Note on year 2012

Fear is a human and an animal emotion. Fear of the unknown can make people jumpy and nervous, if not driving them crazy. Not only do unscrupulous leaders and New Agers know that, they capitalize on this very emotion, fear, to sell their ideas in speeches, books, and films filled with Doomsday theories.

One of these Doomsday or end-of-the-world theories that have garnered much worldwide attention recently is the so-called 2012 phenomenon. Many people across the world especially after watching the movie titled, ‘2012’ have been moved to believe that such global catastrophes can really happen. They tend to say that the ancient Mayans and the I Ching cannot be wrong in predicting the end of the world.

Yes, the ancient Mayans may not be wrong, but did they write of such an event?

Yes, the I Ching cannot be wrong, but who was the person who consulted or interpreted the oracles?

No, they do not want to know that or get right down to the facts; they just want to believe, even if directed to look up this so-called Doomsday theory in the Wikipedia. I therefore append an excerpt taken from the Wikipedia to put things in perspective:

“The 2012 phenomenon comprises a range of eschatological beliefs that cataclysmic or transformative events will occur on December 21, 2012, which is said to be the end-date of a 5,125-year-long cycle in the Mayan Long Count calendar. Various astronomical alignments and numerological formulae related to this date have been proposed.

A New Age interpretation of this transition posits that during this time Earth and its inhabitants may undergo a positive physical or spiritual transformation, and that 2012 may mark the beginning of a new era. Others suggest that the 2012 date marks the end of the world or a similar catastrophe.”

When there is much hype given to an uncertain or unlikely event in the global news media or publications, people become fixated with it. For instance, the ‘expected’ Y2K problem with computers, where global titans paid hundreds of millions of US dollars to the experts and advisers in 1999 for trying to resolve it before all their computers freeze up and malfunction at the turn of the next century. Contrary to common belief, nothing happened as the clock struck one second past midnight taking the world into year 2000.

In the previous entry on this 2012 phenomenon, I had asked if the world could end so easily. Maybe it could, maybe not. Whichever way it will turn out, the ancients have left behind these verses in the Da Zhuan (Great Treatise) for Yi aficionados to ponder how the end of the world will arise:

“The Creative and the Receptive are the real secret of the Changes. Inasmuch as the Creative and the Receptive present themselves as complete, the changes between them are also posited. If the Creative and the Receptive were destroyed, there would be nothing by which the changes could be perceived. If there were no more changes to be seen, the effects of the Creative and the Receptive would also gradually cease.” [W/B]

Perhaps readers may understand why I had asked that question, or perhaps not?

There is no reason for me to debunk the Doomsday theory or support it. Let it be since people can believe what they want to believe. There are surely better things to do in life.

Cheerio!