Bradley Bechard
September 26, 2012
Portfolio Essay 1.
Professor Wait
The End Is Near?
Is the world going to end on December 21, 2012, as so many people think? It is true there was a Mayan tablet that spoke of a great flood. This flood is according to the Mayans as a rebirth of humanity. This rebirth is said to happen on 13.0.0.0.0 or in the modern measurement of time December 21, 2012. The date 13.0.0.0.0 would have been very symbolic to the Mayas. They where a civilization obsessed with numbers and some of the numbers with the most meaning are nine and thirteen . But is it possible that a civilization who lived nearly 5,000 years ago really knew about the end of the world? To understand the prophecy you need to look back at what the Mayans were like.
In a typical Mayan village people were always on high alert because even though the Mayans were considered a single civilization it was really made up of little towns each fighting to gain power over their neighbors. So it is plausible that a small village created the tablets to ward off a rival village or to show their power. Furthermore, the tablets could have been a way to show off how smart someone was. It is pretty impressive that a civilization with no modern technology could make a calendar that spans over 5,000 years.
Mayans were advanced people, part of what made them intellectually great is the fact that they where a very focused group of people. The Mayans were not interested in the destruction of the world. They where not worried about such things. The Mayans lived in the moment and had a very positive spin on many things so a rebirth at the end of a calendar cycle is very common. They were in no way trying to predict the end of the world. It is more likely that they where just finished with said calendar and figured, "Why not add a creative end?" Mayans often spoke of rebirth and starting over but it was only in a metaphorical way. It was
never literal. So, if the Mayans where not trying to predict the end of the world, then what is all the fuss about? If you tune in to any news channel, you will be bombarded with stories of war ,death and pandemonium.
The stories may have a hint of truth to them, but they are often played up for good ratings. The same thing is being done with the 2012 apocalypse, it is just a way for film makers to profit off of fear. Think about it. If you get everyone convinced the world is going to end, they will run out to the store and buy enough water, food, batteries and guns to supply a small army. All because some news reporter said that the world is doomed. It is a really smart way to boost the economy, but it is not very ethical. Some people even create whole business around the end of the world. They invest millions making underground bunkers for the rich and powerful. To me it is very clear that the reason that people think the world is going to end is because the media wants it to be that way. It is all about the money. You may be asking who are you to discredit the end of the world? It's a fair question and if you believe in the apocalypse then all the power to you but I choose to believe what I have read and heard in books by people who seem to
know what there talking about. The one book that made me believe it was all fake is "2012 And The End Of The World The Western Roots of The Maya Apocalypse" by Matthew Restall and Amara Solari. It is a great book about how America has blown
this way over the top. If you're still skeptical that the apocalypse is all a bunch of hokum this is the book for you.
September 26, 2012
Portfolio Essay 1.
Professor Wait
The End Is Near?
Is the world going to end on December 21, 2012, as so many people think? It is true there was a Mayan tablet that spoke of a great flood. This flood is according to the Mayans as a rebirth of humanity. This rebirth is said to happen on 13.0.0.0.0 or in the modern measurement of time December 21, 2012. The date 13.0.0.0.0 would have been very symbolic to the Mayas. They where a civilization obsessed with numbers and some of the numbers with the most meaning are nine and thirteen . But is it possible that a civilization who lived nearly 5,000 years ago really knew about the end of the world? To understand the prophecy you need to look back at what the Mayans were like.
In a typical Mayan village people were always on high alert because even though the Mayans were considered a single civilization it was really made up of little towns each fighting to gain power over their neighbors. So it is plausible that a small village created the tablets to ward off a rival village or to show their power. Furthermore, the tablets could have been a way to show off how smart someone was. It is pretty impressive that a civilization with no modern technology could make a calendar that spans over 5,000 years.
Mayans were advanced people, part of what made them intellectually great is the fact that they where a very focused group of people. The Mayans were not interested in the destruction of the world. They where not worried about such things. The Mayans lived in the moment and had a very positive spin on many things so a rebirth at the end of a calendar cycle is very common. They were in no way trying to predict the end of the world. It is more likely that they where just finished with said calendar and figured, "Why not add a creative end?" Mayans often spoke of rebirth and starting over but it was only in a metaphorical way. It was
never literal. So, if the Mayans where not trying to predict the end of the world, then what is all the fuss about? If you tune in to any news channel, you will be bombarded with stories of war ,death and pandemonium.
The stories may have a hint of truth to them, but they are often played up for good ratings. The same thing is being done with the 2012 apocalypse, it is just a way for film makers to profit off of fear. Think about it. If you get everyone convinced the world is going to end, they will run out to the store and buy enough water, food, batteries and guns to supply a small army. All because some news reporter said that the world is doomed. It is a really smart way to boost the economy, but it is not very ethical. Some people even create whole business around the end of the world. They invest millions making underground bunkers for the rich and powerful. To me it is very clear that the reason that people think the world is going to end is because the media wants it to be that way. It is all about the money. You may be asking who are you to discredit the end of the world? It's a fair question and if you believe in the apocalypse then all the power to you but I choose to believe what I have read and heard in books by people who seem to
know what there talking about. The one book that made me believe it was all fake is "2012 And The End Of The World The Western Roots of The Maya Apocalypse" by Matthew Restall and Amara Solari. It is a great book about how America has blown
this way over the top. If you're still skeptical that the apocalypse is all a bunch of hokum this is the book for you.
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