I don't know about the rest of you, but nearly every day I get people messaging me, asking about the 2012 doomsday predictions.
Including one phone call from a friends 10yr old son who saw a video on YouTube and thought that he was going to die. He was so distressed, the poor lad.
Most are just ordinary folk, trying not to get sucked into yet another conspiracy theory. (Though some are trolls, trying to fire me up.)
So instead of writing the same thing over and over again, I'd like to make a collection of links that I can refer people to.
Here's a couple that I have so far.
If anyone has any others I'd love to be able to share them.
I had a Dad ring me about a month ago saying his 8 y.o. son was having panic attacks worrying about what he saw on You Tube and other places on the net about the end of the world in Dec 2012.
He wanted confirmation that we aren't about to die so he could tell his son all is well.
Bugger and I was planning an invitation only ($20000 a head) "End of the Earth" party for this December, got any predictions when it will be good to go with this.
I'm in an unique position, having degrees in both geology and astronomy, apart from practical experience in both fields as well. Yet, despite all the reassurances I give and can give people about 2012 and all the nonsense that goes on about this, for some you just cannot convince them of otherwise, once they've got the idea in their heads that everything is going to go to pot on December 21. They've literally talked and scared themselves into a psychological fugue state that they don't seem to be able to come out of. This is only going to get worse as the time approaches. Young, impressionable kids and teenagers are going to be some of the most affected. I think despite our best efforts a lot of people are going to go over the edge and there'll be quite a few suicides and what not happening. I only hope some of the idiots promoting this trash are satisfied then with what they've done because quite frankly I would lock them up in psychiatric institutions for the criminally insane.
The simple minded are the ones who respond best to media advertising and buy all the junk! Why do you think Pollies do so many aparently odd things. It gets the votes from the suckers!
..........once they've got the idea in their heads that everything is going to go to pot on December 21.........
December 21st? I did not know that someone had provided a date. Any chance that they might postpone? A few more days will be enough, otherwise I will miss out on my 40th. At least I won't have to worry about having a mid-life crisis .
It is interesting that normally rational people can get dragged into this type of thinking.
Recently a planet or comet was meant to collide with the Earth, I cannot remember its name. One otherwise intelligent person was trying to convince me of its reality and I tried to point out that if it were true anyone with a telescope would be able to look at it. They weren't because it did not exist. Next time I saw him, I gave him some astronomy magazines that had articles about events that could take place to create problems on a worldwide scale. Without being patronizing, it was my attempt to replace myth with reality.
I am sure it has been covered before, but these queries seem to surface at the public observing sessions. The only time I have not been willing to turn a conversation around was when a young bloke asked how far away a star was. I told him that the light had taken 'x' number of years to reach us. He then informed me that the data was wrong and the Universe was only 6000 years old. If he was so sure why ask?
Each to their own but sometimes there is little to gain by debating the evidence.
Last edited by Shark Bait; 15-01-2012 at 12:04 PM.
Each to their own but sometimes there is little to gain by debating the evidence.
A friend of mine was groomed as a staunch Catholic by his parents. As he progressed through school. He excelled in science. Gave away the religion. He had an intense enquiring mind. He also enjoyed a debate.
Often on weekends people promoting their church knocked on his door. He would keep them debating for hours. I am like you Stu, I wont tolerate those type. Yet Joe, thrived on arguing with these door-knockers. I am sure he liked to shred the elements supporting their arguments.
I've never had to try to convince anyone on anything like this, I don't have friends that stupid.
Cheers,
Jason.
Quote:
Originally Posted by dj gravelrash
im with jase
That's nice.
But I don't consider my friends 10yr old son "stupid" for getting worried about what he saw on YouTube. Kids his age tend to believe anything they see on the Internet. The fact that he rang me up to ask if it was true, to me is a sign of his intelligence.
I'm guessing you don't do much Astronomy Outreach.
I'm fortunate enough to be able to do so on quite a large scale. I get a lot of personal satisfaction from doing it.
This year there are going to be more and more people looking for the truth behind these hoaxes.
I find that people are more willing to ask questions if you don't make them feel that they are stupid for asking them.
One should never deny a curious mind the answers they are looking for.
He was so distressed, the poor lad. 
and I was planning an invitation only ($20000 a head) "End of the Earth" party 
for this December, got any predictions 
when it will be good to go with this.
.
