Humanity... an imminent destruction complex?
 

Seems to me that everywhere I look, scientists, religious people and everyone inbetween is predicting that this, that and the other will end within mankind's time on this planet.

Do we just have some kind of 'end is nigh' complex? Or are these things really close?

Just like to hear some thoughts on this...

Exteremists feed on everyone's fear. They need people to be afraid to accomplish their agenda. Distunguishing between those who have legitimate concerns and those who have ulterior motives is rather difficult. There are some cases where the doom and gloom are indeed imminent but for the most part its just scaremongering.

I'd say it's not a complex... people don't thrive on predicting the worst, but there is a genuine danger. There always has been for as long as humans have been around - it's just changed from starving, disease or being eaten by wild animals to being killed by terrorists or world war 3, through government oppression, or simply over money.

Since time immemorial, or at least written history, there always seems to have been those 'predicting' or proselytizing 'end is nigh' in one form or another!

And I would have to agree with the other posters, a lot of times it used to generate 'fear in the masses' complex, probably to try and keep us under control or preoccupied, etc. Combined with 'bad news' 'shock' and 'sensationalism' are a more marketable product then 'goodness, hope, light, and what's right in the world!

But I would also have to agree that there is legitimate concerns in the world that require moving beyond 'fear' and seriously need to be addressed soon and now! The consciousness around the environmental crisises, being the most significant one!

Addressing our 'fears' takes courage, stamina, fortitude, strength, determination, and commitment, and service to a greater cause .. rare qualities to find these days! How many really are ready to move beyond self-gratification to self-sacrifice! There are many but still so few!

We have a saying here .. "its easier to sit around the coffee shop and complain about what's wrong in the world, then it is to actually have to go out and do something about it"

Most choose the path of least resistance in the end .. apathy, complacency, or simply turning a blind eye!

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And apathy? Apathy is death.

Humans have always been trying to determine the end of days. Usually it's zealous religious people over-anxious to meet their god, but sometimes people have legitimate worry that the end is truly nigh, like during the Cuban Missile Crisis. I'm sure plenty of people thought the end was near then.

I personally think we're reaching one of those points in history where we have legitimate problems to worry about that could make-or-break it for humanity. Even though we've got the usually crazies popping out, talking about 2012, and the LHC, and a Kenyan Antichrist in the White House (:rolleyes:) and the rapture (or pretty much what you'll find if you stumble onto the wrong section of Above Top Secret), I feel we have legitimate issues that could very well put the future of humanity and Earth in danger. We've got global warming, pollution, overpopulation, religious extremism, nuclear proliferation among more nations than ever, and more drug resistant diseases.

We've come close to the edge before, and I feel that the more we play god, the greater the chance we have of going off. Unfortunately gains in technology are outpacing gains in human intelligence, so what the future holds, I don't know.

I guess all we can do now is stand up and fight these issues, like Mika said, to the best of our own abilities, whatever they might be.

We're at the beginning of a 15-20 year crisis period as defined at Fourth Turning . People are drawn to it automatically. As spring follows winter, things will get better, around the time that it seems inevitable that they won't.

I think having a healthy level of apathy isn't a bad thing , have my mother for example , she cares and moans about everything and mostly things I would never waste a thought about , though she's suffering from a high bloodpressure.

I for my part have a apprehensive level of apathy since a couple of years regarding to things I thought were important like getting a good job , a big house , a nice car , start a family , plant a tree and all that just became meaningless to me , meanwhile almost everything in my life is about trying to filter the real good things in life , the important ones , philosophy has become also a tool for me to understand my world and generally a kind of "blessing" , for when people say ignorance is blessing I might agree to a certain degree , but so is real "wisdom" , the moment in your life when the shades drop from your eyes is one of the most important if not even the most important moment in everyones life .

Oh of course, but on a global scale apathy will result in death. ;)