21st-December-2012 
Illustration: Venla Valve

              
Esha Chanda,

              
Columnist (Our World)

              
 

              
We survived the Y2K bug, Hailey’s comet in 1910 and if you want to go back further, we even survived the End of the World phenomena in the 1800′s. So by the look of it, humans have done a good job at surviving doomsdays in more than a dozen cases. And if we maintain our steady survival rate, we might just pass through 21st December 2012.

              
Our society sometimes has the tendency to go bonkers and believe in random thoughts and ideas. This seems to be the only sane explanation since humans continue to be obsessed with an entirely senseless and ludicrous subject. When the news of 21st December, 2012 erupted and was sensationalized, all thanks to the media across the world,  our society went berserk. It was the topic of discussion everywhere; at social gatherings, around water coolers and every news channel hosted panel discussions with scientists and believers.

              
The Long Count that started on 0.0.0.0.0, which corresponds to the modern day of August 11th 3114 BC, ends after a long 5126 years, which incidentally falls on 21st December 2012. Boom! The world explodes. How ridiculous?! Even the Mayans would be wondering why we made such a fuss over a simple calendar. If you go ahead on these lines, every year on 31st December, we should be running off to our doomsday shelter and wait for zombies and asteroids to hit our planet. Even with less than 24 hours remaining, messages were being forwarded, discussions were being carried on and there still seems to be one question looming in the air- Is 2012 going to be the year that awaits the brutal ending of the Earth, wiping off every evidence that humans walked and breathed on this blue planet? Will mankind’s worst fear come true?

              
A considerable number of people do believe in it while others rubbish it. Couldn’t it be that when the Long Count reaches 13.0.0.0.0, it would reset to 0.0.0.0.0? Just like when the western calendar reaches 31st December, it resets to 1st January. The earth doesn’t cease to exist when it reaches the last day of the calendar year. Then why would the same happen if the Long Count reaches its last day? The only possible theory could be (as crazy as it might sound) that someone somewhere started with the rumour that human life would end in 2012 hoping that at least a few who would have faith in the rumour would start leading their life as they always wanted and stop procrastinating things.

              
So yes, maybe if everyone in the world starts to believe that 2012 is the end of everything known to mankind, they would want to spend the remaining few days doing things for which they always found excuses not to. Numerous bucket lists would be prepared and people would spend their last days fulfilling their wishes and aspirations. Who would care about money then? Who would care about fame and fortune? When a year is all that you have, you wouldn’t let it go waste. Another possible explanation- Hollywood was running out on stories. So why not add a dash of drama again and spice up films by sprinkling it with another end-of-the-world-themed movie?

              
We are a society that is blessed with brains but it’s downright depressing to see what the society is up to these days. Doomsday predictions, zombie invasions, apocalypse; we spend more time on a bunch of codswallop theories and fritter away time.

              
There are scores of subjects that demand our attention; crucial matters that need to be sorted. But we seem to enjoy decoding random statements made centuries ago. Even today, people have been flocking to the Mayan ruins (calling it Ground Zero!) and Mayan philosophers have been shaking their heads looking at the sudden frenzy. Theories still revolve and will continue to revolve around this supposedly mysterious date; some towards it while some against it. All we can do is to wait and watch. Be a spectator sitting on the brink of the ocean waiting whether the storm would approach us or not and then go with the flow, quite literally. And if not, Surprise! Surprise! The clock strikes midnight and amidst clinking of glasses and cheers, we celebrate our survival yet again.