I have to admit, I’ve never been to into the 2012 myth… sure it’s interesting that the Mayan calender only went so far… but maybe they just decided that 2012 was far enough and they should maybe get to work on some other stuff like more words for their written language, and little pullys for water and stuff.
But seeing the National Geographic article that links 2012 with the peak of sunspot activity got my brain going on the subject. So yesterday I went to Robot Wisdom to find the polling site that Jorn uses… and low and beyold he had this link to a Jack London story set in a future in which a massive plague hit the world in 2013.
Spooky stuff.
Anyway, tell me what you think:
Poll: What Will Happen in 2012?. Update: Poll close. Results here.
March 9, 2006 at 8:43 pm
What, no “None of the above” option?
This “peak of sunspot activity” doesn’t mean much without context. There are peaks in sunspot activity every eleven years or so, and Cycle 23 was comparatively weak when you look at the two previous cycles, so being thirty to fifty percent stronger just puts it on par with the previous two peaks. Certainly weaker than the peak observed in the late 50s, closer to the peak observed in 1990.
(Yes, around about the time the Soviet Union collapsed, which most would rightly argue was more important than anything that happened in 2001. Fascinating?)
Take that as you like.
March 9, 2006 at 8:53 pm
There’s a “nothing option,” but there should have been an other option.
I don’t know what’s more important: September 11, 2001 or the fall of the USSR… growing up mostly in the post-Soviet era 9/11 seems more important, but to a lot of people the fall of “communism” is probably a lot more important.
March 9, 2006 at 11:44 pm
More on sunspots:
http://www.ips.gov.au/Educational/2/4/6
The above page says the peaks were in 1989 and 2000, respectively, so fooey on my old post.
As for importance: The total collapse of an entire trading bloc, realignment of world power, and the reduction of a “superpower” to second-rate (if we’re generous) scales higher against a reorientation in the way the USian government uses its power.
The wars in Afghanistan and Iraq are just wrap ups of things that happened when the current USian hands were last in power. This is what they look like when they’re not threatened by someone with a big stick.
More importantly than any of these predictions: What important, unusual, world-shaking event happened on what we’d call “August 11, 3114 BC”? Was it more important than what happened on “February 8, 3102 BC”?
March 10, 2006 at 9:15 pm
can nothing ever truly happen?
yes, I vote for nothing happening too. Just with a switched context.
March 11, 2006 at 4:47 am
Theres a lot more going on here than most people realize. Try reading this and decide for yourself..
http://www.crawford2000.co.uk/maya.htm
Coincidence?
Paul
March 11, 2006 at 7:25 am
The article doesn’t cite any sources, so I guess we just have to take the mystery author’s word.
I could just as well argue that the alignment that is being referenced in the article took place in 1999, that we have been drifting along the “equator” of the Milky Way since the 80s, and that it is more likely that any 2012 date on the Mayan calendar refers to a specific positioning of Venus (maybe off by around six months)…
Also, anyone questioning my assertions is close-minded and treacherous.
Now to read some John Major Jenkins.
March 11, 2006 at 7:56 pm
The guy quoted in the National Geographic piece says his timeline differs from other scientists, so it seems like it’s hard to pinpoint the exact begins and ends of these cycles… I thought they were 11.5 year cycles and not 11 year cycles. Maybe I was just completely wrong, but there seems to be more than one view of this out there.
With regard to importance, I wouldn’t necessarly disagree with you, but there are some other factors worth considering:
Putting geopolitics aside, which event (the fall of communism and 9/11) had greater impact on the world’s perceptions and consciousness? From a USian perspective, 9/11 was more important, I’d say. The fall of communism confirmed what we already believed, while 9/11 exposed our insecurity. It’s much harder to gauge the effect it had on the rest of the world, though.
And seen strictly through geopolitical terms, (which I think are fairly irrelevant to the 2012/singularity event) the long term effects of post-9/11 unilateral behavior of the US and the supposed rise in de-centralized terrorism remains to be seen. This guy’s been looking at the issue, but I haven’t read much of the material yet: http://globalguerrillas.typepad.com/
March 11, 2006 at 8:35 pm
Oh, and I thought the source for the article Paul C. linked to was Mayan Factor (which may itself not be very well sourced).
March 11, 2006 at 9:54 pm
I was more interested in the sources for the astronomical data, specifically the “cosmic cross.” John Major Jenkins doesn’t argue that the astrological phenomena described in the article will happen in 2012 (or has since recanted?), and Jose Arguelles spends his time arguing that the world should embrace the Maya over the Gregorian for “universal synchronization.”
Clarifying my point: Where are their sources for the “cosmic cross” alignment happening in 2012? All signs pointed me to 1999 when I was reading for it.
Back-to-sunspots: Svalgaard and his fellow researchers at Hanscom Air Force Base, using the precursor method of measuring sunspot activity, predicted in 2005 that Cycle 24 would be the weakest of the past 100 years. Dikpati’s new method appears to refute this, but we’ll see if Svalgaard was utterly wrong or not soon enough.
Back-to-politics: John Robb’s “GlobalGuerrillas” blog is great, and I’ve been reading it since you last linked it at me… whenever that was. Sometime last year.
As for fear, the USian public might have forgotten to be terrified after the collapse of the Soviet Union (no more nuclear threat), and after seeing the US military wipe out the Iraqi army in the Gulf War I (no more loser syndrome), so for a little while everyone was puffed up and secure.
One day a stunning terrorist attack makes everyone afraid again.
And… that… is… I forget what my point was, and we’ve gone completely off-topic.
In conclusion, 2012 ain’t so hot. 2021 is where it is at.
March 12, 2006 at 12:50 am
Brendon,
Thanks for referencing John Major Jenkins. Based on his background, he seems to be quite crediable.
The video interview at bblc.tv is good stuff. I’m impressed with his knowledge on the subject. How about his books? I’m curious now.
Paul
March 14, 2008 at 8:13 am
You are all very dumb that you all believe in all this… i’ll tell you who put this earth here and i’ll tell you who is going to take it away from us…. his name is GOD…. thats who is going to take all our lives away. i’ll tell you why because Jesus died for all of our sins. and there is nothing that anyone man or beast is going to do to stop it. When it’s our time to go them we should accept the fact that it is time and go out with a smile, knowing that we will get to heaven. (IF YOU ACCEPTED THAT JESUS DIED ON THE CROSS FOR OUR SINS). Then our holy sprit will live on forever.
April 8, 2008 at 1:48 pm
Yep, God is doing a great job of taking our lives away. Just look at how many he knocks off in Africa with starvation.
Some would say you, Josh Swart, are dumb for your beliefs. I mean, why not believe in the Easter Bunny too, or Santa Claus? You may just be a sheep Mr. Swart, doing exactly as the system wants the veil of religion to do…obey, don’t rebel or question anything…just believe. Well, believe me when I say that I’m cool…real cool.
April 10, 2008 at 12:32 am
Kevin, calling people stupid for believing in God, is the dumbest thing ever. God is real, and I have no doubt in my mind. Any logical person on Earth would know that there isn’t an effect without a cause. So how was the universe created? Did it just pop out of nowhere? I don’t believe so. People may then say, “Well, who made God?” to use as a back-up when they are asked this question. I say that is not the question. We must face reality. We cannot answer the question of who or what created God. It is just not possible. Just like what the cause of the universe was. And if the creation of the universe does have a cause, then what caused it to make that cause. I believe that every person whether they want too or not should believe in God. What is there to lose? If he is most definitely real and you believe in his doings, and you are a good person in life then you go to heaven, a paradise with an eternity of happiness! Or you can choose not to believe, find out that he is very much real and go to hell for not believing when you had the chance. People may say that there is so much bad in the world, but then they don’t realize how much good there is as well. God is real. Only God knows when we are going to end. 2012 seems very convincing I must say, but my faith and my trust is with God. He will do what must be done. I think that most people do not believe in God because they cannot grasp the true meaning of eternity, forever. Its kind of strange thinking that you will live on in a place forever, but if forever is going to be forever good and forever happy, then please, bring it on. But for those that go to Hell. I think that there will be a judgment day for them to say that they are sorry for the things that they have done. God is all loving, he wouldn’t allow a person who was not in the right state of mind to remain in an eternity of torcher. So those of you who do not believe in God, I pray for you. I pray that you will someday come to see your faith that God does exist. If the world ends in 2012, it will have been God’s decision. A lot of this may not have been relevant to the subject, but reading the comments I just had to say my thoughts.
January 6, 2010 at 6:23 am
Aliens are comming 2012 ^-^