NEWS: Apoca-Lit, Oprah, and the End of the World

whats going to happen is everyones going to be so scared from the populatiry of the idea that the world is going to end that theres going to be a boom in people "following their heart" no matter the consequences, ignoring the facts, polar bears die out and then us. bam! the world's conclusion in one horribly grammaticized run on sentence.

Funny, isn't it? Back in the 50s, they all dreamed of a future full of rocket ships, flying cars and ray guns, because there was hope. Technology was surging, the economy was rising, there was a suppression of all the major social issues, and people were just generally optimistic.

But it's hard, verging on impossible, to ignore all that nowadays.

I think we've hit something like the apex of our existence. We're in the middle of a war, technological advancement seems to be spinning its wheels these days (its growth mainly stunted by corporate greed and bureaucracy), there's an economic uncertainty looming about, everyone in a position of power reeks of corruption, the tension generated by our social issues is suffocating... Everything's in a state of disarray.

I don't think a lot of people see a very pleasant and promising future ahead of us, so it's an expression of that kind of dystopian mindset. At this point, a bleak and ravaged future seems more likely than one filled with rays of sunshine and hope.

The book sounds really good and interesting. I read a couple of her book club books. White Oleander was great, and yes I read A Million Little Pieces. I liked it regardless of all the controversy.

I can't stop laughing at the picture of Oprah they chose for this article, ha.

Yeah. You getting that feeling, too?

I sort of lump them all in the same, er, gestalt, I guess. I was really thinking of the end of the European avant garde in WWI up through maybe FDR's "only thing we have to fear is fear itself,"-- incredible pessimism in the face of financial growth and political successes and so on.

Yeah, I was making slightly more facile references, but end of the millenium psychosis stuff:

"End of Days", "Deep Impact", that kind of guff.

I turn my nose up at you.

Armageddon was clearly better.

Oh dear God, it really is the end of days ....

oh, look! I seem to have written a huge, off-topic ramble. that's awesome, right?

SPOILERS! (Click to view)

people in the 50's lived with the constant knowledge that there was a chance they'd be wiped out in a nuclear war at any second. they were at least as afraid of the soviets as people today are of terrorists, and with far better reason. josef stalin was replaced by nikita "we will bury you" khrushchev, and a huge nuclear arsenal was aimed to turn the western hemisphere into a radioactive wasteland at the push of a button.

americans weren't just terrified of the soviets, they were scared of each other, too-- the politicians of the 50's used fear and patriotism the same way they do today, and mccarthyism made the patriot act look like a fucking parking ticket.

the civil rights movement hadn't accomplished all that much yet, but racism and protests were starting to get bloody. rock music was getting big with the kids, so people thought popular culture was going straight to hell, too.

throw in the korean war, and the 50's were a time of paranoia, justified fear of global annihilation, major civil and cultural unrest, and bloody international conflict.

I don't think your attitude is unusual, but it seems to be based on a lot of false premises. I don't know if people are really more pessimistic than ever, because the past 27 years are all I've ever seen, and I wasn't paying attention for most of them. I don't know if it's a global phenomenon, or a local one, and I don't know if it's in the back of everyone's mind or just a pop culture fad like the rash of post-apocalyptic movies in the late 70's and early 80's. but it is something to consider!

wait a minute.

have i been living beneath a rock for the past six months?

how did i manage to remain oblivious to the fact that cormac 'blood meridian' mccarthy has released a new novel?

if i raid my change hopper, i think can buy it today, otherwise i have to wait until i get paid tomorrow

...

well, it's been around longer than christianity, but all major religions predict the end of the world-- it's the first thing they come up with, right after the creation. even the cyclical ones like hinduism and buddhism tell of terrible times that have to happen before the renewal. why should a culture with roots in christian philosophy be especially predisposed to an obsession with apocalypse?