But amid all the hype—including a viral marketing campaign for 2012, the disaster movie opening Friday—some people are developing honest "end times" anxiety that has experts seriously concerned.
NASA's Ask an Astrobiologist Web site, for example, has received thousands of questions regarding the 2012 doomsday predictions—some of them disturbing, according to David Morrison, a senior scientist with the NASA Astrobiology Institute.
"A lot of [the submitters] are people who are genuinely frightened," said Morrison, who thinks movie marketers, authors, and others out to make a buck are feeding some of the fears.
"I've had two teenagers who were considering killing themselves, because they didn't want to be around when the world ends," he said. "Two women in the last two weeks said they were contemplating killing their children and themselves so they wouldn't have to suffer through the end of the world."
In general, fear over the 2012 doomsday prediction is just another example of a scenario that has been repeated over the centuries, said University of Wisconsin historian Paul Boyer.
Baptist preacher William Miller, for example, convinced as many as a hundred thousand Americans in the early 1800s that the second coming of Jesus Christ would happen in 1843. It didn't, much to the Millerites' "great disappointment."
And Hal Lindsey's 1970s national bestseller The Late, Great Planet Earth suggested that the end could come in the 1980s. We're still here and so is Lindsey, who has since revised his theories.
"The crucial date always seems to be within a decade or so of the present, so that you have a sense of imminence, that it's going to happen soon," said Boyer, author of When Time Shall Be No More: Prophecy Belief in Modern American Culture.
A healthy distrust for authority fuels the fire.
Conspiracy theorists often believe that world governments and those "in power" know all about some impending disaster but are doing nothing to save the rest of us.
Now, thanks to the Internet, such theories can gain traction quickly and spread more widely than ever before. Yet something must account for the enduring appeal of an upcoming Armageddon. Perhaps it's knowing the future when others don't, or being one of the select few to solve impenetrable mysteries, Boyer said.
"For a lot of people I think it's almost kind of a parlor game. But there are also people who take it very seriously," he said.
"What strikes me is the total lack of historic awareness that people who get caught up in these things seem to exhibit. The most elementary look at history shows such a series of these episodes that are then proven false.
"Yet despite that, there always seems to be a market."
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/11/091106-2012-movie-end-world-fear...
-
- groups:
- Movies, Webmash, News, Current Tonight, 6 more
-
- tags:
- Apocalypse News + add
-
-
-
-
- pjacobs51
- added this
-
I've heard of this prophecy a while back. I really don't know what to think of it. It doesn't scare me but I'm just seeing how this prophecies are accurate one by one. I mean the bible was written a long time ago and in the book of revelation you'll see that those prophecies are becoming true and those events stated in there are currently happening. But people shouldn't get too scared and go wacko. Just hope for the best i guess??
-
-
-
-
- rezdogtrillionaire
- 11 days ago
-
-
Y2K 2: Electric Boogaloo!
-
Flora.tv helped me to understand more of 2012 story.
-
Who wouldn't be scared!? The Mayan are such a credible bunch...I mean, look at them now, their well developed society and- wait... The Myans are gone <.< That should say something, I think.
-
The totally heartless side of me says to let morons dispose of themselves if they are so inclined. The realistic side of me has compassion for those lacking the education to realize their stupidity.
-
Isn't every day a possible day for the end of the world? What's most important is that each and every one of us realize that Armageddon or not,don't waste time.Live your life to the fullest in every moment,and when you're time comes it comes.At least you won't have to feel a sense of dread over the fact that you sat around every day like a bump on a log filled with fear.The late great Paramahansa Yogananda said: "Live each present moment completely and the future will take care of itself.Fully enjoy the wonder and beauty of each instant." The world has already gone to hell in a hand basket and frankly we're not getting any closer to a resolution when there is a possible 40,00 more troops being shipped off to war.People spend too much time worrying about the apocalypse and not enough time thinking what they could do today to make the word a better place.The end is inevitable anyway.Suck it up.Deal with it.Start living today!
-
The human ability to create and generate random stupidity will never cease to amaze me...
-
-
-
-
- UrbanGypsy
- 11 days ago
-
-
i like mire's post.
But i think this story sounds hyped up. If someones going to say, "Yeah I might as well kill myself to avoid the end of the world." I can't see them being 100% serious. It sounds like an exaggeration.
I think people are making too big of a deal of this 2012 on both sides. People should freak out. And people shouldn't freak out about people freaking out.
-
-
-
-
- Chapisbored
- 11 days ago
-
-
hollywood creates a movie,..and people go berzerker...i see a lawsuit here somewhere...
-
Gotta give them a little but of credit, the world would be a boring place without nut cases.
-
Edgar Cayce has some pretty interesting predictions regarding this (http://www.theastralworld.com/prophecies/edgar-cayce-predictions.php).
Specifically that the magnetic poles on earth have changed in the past and will invert once again. I am not sure what to think of it all, but I definitely believe that due to our relatively short lives on Earth we do not completely fathom the subtle and not so subtle aging processes of our planet, even with modern scientific method taken into account (man is fallible, after all). It will be interesting to see what happens.
-
Never understood the logic of committing suicide because the world was going to end.
Anybody else know what I mean?
Is it the fear of suffering part?
It just seems illogical.-
-
-
-
- JulianCommongold
- 11 days ago
-
-
let 'em kill themselves, i could use a job making trophy's for the darwin awards.
-
THE WORLD ENDS DECEMBER 31 2009!
Oh wait, i just need a new calendar.
-
-
-
-
- ibrake4rappers13
- 11 days ago
-
-
Like most things, this 2012 theory has aspects of truth mixed in with a healthy amount of B.S. For those who are interested in the actual scientific facts which support some of the 2012 theories (not the apocalyptic doom and gloom side of things), check out these free ebooks from the foremost researcher on such topics, David Wilcock (the link after the book name takes you the the free ebook). No tricks, no subscriptions, just a man who desires what we are all searching for - The TRUTH!
Shift of the Ages - http://divinecosmos.com/index.php/start-here/books-free-online/18-the-shift-of-t...
The Science of Oneness - http://divinecosmos.com/index.php/start-here/books-free-online/19-the-science-of...
The Divine Cosmos - http://divinecosmos.com/index.php/start-here/books-free-online/20-the-divine-cos...
Furthermore, his discoveries are eloquently expressed in his online seminar, the 2012 Enigma (in separate parts on YouTube; search 2012 Enigma or follow this link - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y5b-kLvppdg
Just ask - do the costs of being prepared and informed outweigh the risk of being wrong?
-
-
-
-
- usfalidiate
- 11 days ago
-
-
hmm should i be concerned or thankful?
has it not already been proven that the Mayans stopped making calendars because they had calculated them for such a long frigging time into the future that they didn't see the need for any more??
-
Why is it that so many make the broad assumption that the Mayan are somehow wiped off the face of the earth. Ever wonder where guacamole comes from?
... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maya_peoplesThey've changed their origin by NAME ONLY but HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS of ancestors continue using the Mayan ethnic identity. Even further back are the Olmecs who of which the Mayan, Aztec and other and ALL meso civilizations derived of as it is currently believed now AND ALSO who are still in existence today but removed from sight mostly by a the long arm of Mexico but look here, this fascinating book called "The War for the Heart & Soul of a Highland Maya Town" describes their uprising.http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=33543233
-
It amazes me how much these stupid prophesies scare people, to the point of wanting to kill themselves and their children (I think Child Services might want to look in on those 2 mothers). Most people don't even realize how many doomsday prophesies have been made already: anyone remember Y2K not even 10 years ago? I do. I remember January 1st, 12:00 AM and 1 second coming and saying to me and my drunk friends who were convinced we were all gonna die "Well, Im not dead, you people so are retarded" as I proceeded to vomit then pass out on my friends floor.
Its funny, most people dont realize how close weve come to destruction without it being prophesised. In 1991, a Russian Nuclear early warning system malfunctioned and said a full scale attack was being launched from the US. The Russian missiles were 2 minutes from being launched from their silos when a Russian Major noticed the mistake, and Armageddon was averted.
Life is something that only happens once, make the best of it people, and please don't kill your children.
-
-
-
-
- controlusplease
- 11 days ago
-
-
I'm just getting pumped for the party. We've already started saving. If it is the end of the world, might as well go out with a bang, right?
-
My all time favorate is"88 reasons why Jesus will return in 1988".
-
-
-
-
- AaliasChrisCarter
- 11 days ago
-
-
Let them kill themselves, get rid of all the nutters.
-
-
-
-
- wintermadness90
- 11 days ago
-
-
the last Mayan calendar ended 5200 years ago it didn't end the times
-
-
-
-
- Mob_Barley
- 11 days ago
-
-
Please try and understand 2012 for what it is and don't dismiss it as some whacko conspiracy. It is one of the most exciting things that we will live to see. Close your eyes, be silent and breathe. Focus on nothing other than the sound of life flowing in and out of your body. Immerse yourself, become one with nature. Acknowledge the ancient wisdom inside you and find meaning in knowing that we are all connected. to each other and our planets.
understand that 2012 has been a long time coming. This is true. There is an interplanetary alignment occurring NOW. It will be complete in 2012 and I promise, you will feel it. The world will not end. But we can only hope that the world as we know it does. This is the test of humanity. To realize our small role in the grander scheme of the cosmos.
dont listen to me. look into it, and look inward. We will either rise to the opportunity to join together and experience this world as it was meant to be, evolving, and forever expanding human consciousness, or... we will continue to sell our minds, bodies and souls for cheap. and laugh with tears in our eyes, as our lives are quietly signed over to the banks.
anybody? anybody?-
-
-
-
- trueforyou
- 11 days ago
-
-
I remember when everybody was bugging out at the end of 1999 when alot of CRAZY STUFF was gonna happen , nobody is thinking like LETS MAKE THIS WORLD A BETTER PLACE BY 2012 , MORE PEOPLE WANNA RIDE THE RIDE BUT VERY FEW WANNA DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT ? TALK THE BUT CAN'T WALK THE WALK , BUT WHAT THEY DO BEST IS COMPLAIN & WHINE LIKE MOST PEOPLE DO ON CURRENT !
-
Kind of like you are right now.
