Do We Want the World to End? | Idea Channel | PBS Digital Studios

The 2012 Mayan Apocalypse is only a few days away . . .

and there are a lot of people wondering if it's going to happen. Sorry to burst your bubble, but (Spoiler Alert) nothing's going to change.The so-called Mayan long count calendar predication of the apocalypse is based a fundamental MISUNDERSTANDING of Mayan calendars and society. It's so far off base that scientific and anthropological experts can dismiss it with laugh. Yet, if it's so fundamentally wrong, why do we keep hearing about it? Why are there movies and news casts and websites dedicated to this non-event? Watch the episode and find out!!!!

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[eXtremeDR]

After decades of intense research and endless discussions with scientists and experts, I've found out that the universe will end when I die! Ok, there is a tiny chance that the universe will continue to exist but scientifically no one can prove me that the universe exists when i'm dead.

[EdEmJuPe]

Here's my theory: everybody is afraid to die, but any tragedy is assumed better if it's shared.

For example: if you fail a class in college, you'll feel bad, thinking that it was your fault and you're a loser.
But if a large segment of the classroom fails, then maybe you're not so bad and maybe the teacher (and outside factor) is to blame.

Failing in groups makes us feel better about ourselves because, comparatively, we're not too worse off than our peers, against whom we're constantly measuring ourselves.

So... what does this have to do with the apocalypse?

If I die alone, I'm a poor loser who won't get to enjoy life anymore.
But if we all die, I can feel better about my own mortality, as we're all on the same boat and I'm not worse off than anybody else.

The apocalypse is consolation for those who don't want to die alone :P

Anyhow, those are my 2 cents.

What do you guys think?

[ShonaMcCarthy]

The world as we know it is constantly ending. As every moment passes something changes irrevocably and we can never be any younger than we are right this moment. It's natural to think that anything with a beginning will also have an end. 

[rachelmcfadden]

Just wanted to say how wonderful your shows are. Seriously.... how is this NOT on mainstream television yet. Seriously... I mean it. No, really!

[kendelion]

2014 and still watching this, i am one of the survivors of the apocalypse!

[Hitsyfication]

Because the world is shit these days and in desperate need of a reset button. Solved.

[tmmlis]

The end of the world would be the most significant thing to occur in it's existence other than perhaps its creation. Since self-absorbed glory-seeking humans weren't around for the birth, the concept of being around at the death of the planet is appealing to them. 

[AwSamWeston]

And now in early 2014, with the extra-intense winter periods, people are starting to say Ragnarok is coming. Yep. Our society is fatalist.
To be fair, I started to (jokingly) claim Ragnarok was coming in November or December of 2013. I predicted that if we had one more abnormal winter (in the 2014-15 season), we should start looking out for meteor showers or signs of tension between two major world powers. Again, jokingly. Now people are saying it's happening THIS year. And unironically.
Also, to tie into another Idea Channel video: I'm being a bit of a hipster.

[UNICLYPSE]

I was actually hoping it would end.
On Dec 21st 2012, I waited all day, just waiting for something...I was so pissed off when it became Dec 22nd.

[vitorbukvarfernandes]

hey, brazilian drunk guy here. and you are absolotely awesome!

[shinemperor]

The reason we in Western culture all look for the end is because we think we can survive it. We're so arrogant and selfish, that we want the end of all things to happen so that we can prove it's all about us. When in reality, not one of us is unique, and we're all just going to die miserable, lonely and without any hope.

That or we're such sick voyeurs, that like cars slowing down to see the carnage of an accident we all want to watch the biggest car crash of them all... the end of all human civilization.

[melodypond]

doctor who and Douglas Adams references! I think I'm in love.

[frostfauna]

Ponies brought me to this channel. The thought envoking subject matter and fast-paced, entertaining delivery method has me hooked. I think we want the end to come because we are curious as to what will happen afterwards. Look at any religion and you'll find each has its own interpretation of what happens at the end of our lives. We want to know which one of these is true, but self-preservation instincts keep us from ending ourselves, so we want something else to do it for us. Just my thoughts.

[RooksTheHobo]

I wish it was 20 december 2012 in late night to see all those funny posts and phtoshop pics they made on that day xD

[saulodiaz]

why do you keep showing us images of the aztec calendar stone and telling us it is mayan?

[zennim]

SURE DIDN'T END IN 2012, BUT OH BOY DO WE FEAR IT END IN 2017

[macbury]

Watching this again in worldwide lockdown 2020, and we're still just getting on with things. The world didn't end, it never will and always will be ending.

[EdricLeggett]

This is the best channel on YouTube, by far.

[DaftPunkiaBS]

We focus on the end of the world so we can prepare for it

[jpkurokami]

the thumbnail sounds like a good name of Neon Genesis Evangelion 4.0