Thread: Doomsday

Hi Friends!

There have been widespread discussions going on about 'Doomsday' in Bangalore, India. Many so called Pandiths have claimed that there is going to be a huge disaster in the earth and many parts of the earth is going to be submerged in the sea. They have even given deadline for this. They claim that doomsday will occur in January 2011 and maximum number of people and flora and fauna are going to be destroyed during this event. Many TV channels also have broadcasted discussions about this here in Bangalore.

Please dump your thoughts on 'Doomsday' here so that I can learn from the learned

bollocks

Originally Posted by marnixR

bollocks

Please watch http://www.hercolubus.tv/

Originally Posted by marnixR

bollocks

Our bollocks are going to be destroyed.

Originally Posted by Ophiolite

Originally Posted by marnixR

bollocks

Our bollocks are going to be destroyed.

Goddamnit, I had plans involving my bollocks in 2011!

I could not understand whether I am being humiliated or the topic?

Originally Posted by Purushothama

Originally Posted by marnixR

bollocks

Please watch http://www.hercolubus.tv/

my bollocks don't have eyes

They claim that doomsday will occur in January 2011 and maximum number of people and flora and fauna are going to be destroyed during this event.

maximum number of people?

That could be anything between 6 billion and zero.

If the catastrophic event has the ability to kill a maximum of X people, than X people will perish.

Since the nature of cataclysmic violence is unknown, X could just as well be 0 or 42, or 6 billion plus.

I am putting my money on 0.

If the doomsday is inevitable and is really approaching us on 2011, what will be your first whish you want to be fulfilled before?

I want a one way ticket to mars.

Originally Posted by spuriousmonkey

I want a one way ticket to mars.

Why only Mars?

Originally Posted by spuriousmonkey

I want a one way ticket to mars.

To study Biology there?

Originally Posted by Purushothama

Originally Posted by spuriousmonkey

I want a one way ticket to mars.

Why only Mars?

It's my wish isn't it?

@Purushothama. I see you're skeptical of these media pundits, and I see you're asking not telling. So I'll *ahem* respond respectfully.

There's a thread of truth to it. Sea levels are expected to rise but slowly. Not rapidly enough to panic about, or even change plans for a house by the ocean, or how you build the boat dock.

Better to ask in the Environmental Issues sub-forum. Or a mod can move this thread to there.

I'm curious about the little hysteria being in Bangalore. You're 1,000 meters above sea level. So why are people concerned? Are they afraid of being overrun by refugees from low regions? In that case they could use the "doomsday" scenario to sharpen their fear and think and talk openly about that. Or some other explanation of why this doomsday idea works for people. Political? Economic? What do you think?

Originally Posted by Purushothama

If the doomsday is inevitable and is really approaching us on 2011, what will be your first whish you want to be fulfilled before?

For the entire YEC movement to be praying on some beach somewhere, and be swept away by a tidal wave made of semen and aborted fetuses. I would appreciate the irony.

Originally Posted by Purushothama

Please dump your thoughts on 'Doomsday' here so that I can learn from the learned

There is a tendency in some humans to envision Doomsday scenarios. Psychologists, I’m sure, have investigated this and come up with plausible theories to explain it. I simply note that this tendency exists across cultures and across time.

Modern communications mean that such scenarios can be distributed widely and quickly. The thirst of the media for ‘interesting’ stories means that such nonsense will receive publicity out of proportion to its worth. (One hundred years ago it is unlikely that any of us on this forum outside of India would have learnt of this latest manifestation of terminal idiocy.)

Doomsday scenarios come up with boring regularity. The current popular one is the ‘end’ of the Mayan calendar in 2012. Before that we had the Millenium. There were at least four or five major projected Doomsdays in the last thirty years of the 20th century.

On the basis of the foregoing I have no doubt that the prediction of a global disaster in 2011 is as nonsensical, unfounded and false as all the other ones have been. I despair at the gullibility and stupidity of my fellow man; I despise the news media that foster such stories; I condemn the self righteous prats who initiate such tales; and I denounce those who try to make money or acquire fame by promoting such nonsense. (I also wish you a very happy November.)

Originally Posted by John Galt

There is a tendency in some humans to envision Doomsday scenarios. Psychologists, I’m sure, have investigated this and come up with plausible theories to explain it. I simply note that this tendency exists across cultures and across time.

Modern communications mean that such scenarios can be distributed widely and quickly. The thirst of the media for ‘interesting’ stories means that such nonsense will receive publicity out of proportion to its worth. (One hundred years ago it is unlikely that any of us on this forum outside of India would have learnt of this latest manifestation of terminal idiocy.)

Doomsday scenarios come up with boring regularity. The current popular one is the ‘end’ of the Mayan calendar in 2012. Before that we had the Millenium. There were at least four or five major projected Doomsdays in the last thirty years of the 20th century.

On the basis of the foregoing I have no doubt that the prediction of a global disaster in 2011 is as nonsensical, unfounded and false as all the other ones have been. I despair at the gullibility and stupidity of my fellow man; I despise the news media that foster such stories; I condemn the self righteous prats who initiate such tales; and I denounce those who try to make money or acquire fame by promoting such nonsense. (I also wish you a very happy November.)

Come on John! No more sitting on the fence!
I agree with your post.

Originally Posted by John Galt

I condemn the self righteous prats who initiate such tales; and I denounce those who try to make money or acquire fame by promoting such nonsense.

I applaud them. They are at least being creative and not just boring, ignorant, and incredibly depressed individuals. And hey, the whole doomsday thing makes for GREAT entertainment, you can't deny that!

And besides, most of those who create doomsday scenarios don't even believe them themselves, they just purport that others believe them, which only plays on the gullibility of others.

A fool and his money are easily parted. That's the principle that capitalism is built on