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Editorial: Apocalypse 2012

Editorial

Editorial: Apocalypse 2012

The end of the world is coming.

Supposedly, at 11:11 p.m. Dec. 12, 2012, something big is going to happen.

Alien abductions? Religious rapture? Nuclear napalm? Zombie zenith?

Maybe it will just be another day. I’ll bank on that.

The world is already full of paranoid weirdos and trigger-happy lunatics. We really don’t need to give them more reasons to buy excessive amounts of ammo, barbed wire and duct tape.

The whole 2012 phenomenon begins with the ancient Mayan Long Count calendar, which will supposedly reset to zero when this time occurs. What freaks people out is the interpretation of what the reset means.

Hello? Does anyone remember what happened when it became the year 2000? Computers glitched for a few minutes, Philip J. Fry fell into a cryogenic freezing chamber and the world did not end. We survived. And we’re going to survive this one, too. People are just capitalizing on fear, as usual.

“For the ancient Maya, it was a huge celebration to make it to the end of a whole cycle,” said Sandra Noble, executive director of the Foundation for the Advancement of Mesoamerican Studies in Crystal River, Fla. Noble thinks the doomsday scenario is “a complete fabrication and a chance for a lot of people to cash in.”

True that. Just look at how certain stores are expanding amounts of freeze-dried food and other self-containment items. The seeds of conspiracy are being planted in our susceptible subconscious minds!

I would like to throw out there that if the Maya could predict the future, how did they miss the extermination of their whole race by the white man? That was kind of a biggie.

It’s not just the Mayan calendar that points to a cosmic shift of sorts. French prophet Michel de Nostredame, better known as Nostradamus, predicted global destruction via killer comet. He wrote, “In the sky will be seen a great fire dragging a trail of sparks.” This comet may do a great amount of damage even if it does not impact Earth. Even if it scrapes by us, it could cause earthquakes which give rise to volcanoes and major tsunamis. Or it could knock an asteroid into Earth, causing so much destruction that mankind would collapse in on itself and enter an age of widespread war and chaos.

And what if the world did end in December? What would you do differently? Would you spend more time with your mom and dad? Would you finally tell someone you care about that you love him/her? How about taking time off work to do a few things you have always wanted to do? Or would you just continue your daily routine as though you had forever to live?

It’s all hype. Mainstream media and those who want to profit off the fears of others are generating this phenomenon to line their pockets. People just want a reason to party and a reason to rip you off. Last year, I attended two parties with “rapture” themes: the first one was to enjoy our last night on Earth and the second was to celebrate that we were still here. I have a feeling this year will be like a non-stop global Mardi Gras, and when the dust settles the morning of Dec. 22, we’ll all feel like fools.

Ridiculousness.

All this apocalyptic banter drums up images from one of my favorite genres. I’m a fan of horror/sci-fi movies and books that depict apocalyptic scenarios, like Stephen King’s “The Stand” or Robert Kirkman’s “The Walking Dead.” But these are works of FICTION, make-believe…they’re not real. Thank goodness.

Could you even imagine if society as we know it was destroyed? Would it be bleak and miserable without much hope for survival, like Cormac McCarthy’s “The Road?” Or like the “Twilight Zone” episode “The Midnight Sun,” where the Earth progressed down a collision course with the sun while it’s inhabitants awaited their inevitable fate? How about ’80s cheeseball flick “Night of the Comet,” where almost everyone turns to dust while the few survivors proceed to drink Diet Pepsi and go on a shopping spree (man I wish)?

It’s fairly certain that something is bound to happen on this fateful day. I have a feeling that mankind’s doings will be its own undoings. The day itself will be totally fine, but the cacophony of loonies will make it chaos for everyone. Just wait.

For now, I think I’m going to stock up on batteries, canned goods and other items that may be used as currency in the not-too-distant future.

Opinions expressed in editorial and opinion articles are the views of individual NIC students. These views do not necessarily  reflect the opinions of the Sentinel, North Idaho College, or any other organizations or groups there-in. North Idaho College is not responsible for the accuracy of statements or opinions shared.

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