Apocalypse not now
Stephen Schumacher
The Signal
Huddled in an underground fortress, surrounded by canned food and water by the gallon, thousands of people will wait in anticipation for the world as we know it to end Dec. 21, 2012.
The fear of an apocalypse or something similar derives not from the specific date of Dec. 21, but from the end of the 13th b’ak’tun, which in Mayan literature represented the end of what was known as the third world, one of three worlds created before the one in which we currently live. Because the third world ended on the 13th b’ak’tun, the Mayans held that time period in high regard, signaling what they believed could be the end of this world.
Conspiracy theorists and religious fanatics alike have snowballed these century-old prophecies into the ‘Apocalypse 2012’ phenomenon with which we are currently inundated. Fears of how the world will come to an end this December span out in all directions, from distant planets colliding with Earth to the always-popular extra terrestrial takeover.
As far as the Mayan calendar is concerned, the only thing set to end Dec. 21 is the 13th b’ak’tun, a recurring period of time lasting roughly 394 years, used in the Mesoamerican Long Count calendar.
The Mayan prophecy has sent many around the world into a state of worry, and in some cases, panic. Those looking to chime in on the subject need look no further than their personal computer, where online communities have been coming together to discuss the implications of such events.
Users at Reddit.com, a popular user based news website known for its sarcastic humor and intelligent discussion, have been keeping an eye on the upcoming day and, more importantly, the people they feel may take it too far. One user claimed he would be filling up his gas tank just in case. Another user intends to go camping on the 21st just to be on the safe side. Of course it wouldn’t be Reddit without users making jokes about the matter as well with one user responding, “Go hard or die Mayan.”
One Reddit user, who prefers to be left unnamed, believes that the world will in fact end on the 21st.
“I have been doing a lot of research over the topic the past couple of years,” he said. “People want to try and make it out to be a joke and that’s fine, but I believe something is going to happen and I am preparing for it.
“I have about a year’s worth of canned food stored in my basement. I have the equivalent of that in water as well. I am not much into weapons, but I have purchased two guns and ammunition in case things come to that. It is my duty to protect my family and I am willing to do whatever it takes in order to do so.”
Scientists across the globe, including experts from NASA, have been working to assure the public that they have nothing to fear this December. Scientists have been unable to find any evidence that coincides with the theories and rumors of these supposed upcoming phenomenons. NASA has even set up a frequently asked questions page on its website titled “Beyond 2012: Why the World Won’t End.” Questions are answered covering a wide range of topics including planetary alignment, blackouts and even the Mayan calendar.
Regardless of its factual inaccuracies, people continue to cling to these man-made prophecies, aggressively preparing for what they believe will be the end of the world. The most extreme of these people have been widely publicized in popular reality television shows like National Geographic’s “Doomsday Preppers” and Discovery Channel’s “Doomsday Bunkers.”
While there is nothing wrong with people being prepared for a natural disaster, shows like ‘Preppers’ are drenched in fear inducing imagery aimed at grabbing attention and garnering viewership.
Debra Clark, professor of communication and digital media studies, is not a fan of doomsday predictions, but is not surprised in the least by the appeal it brings to the media.
“While I do not buy into prophesizing, if it’s a hot trend, the media will,” Clark said. “The theory behind this type of interaction between what’s trending in the public realm and what media report for ‘soft’ news is Uses and Gratification Theory. This means media typically report what the mass audience wants to hear. People respond to danger either via: God punishing us (religion), blaming others (especially foreign evil people trying to get us), science, or nature (nothing we can do).”
Ethics aside, in media, risky business is good business. While some of us may be fed up with the ongoing doomsday television drama, the simple fact is that the demand is there, regardless of their reasons for doing so, people are watching. The good news for the rest of us is that in less than a month they will all retire to their bunkers freeing up those timeslots for something that is, hopefully, less cringe worthy.
Lacking any scientific evidence to back it up, Doomsday 2012 will soon find its place on the shelf next to the Y2K scare of 1999.
Video shot and edited by Timothy Lapointe: The Signal. Broadcast reporting by Stephanie Brown: The Signal. Supporting roles provided by The Signal Staff.
