Is it the end of the world, or not?

2012, is it another Y2K or is it really the end? Many scholars have questioned the truths in the Mayan codex known as the “Dresden Codex or the book of Mayan Astrology.” This codex was one of many, but only four exist to this day after Christian missionaries destroyed many of the codex’s in the hope to stem the rituals of the Mayan’s, the missionaries didn’t understand the Mayan’s connection with the stars and the Earth. These included ritual human sacrifice and blood lettings. 

But what is the Dresden Codex? This apocryphal codex spoke to the end of the age of man. The codex currently resides in Europe. Each of these ages are based in a 26,000 year cycle. The Hope Indians on the South West United States also have an end of time prophecy. Both the Mayan’s and Hope timelines end at the seemingly same point in time. How much influence did these cultures have on each other in antiquity?  Even the book of Revelation speaks to an end of time prophecy.

Those in the Y2K conundrum saw that computers given their calendar design would reset to “00” and the system structure would fail, but it did not. The Mayan Calendar ends on December 21^st 2012, but is this really the end? The Mayan calendar has a system called the long count, which is accurate to a 15 second margin in the moon cycles. All calendars end, even our modern one, at the end of each year start the next cycle of 12 months. Is it possible that the Mayan calendar starts anew?

How did this ancient society create such a precise system of telling time without technology? The Mayan’s were highly observant and had a complex system of writing, this gave rise to noting what they saw and calculating from there how things worked in the sky. With their knowledge the Mayan’s were able to make accurate choices when to plant, when to harvest, and to when rains came. All of this though was not able to stop the fall of many of the Mayan’s cities, and eventually the Mayan empire.

Today, many of the Mayan decadence are sure of the human fall in 2012, but yet the Maya only rained for a few thousand years, not the 26,000 years their calendar notes. So, how do we as a modern and technological society give into this calendar that for most of us do not even understand? Simple really, most religions and cultures have their own end of time mythos. So as children we grow up to think this is how it is, not ever knowing we are being taught how to think and what to believe. But this is not the end of this story, but a caution to heed.

Will 2012 bring the end of all humanity? Well it depends on who you speak with. As it was during the Y2K scare, there were those who saw the fears as a way to capitalize on fear and make money. If the lessons of the past have not taught people anything that it is easy to give into fear and run away from things.

What will December 21^st 2012 bring? Well no one is sure of this. Humans are by nature are a bad set of prophets. Always being prepared is a good thing, but going overboard as many do is not a healthy way to handle fear. Think of it are a natural disaster, what would you do and how would you deal with it? If 2012 is going to be the end, then live life the best way you can, but on December 22^nd if nothing happens then what?

That is the hard question to answer! You find yourself on December 22^nd with the world still here? Much like Y2K you feel duped and now you’re angry. How do you face the day, or week, month to come? This is what a lot of people faced after Y2K, they felt as if they had been cheated or deceived. The truth is no one knows the future, but we learn from the past and with that we are able to build the future.

The most troubling thing is what will the world be like after 2012? 2050 – There are now 9 Billion people on the planet and they are looking back on all the fears coming out of the 20^th century into the 21^st century. Y2K and 2012 have passed and those in the future are upset by how recklessly we did not prepare for tomorrow. Oil is at an all time high in price, in the future it will go for $380 a barrel, petrol will go for $9 to $10 a gallon and energy shortages are common place, clean drinking water is $5 a 12oz bottle. But people of 2012 were worried about December 21^st 2012 to do anything to shape 2050 or 2100.

Are you sure? Are you sure December 21^st 2012 is the end? It is smarter to devote time and energy to the tomorrows that are to come. Worrying about ancient prophecies or religious fervor does not help anyone, it does though lead to anger, and fear, and missteps that could help us all.

What dose 2012 hold? That is like a lot of mysteries, after WWII people were sure that the reds (Communists) were going to take over, people were sure that an A-bomb (Atomic Bomb) would be used on America, people were sure Y2K (The Year 2000) would bring an end to technology, but Steve Jobs of Apple Corp. prove that wrong with I-phones, I-pads, I-pods, I-tunes Etc. . So 2012, what do you want to happen?  Is the end of humanity or is the beginning of people working towards 2050 or 2100 in strides to make a better world?

Whatever happens always know that the future is not set in a Mayan stone but in the people who live on this planet, with global warming and oil coming up less available in the future and governments worries more about themselves is a time for those yet to come and those living to change the paradigm  towards something better. 2012 is not the end, but it is a wakeup call to all people to make a better tomorrow.

Think of all this as a way to be prepared for uncertainly, to know your fellow man, to strive towards a tomorrow that is good for all humans, not just the few or the wealthy.  You and you alone dictate your tomorrow and never forget that which you worship made you free and strong.