"Fears that the world will end on 21 December are rife, despite there being no evidence. So, why are we so fixated with end of the world theories?"
"I have bad news. The world is going to end. But I also have good news. Probably not anytime soon.
It’s only a very recent, very wrong and arguably very wilful misinterpretation of the ancient Mayan calendar to conclude it ends on 21 December 2012. And that even if their 'long count' does stop then, there’s no more reason to think it will immediately lead to a planet-wide liquidation sale than if your desk calendar reaches the end of the year before you’ve bought a new one.
Even Nasa – who ought to have plenty on their hands looking for traces of life on Mars – have weighed in to apply logical to the eschatological by publishing Beyond 2012: Why the World Won’t End. There’s no need to recap here on the details of their argument – suffice to say that after reading it only the most hardcore conspiracy nut would still have worries about an upcoming end of everything. The more interesting question – at least for me – is why so many, so often, are drawn to these tales of impending destruction? Why do we seem to want it to be the end of days, and to have the apocalypse, now?"
Quentin Cooper reports for BBC News December 5, 2012.
SEE ALSO:
"While Away the Pre-Apocalypse Laughing at These Randomly Generated Eco-Doom Headlines" (Grist)
"12 Things To Do Before the Mayan Apocalypse" (Washington Post)
"Mayan Apocalypse Dooms Medical Research" (LiveScience)
"Mayan Apocalypse: Turkish Village Becomes Latest Doomsday Hotspot" (Telegraph)
"Fireball Over Texas Prompts Worries of Mayan Apocalypse" (Intelhub)
"Mayan Apocalypse: 10 Cars To Lease (Just) Before The World Ends" (Motor Authority)
"Mayan Apocalypse? Perhaps Not, But Disasters On The Rise" (Nicholas School of the Environment)
"How the 'Mayan Apocalypse' Came From a New Age Magic Mushroom Trip" (Yahoo! News)
"Fire, Flood Or Giant Calabash... Pick Your Apocalypse" (AFP)
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