Spring Break
The sky is (not) falling
Predictions of the apocalypse put fear in Americans
Andrea Robertson
Issue date: 1/15/09 Section: Opinion
Dec. 21, 2012 the world as we know is going to end. Yeah right. Just like the world came to an end after Y2K. Just like the world came to an end when Elizabeth Clare, leader of the Church Universal and Triumphant, predicted it would in the early 1990s.
If you take a closer look at all of these, you'll see that they all share one thing: America was in a situation that kept its citizens frightened and insecure.
Currently we are in a period of economic turmoil, which always causes panic throughout the country. We're also fighting the War on Terrorism--a long battle that I'm willing to bet all American's are tired of. The newness of having our first African American president may also seem frightening to some.
In the late 1980s, Elizabeth Clare's prophecy of impending nuclear war convinced 2,000 followers to go to Montana and build fallout shelters.
Looking back to the end of 1999, as we moved into a new millennium, we feared that when the clock struck midnight all the computers would quit working and lead to the fall of society.
America is often in the middle of unfamiliar situations when these apocalyptical predictions are made, which makes me question their credibility.
Currently, America has found itself in another scary situation, so we've conjured up more signs that point to the end of the world. But you can't base the end of the world on calendar predictions. So what if the Mayan calendar ends in 2012? If I were living during the time of the Mayans and was responsible for making the calendar, I don't think I worry about making the years extend much more than 2012!
You can't put too much stock in predictions or prophecies. People have been screaming that the end was coming for eons! If the predictions didn't come true in the past, what makes us think that it's going to happen now?
The only 12/21/12 prediction that warrants a second look is one made by astronomers regarding a solar storm that may take place. Every 11 years the sun goes through a cycle where its magnetic field increases and decreases. The sun is supposed to be closest to the earth in 2012. A solar storm could knock out power grids across the nation, causing us to lose every luxury we have become accustomed to. No power may make us think that the world is ending and it may make us want the world to end, but that doesn't mean it's really the end of days. People survived centuries without power, and we would find a way to do it again.
Hard times don't mean that we should fill our heads with the fear of the end. Every other time it was predicted, we survived!
This writer can be contacted at opinion@theeastcarolinian.com.
If you take a closer look at all of these, you'll see that they all share one thing: America was in a situation that kept its citizens frightened and insecure.
Currently we are in a period of economic turmoil, which always causes panic throughout the country. We're also fighting the War on Terrorism--a long battle that I'm willing to bet all American's are tired of. The newness of having our first African American president may also seem frightening to some.
In the late 1980s, Elizabeth Clare's prophecy of impending nuclear war convinced 2,000 followers to go to Montana and build fallout shelters.
Looking back to the end of 1999, as we moved into a new millennium, we feared that when the clock struck midnight all the computers would quit working and lead to the fall of society.
America is often in the middle of unfamiliar situations when these apocalyptical predictions are made, which makes me question their credibility.
Currently, America has found itself in another scary situation, so we've conjured up more signs that point to the end of the world. But you can't base the end of the world on calendar predictions. So what if the Mayan calendar ends in 2012? If I were living during the time of the Mayans and was responsible for making the calendar, I don't think I worry about making the years extend much more than 2012!
You can't put too much stock in predictions or prophecies. People have been screaming that the end was coming for eons! If the predictions didn't come true in the past, what makes us think that it's going to happen now?
The only 12/21/12 prediction that warrants a second look is one made by astronomers regarding a solar storm that may take place. Every 11 years the sun goes through a cycle where its magnetic field increases and decreases. The sun is supposed to be closest to the earth in 2012. A solar storm could knock out power grids across the nation, causing us to lose every luxury we have become accustomed to. No power may make us think that the world is ending and it may make us want the world to end, but that doesn't mean it's really the end of days. People survived centuries without power, and we would find a way to do it again.
Hard times don't mean that we should fill our heads with the fear of the end. Every other time it was predicted, we survived!
This writer can be contacted at opinion@theeastcarolinian.com.
Viewing Comments 1 - 2 of 2
Sinjun
posted 1/15/09 @ 6:26 PM EST
perfect time for people to actually research and look up what the 21 Dec 2012 prediction really means in the mayan calander. It isn't the end of the world but mearly the end of an era or rather the end of the 13th Baktun and the beginning of the 14th Baktun. (Continued…)
pyt740
Deborah
posted 1/21/09 @ 10:48 AM EST
Andrea I agree with your comments.
And in addition to, I would like to add this:
Adversity always breeds, new action, innovation, and focus thought that do not occur without it. (Continued…)
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