2012

Remember that soiree psycho-pop quiz that asks: If you only had 24 hours to live, what would you do? The answers would range from flippant to outrageous, ponderous to facetious, an instant bucket list. Each answer outdid the next for maximum impact, drama, humor and memorability. Today there’s a new question raised by a growing number of people who aren’t laughing: If the world were to end in 24 months, what would you do?

The blockbuster movie “2012” opened at number one earning $225 million on its first weekend at the worldwide box office. It was the fifth highest-grossing film in 2009 and the 33rd of all time. A monster hit that cleared over $769M. The penchant for end-of-the-world disaster movies is not surprising. But could this also be an indication that there is a mounting curiosity or concern in the hypothesis that final destruction is near?

Last November 4, en route to Cozumel, Mexico for a seven-hour visit to the Mayan ruins, our guide introduced himself as Santiago, a former Anthropology professor at the University of Mexico. Born of a Mexican father and a Filipino mother, he married a Mayan lady whose name was written in native characters engraved in a silver necklace, which he wore everyday. Santiago found it ironic that he made more money as a guide than as a teacher.

He vowed to correct many misconceptions about Mayan history specially the inaccuracies of Mel Gibson’s depiction of his people in “Apocalypto”, a film he thoroughly detested. It allegedly portrayed the Mayans as a bloodthirsty race who practiced human sacrifice. According to him, the peaceful Mayans only offered flora to their gods. When the Toltecs subjugated them, the conquerors changed the ritual, a fact that the movie omits. That’s one more who hates Mel Gibson.

But first, the prerequisite stop at a tourist trap. The fastest-moving items were the Mayan calendar and sundry merchandise that had 2012 prominently inscribed: T-shirts, mugs, hats, trinkets, jewelry, even serapes. Evidently, commerce was briskly flowing even as the countdown to apocalypse was supposedly underway. Santiago was smiling as the cashiers rang from endless transactions, and he mentally computed his commissions.

Back on the bus, our tour guide transformed into the Anthropology professor, an authority on everything Mayan. With clarity, depth and passion, he elucidated on its culture and the recently discovered Tulum ruins. His first lesson was that history could be wrong. Accepted facts could be pure fiction, a spin-doctor’s attempt at rewriting history and inventing legacy.

Part of the fascination about the Maya is the myth and mystery that surround it. Until recently, the world perceived it to be an advanced society that existed around 1800BC but inexplicably disappeared like Atlantis. Wrong. Although scholars concede that a decline of the Mayan civilization occurred, their descendants are very much around. A sizable population lives with their vibrant culture, traditions and language intact. 

Renowned for its arts, architecture, commerce and politics, it was most famous for astronomy. This knowledge was embodied in the Mayan Long Count Calendar that covers a span of approximately 5125 years, and ends on December 21, 2012, supposedly auguring Doomsday. The fearful interest is rising and historical ambiguity only adds to its mystique.

There are now thousands of websites that cover every point of view concerning the end of the world. A Web BOT has begun tracking the web chatter, looking for specific patterns and keywords related to the supposed pending cataclysm. Historians, mathematicians, religious, new agers have all joined in the escalating Babel crescendo.

Eschatology is on the rise. Derived from the (ipedia.org/wiki/Greek_language) Greek “Eschatos” meaning last and “logy” the study of, it is the fusion of theology, philosophy and futurology concerned with the final events in history, the ultimate destiny of humanity, or simply, the end of the world. The Oxford English Dictionary defines it as “concerned with the four last things: death, judgment, heaven, and hell.”

But why did the Mayan civilization deteriorate between the 8th and 9th century? The theories range from political, economic, philosophical to ecological. It was noted that Maya experienced overpopulation, foreign invasion, peasant revolt, and the collapse of key trade routes. Others believed that environmental disasters, epidemic disease, and climate change caused the decline. It was noted that the over-consumption of agricultural produce and the overhunting of mega-fauna could not be sustained. The final blow was a severe 200-year drought that the pious interpreted as punishment from God.

“A great civilization is not conquered from without until it has destroyed itself from within.” This was the opening line of Mel Gibson’s opus that has received both praise and censure, including lawsuits for alleged copied scenes from a Mexican film. One of the writers points out that the widespread degradation, excessive consumption and political corruption are happening in modern times as it did in the fallen Mayan Empire. The film as a cultural critique questions today’s moral assumptions. But while the term apocalypto connotes destruction, its precise translation is “I reveal”. And we all know that truth is not always welcome.

As usual judgment is split between the negative and the positive for both the film and the galaxy. The doomsayers assume that the world will end through a catastrophe that could be anything from solar flares, floods, killer Planet Nibiru etc. All will die or a chosen few will survive. Then there are the optimists who believe that there will be a change of consciousness for the better that will happen to all or only to the goodhearted. Santiago and other scholars are optimistic. So am I.

What will you do if you only had 24 months to live? One sensible blogger’s advice: Follow a good life now, live it day by day. Make the most of each day. Help others where you can. Refrain from being judgmental. By 2012, you will be a better person and the world will be a better place. Perhaps by simply doing this, we can bring about positive change.

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