It’s odd how apocalyptic thinking seems to be hard-wired into us. Almost every culture on Earth seems to have a genetic memory of a great flood, which mainstream archaeolgists dismiss but one never knows. Of course, most apoocalypsts believe in a “fire and brimstone” ending to our current world, certainly the Judeo-
Christian-Islamic texts. Norse and perhaps Vedic myths.

The “2012″ phenomenon fascinates me. People have latched onto it and made it more than a cottage industry selling books and films. Even the history channel, which is disconcerting. Religious leaders have been claiming the end is imminent from the days of the Sumerians. So far they’ve been disappointed. The Mayan predictions of a cataclysm? As brilliant as the classical Maya were in architecture, mathematics and astronomy (including the incredibly precise calendar systems) they didn’t always draw sound conclusions. They believed that the sun needed sustenance–the human blood of sacrifice–to propel it across the sky each day. A fine example of the dangers of mixing “religion” with science.

Other New Age thinkers predict not a cataclysm but a new dawning of human spirituality and awareness. Apparently a magical and mass change in the human brain–which will require annihilation of the ego, of course. Instant Buddhism–without all that tiresome meditation work. Instant karma. Kind of like the age of Aquarius and hippies in the late sixties. I guess it makes a lot more sense if one is whacked on acid.

I keep getting images of Diogenes with his lantern. Of course, he searched the streets of Athens for an honest man during the day. He was too wise to search at night when all the honest men were “cloistered” in the brothels.

“In praise of cynicism.” Think I’ll write a book and arrange some very expensive seminars!

Bob