The supposed end of the world on December 21, 2012 is one that many have found to be laughable. Myself included. Not because it was some prophesy by the ancient Mayans, not at all. I still think that the Mayans had an intricate calendar, but just didn’t have enough stone around to keep going. Or like present day things, there wasn’t enough interest or capital to keep going with the development.
No, it’s not the Mayans I’m laughing at. They’re part of history. What they did contributed to our history. The people I’m laughing at are those who put stock in this ridiculous notion that the Mayans were able to predict the end of the world, yet were unable to see themselves being conquered by the Spanish and nearly wiped out. Don’t get me wrong, as a writer the notion of the end of the world as predicted by some ancient people is the stuff of science fiction. Great stuff to twist words together and make a great narrative.
Here’s the reason why that date and that myth is important.
Most sane people (and some not so sane) won’t give a second glance at the Mayan End of the World prophesy. Even if they do give a second glance, it’s to giggle under their breath at all the people putting stock in it. And it’s those people we should be worried about. See, there is a section of the population that will go bananas just because December 21, 2012 will roll around, and give in to the excuse of “well, the world’s ending, let’s break shit”. These idiots are the ones who may very well try to break shit. Which means that the rest of us have to be safe and cautious and look out for ourselves so we don’t get hurt. Because somebody is gonna try to steal something, burn something, hurt someone, or just act with total disregard for anything and anyone around them.
Now I could be wrong and I hope I am. As I said, many sane people won’t go out just to break stuff. I remember the computer apocalypse of 2000. The date when all computers would shut down because no one had created an actual way for the systems time clocks to roll over to 12:00 Midnight, January 1, 2000 from 11:59:59 pm, December 31, 1999. There was predictions of people robbing stores and looting. Fortunately none of that came to pass.
This, however, is more than just mere property damage and looting. This is the endangerment of people’s lives.
Not every idiot on the face of the planet is going to get together to wreck stuff on Deceomber 21, 2012. I figure it’ll only be contained to a few areas, if it happens at all. That date is a Friday, a weekend, when some people are going to be getting ready to travel to meet loved ones around Christmas time. Ample opportunity for morons to do something destructive to affect other people’s lives.
I intend to wake up and greet the world on Saturday, December 21, 2012. That’s because I don’t intend on going anywhere on Friday or doing anything. Because there might be one moron who I run into that takes stock in this end of the world crappola.
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