Thank Grog It’s Firday…
“If you’re still reading this, the world didn’t end…”
I have to crack up at the Mayans. Really. I think the fact that they apparently were wrong, TWICE is hilarious. But then again, was it the Mayans who were wrong, or was it us?
Back in 2012, when the world was supposed to end (after it didn’t for Y2k or about twenty other times prognosticators of doom got it wrong), there was more than a passing obsession with the “End of the Mayan Calendar” which then proffered with great certainty, that when the Mayan Calendar ended…so would the world. Of course, this logic is tainted with the reality of what actually happened to the Mayans, which had nothing to do with their calendar, and everything to do with hubris and overconfidence.
And weirdly, while it seems that we have lived through yet another expanded version of the REAL end of the world, via the altered prophesies of the Mayan Calendar, we might learn a thing or two from the authors.
Are we destined to repeat history? Was Homer right? Should we be more afraid of the SIMPSONS PROPHESIES?????
First of all…let’s take quick look at how “prophesies” work. They are supposed to be something that someone from the distant, or even not so distant past (i.e. The Simpsons), came up with as “something that is going to happen in the future.” This is not to be confused with “something that MIGHT happen in the future.” That would be an aphorism, like, “don’t play with that sharp stick…you’ll poke your eye out!” It should be, you MIGHT poke your eye out, but, is rarely stated that way by conspiracy nuts and cable news talking heads.
And nobody wants to end up like Homer! Homer’s version of the Mayan Calendar…
But, if you really want to freak yourself out, watch the news for a day. And take everything everyone says at face value. It doesn’t matter which “flavor” of news you choose. The fact is, even on the very best day of “truthiness” on any channel you choose, you are going to get mostly “shadings of the truth,” a whole lot of commentary that does it’s best to shape “the facts” into their point of view, along with a lot of flashy computer graphics to try and emphasize their point.
Not exactly foretelling the future. More like trying to SHAPE the future. If you just say something enough, it becomes “fact” in most people’s minds. Advertisers have counted on this for as long as advertising has existed. And that is a very, very, very long time.
Case in point…
Coca-Cola
Delicious, Refreshing, Exhilarating, Invigorating! The New and Popular Soda Fountain Drink, containing properties of the wonderful Coca plant and the famous Cola Nuts.
Of course it was exhilarating…it had actual COCAINE in it! Truthiness at it’s best…for the times they were living in. But, I digress…
Here’s a fact. We don’t really know WHO made the Mayan calendar. It was most likely a Mayan. But, because the Mayan’s were all gone before we really started taking notice of what they left behind, we don’t know. The whole “calendar” bit, could have been an art class project from the Mrs. Xylocrunk’s 5th grade stone-cutter’s class. The reason it ended? Because they were out of school early, due to having to deal with the droughts and other natural disasters that ended up wiping them out.
So…there is one big question about using the Mayan Calendar as a way to determine the end of the world. “If they knew so much…how come they didn’t see the drought coming?”
It’s the same reason that people don’t see their own demise, until it is too late. We, as a species, are pretty damn full of ourselves. We think we know the answers to everything…until we don’t. We think everything we do is special…and amazing…and for the good of everyone...unless it isn’t.
The reason we don’t know that much about the demise of the Mayans, is that for once, we (the great nations of Europe and modern Americas) had nothing to do with it! (unlike so many others, captured in one of my favorite Randy Newman songs)
I’m not going to go down the road of pointing out just how our history, both ancient and modern, is full to the brim with assclownery of the first order. We repeat history, because we seem to never learn from it. We’re like a bunch of class clowns, who act like they know better than the teacher, but end up with a career asking, “would you like fries with that?” People have a tendency to find a way to gravitate toward tribes of other people who believe the same things that they do…even if they all know deep down (sometimes waaaaaaay deep down) that they are wrong-headed.
So…the Mayans? Nostradamus? Homer Simpson? Revelations? Or any other man-made, man-interpreted, man-written piece of prognostication? Nope. It’s all just playing the odds that people are going to keep acting like people…until they are gone.
I don’t think we are at the “end of people,” anytime soon. But, I do know that if we don’t start acting like we are ALL IN THIS TOGETHER very, very soon…we are going to be in a world of hurt together…and will come to the logical conclusion of self-annihilation that all of the “great prophesies” predict.
That’s a bet I’d take.
But here’s the deal folks…believe it or not, I hold out hope, that the actual people, who have been too lazy to see the truth through all of the truthiness, will start saying, “OK…That’s ENOUGH!” and start taking back some of the power to save us from ourselves. It’s more than voting. It’s more than posting opinions. It’s way more than gathering in tribes of “Yup Yup Yups” with heads bobbing to the latest political rhetoric. It is DOING something. SOLVING problems with ACTION. Stop talking about what is bothering you, and do something about it.
Enough is enough.
If you are reading this…then you are a survivor. You have survived another “Armageddon of thought,” and are free to DO SOMETHING.
In the meantime…I wanted to share a couple of bits of inspiration. I am inspired by music…and talent…and great intention. These three are amazing in so may ways. One…a mother and son, absolutely breaking my heart in two with their version of Rise Up.
Another…an absolutely mind-boggling offering from a children’s choir. The next generation…proving that they can offer hope for the future (even if the picture is lacking diversity, while portraying conditions of privilege).
And finally…a virtual choir from 15 different countries, that reminds us that the power of music is universal.
Be safe. Enjoy.
Getting out is what I think about more after the lockdown, I liked being in lockdown and the freedom it gave me, I felt so free but needs must back to the grind for another 11 years
It’s interesting…our ideas for the future changed a lot during this mess, too. We were pretty hot to sell after all of the remodeling was done, but not so inclined to do so now. Having a big enough space to be able to have our “own spaces,” turned out to be a life saver. One can only listen to another’s zoom sessions so long…before losing one’s mind!
http://imgur.com/gallery/tGpaISD
Love this… too funny, and too true.
We all groaned at more Character Skins (or didn’t – I did at 1st, I enjoyed them later!) for Mayan Homer & Marge & Crazy Cat Lady …. might as well have an 8 Day Mini Event and offer up Character Skins for everybody else (well, and some Mayan Temples – Buildings & Decor with Character Tasks,!) 🙃 …. just celebrate our impending doom (because we truly have doomed ourselves due to human stupidity, it’s in our nature). 🙄
I have learned so much by peacefully protesting with my Black Nephew (and Black Neighbours, Co-Workers), that today – Juneteenth – should be an Official Holiday…. and this household needed a break from “the news” , so we opted to enjoy George Knapp – KLAS Channel 8 CBS Las Vegas – for a while (he’s truly done a nice job taking over for the late / great Art Bell) –
https://www.8newsnow.com/author/george-knapp/
https://www.mysterywire.com/
https://mobile.twitter.com/g_knapp
Great post as always. Is your writing featured any other places other than that grumpy man one? Just curious. Anyway..I thought everyone knew that the date the Mayans chose, take your pick, was actually the date that the “beginnings of the end of that 36 thousand year cycle begin”. Not a one day event, but the date the Mayans named was just the beginning date of the end. Some would say that 36 thousand year cycle is ending…right now, and who know?…maybe this “end” did start on Dec. 2012, or was there a transposition error and its supposed to be 2021? Sure, these end time ideas from all religions may just be Man made….but my Moral Code is not man made. Good, pure, ethical and moral behaviour can always be improved upon in an individual, but people’s’ morals and inate Goodness….comes from somewhere…not man made.
I have been struggling with posting on crankyoldguy.com as I just have this feeling of “spitting into the ocean.”
But yes…we are coming into a period of huge change, and remaining silent, just isn’t my style.
Those crazy Mayans. Such a great way to keep us all guessing.
I meant to reply to your last line, “Good, pure, ethical and moral behaviour can always be improved upon in an individual, but people’s’ morals and inate Goodness….comes from somewhere…not man made.”
I agree wholeheartedly. It is only when one group decides that their interpretation of “moral behavior” trumps someone else’s version, that the “man-made” part gets troublesome.
GREAT POST AGAIN, SIR!
To Summarise; Be the change that you want to see in the world.
Exactly! It is my gmail sig. Ignoring problems doesn’t solve them…that’s for sure.
Or from a suicidal tendencies song “problems never solved, just rearranged”
“Kind of like the scent of a rose, words can’t explain …”
Yep…although change is incremental. Anyone who thinks that things haven’t improved since the 60s, didn’t live through the 60s. But, this is turning into a watershed year in many ways. Between the economy, political division, and the BLM movement, I feel that many people are just saying, “ENOUGH!” For many related issues. We’ll see…come November.
I laughed about the comment about how old advertising was..
I’ll put it in These terms: if you recall what is considered The Oldest Profession than it’s clear that the Advertising came first (with or without fig leaves).
Now THAT made me laugh!! Yes…as a guy who spent decades in marketing, I’m not necessarily proud of the profession. I had to get out, when I couldn’t say, “ONE DAY ONLY!” Anymore.
You lived through more end times predictions than me, and I’ve seen enough (During the shared lifetime) too.
I winked at some of my thoughts in this post:
https://tstoaddicts.com/2016/02/22/from-the-mouths-of-addicts-the-end-isnt-near/
And if you check wiki or other listed sites, it is mind boggling how many times humans got it wrong and will predictably continue to get it wrong.. it’s like we won’t ever know the time or hour :p
Check this list out if you want
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_dates_predicted_for_apocalyptic_events
Your tin foil hat would spin, how many times the end times was projected. How many of those guessers were legitimate scientists I wonder 🤔
As Douglas Adams might remind us “Don’t Panic” 👍
I predict many metaphorical ends of “an era”s and “normals” before a final reveal, nothing to worry about, whatever happens next is what will happen next.
I really do think that the “end times” for mankind, will either be a huge ball of fire (either from a meteor, or mishandled nukes by nutbags), or the old “frog in the pot” bit, where we don’t recognizing we are cooked, due to our own inaction, until we are. Both have the same outcome. One just takes longer.
What do you think it’ll take? Like a George Floyd moment for the Environmentalists to get people to demand no more talk but action regarding climate?
Ice burgs and polar bears doesn’t seem to be enough for politicians but more importantly the People to act seriously. I know Greta had her say but it feels like she faded in the background of corona and everything else.
Do you have a prediction for that? (I guess that question was mostly rhetorical).
Actually…it is going to take something cataclysmic. People are truly “frog in the pot” when it comes to the environment. I’m actually more worried about plastics right now…plastic rain falling now in many of our wilderness areas? That can’t be good.
I had to look up “Plastic Rain” .. yikes it is a real thing that I haven’t heard of until now 😱🤯
Unfortunately…yes. Very real. Micro-plastics…becoming a huge problem.
I have a theory on the Mayan calendar that has yet to be disproved.
My theory is simply this, they ran out of room on the damn stone and had a good laugh at what future generations might make of it.
I think you are on to something!
Maybe they did see the drought coming and moved to Canada
maybe the dinasaurs saw the comet coming but Bruce Willis wasn’t available, we didn’t see vivid 19 coming or we weren’t listening and in the lockdown nature got better, pollution lower, but as soon as they ease the lockdown everyone goes back to normal to soon, Beijing vivid 19 part 2, traffic reports get longer as drivers are still driving at 100mph, seven and a half billion people on the planet not substainable, we need a couple of free planets, we need leaders who can lead, what’s Elon musk doing next year am sure he could find us a few planets.
Back to the real world, call up from work after 12 weeks but I can’t, am in isolation for a few weeks, hospital orders after my wife’s operation, by the way they miscalculated the end of the world, it’s now Sunday, 21st June at 11:11, after the eclipse. According to those theorists.
Nice post Patric, got me thinking 😁👍💥💥🌍🌚
And that…is what it’s all about. Getting people thinking!