The world has survived yet another “apocalypse.” The media coverage and international drama over the supposedly fated day of Dec. 21, 2012 created anxiety and anticipation from many who believed the day would bring about the end of the world, but for most, it wound up being just another ordinary day. So, why was there so much drama and build-up for the supposed doomsday?
Many cited the Mesoamerican Long Count calendar, created by the Mayans, as the ignition for the frenzy and concern for the apocalypse on the date, as the calendar finished on Dec. 21, 2012. Others subscribed to the belief that Earth would undergo a type of physical transformation, because of a certain astronomical alignment or numerological formula and, as a result, Dec. 21 would make the beginning of a new era. Still others believed Earth would collide with another planet on the fated date.
Much research and analysis has examined these ideas and while, yes, it’s true the Mayan Long Count calendar did end on the approximate date of Dec. 21, 2012, society’s general fear of an apocalypse allowed emotion to drive the argument instead of looking at pure facts and sound reason. The 5,125-year-old calendar may have indicated that the Long Count calendar would conclude on Dec. 21 2012, but the Mayans never predicated impending doom upon the earth that day. Additionally, the Mayans existed long before we did – how can we take what their ancient calendar said as hard facts and allow that to drive our beliefs?
Doomsday phobia is a legitimate fear, but when it spreads across multiple cultures and seizes the media and entertainment by storm (the movie “2012” and the reality show “Doomsday Preppers” are two such examples), this phobia leads to groupthink hysteria. Groupthink is caused when groups of people conform to one idea without analyzing or thinking about the idea thoroughly. Fear of the apocalypse seems to arouse the most alarming rates of groupthink, as mass hysteria only lasts until the projected date of the apocalypse – Dec. 21 of last year, for example, or the Y2k prediction of Jan. 2000, when many believed the world would end because of a computer bug. When the predicted apocalypse does not occur, the hysteria typically calms down.
The danger of hysteria associated with groupthink apocalyptic fear is its lack of reason or logic. Many phobias are not necessarily logical, but for one idea to drive people to extreme fear – sometimes extreme measures – is absurd, especially when the people do not have logical reason for the fear. Instead, people should question and research an “end of the world craze” before subscribing to it themselves, as in most cases, the hysteria isn’t necessary or reasonable.
Hysteria and paranoia in a society are frequently unfounded on actual evidence, so it’s important for people to really consider the facts of a situation and know what is going on before jumping to irrational conclusions.