, like when the I Ching reaches the 64th Hexagram
all is renewed and beings anew.
A new perspective for us could be as changing as when
the world was proven to be round, not flat.
ONE commented, on January 21, 2008 at 5:30 a.m.:
Lost = 4 8 15 16 23 42 = The Valenzetti Equation = The Real End Of The World = Decembeber The 12th 2012
Jaymee commented, on January 27, 2008 at 12:29 a.m.:
al gore is hillarious
Jumpman commented, on June 4, 2008 at 11:03 p.m.:
What are Aztecs? MEXICANS! So they must have made the calendar that way because they knew one day they would need to sneak into the U.S.! THIS IS JUST A DISTRACTION!!!
F--- Quetzalcoatl...
Docjan2000yh commented, on June 11, 2008 at 3:20 p.m.:
You young folks have no clue. You sleep peacefully because we now have over ONE MILLION barrels of oil in our Strategic Petroleum Reserves (SPR). What nobody tells you is that we are now currently using over 20 million barrels per day. [I was young and alive during the first oil embargo in ‘73.. I watched a man shoot another man because they were fighting over who was first in line at the gas pump.] If something goes majorly wrong, the lights will go out before you ever get to the gas station and they won’t come on again for at least 10 years.
Nobody seems to understand that Armageddon is gaining on us, and there ain't nothing we can do about it....
Try Google. “The Chain-Letter Economy”. Include the hyphen and the double quotes.
Richard Everett Planck
Founder, The Association for the Advancement of non-Newtonian Economics.
e-mail: AAnNE@ tds.net
Docjan2000yh commented, on June 11, 2008 at 3:39 p.m.:
ps: Don't buy a copy of my book on line. They were 'lost' during shipment from my printer in Ohio. If you really want a copy, e-mail me at YH. My printer charged me $2.37 per copy and USPS charges me $1.50 for mailing via US postage. I can’t afford to give them away and I can’t afford to operate at a continuous loss.
Please understand that I am not after money. You cannot eat money. Also understand that it's gonna get bad. During your lifetime.
ryan commented, on July 31, 2008 at 4:39 a.m.:
i am a true belever that the world will end on 12.12.12.
this might be a consadence(cant spell!) my birthday was 12.12.93 okie? 9+3=12 12.12.12 and as some of u might know but they say the antichrist is 666 yer? what is half of 12? ITS 6. People thought the world will end will end on 6/6/6 AND the last thing on 12.12.12 <--- might be the start to the great war. WORLD WAR III. so there u have it if im rong (it could be sooner or l8er)im rong! live your life to the extream people, do what you have always wanted to do asap( As Soon A Possebel) love your life, love the actions u do oh yer and one more thing if you do not want any one to know about it, dont do it :)
ryan commented, on July 31, 2008 at 4:42 a.m.:
p.s yes i am 14.
Docjan2000yh commented, on August 5, 2008 at 7:05 a.m.:
“The truth shall set ye free, but it shall make ye truly miserable while it does it.”
Nobody seems to understand....
If a terrible virus should suddenly wipe out every human being on this planet, all the rest of the Earth’s living creatures would breathe a huge sigh of relief.
Docjan2000yh commented, on August 5, 2008 at 7:13 a.m.:
A democracy of stupid people doesn’t come up with brilliant solutions. It comes up with stupid solutions that everybody likes. Study, like your life depended on it.
~ Planck 2007