Can We Please Get Over the End of the Mayan Calendar?

[dballance]

Okay, so the last Mayan Long Count calendar to have been been created ends on 12/21/12. This portends the apocalypse how?

You might want to take a small reality check and realize our current calendar ends every 12 months. We generally don't worry about that welcoming in the apocalypse. Usually we just plan a drunken party, watch some stupid ball of lights descend in Times Square and buy a new calendar for the next year.

Since there are really no Mayan clergy or scientists to speak of any longer it's probably a little difficult for them to set up new Long Count calendar as they would most likely do just at we distribute all those disgusting calendars with pictures of puppies, kittens, small children and such to mark time for the next 12 months.

[rustydog]

1. Go ahead, deny the TRUTH!

Me, I've stocked up on ammunition, firearms and food, they won't get me!

Oh, wait, you're ranting about the supposed end of the world, I'm thinking Zombie Apocylapse!

[Xipe Totec]

2. What's your rush?

Let things fall by their own weight.

[2on2u]

3. I hope this toon tells the real story.....

[Flabbergasted]

4. Yes we'll get over it on dec 22nd. Nt.

[orpupilofnature57]

7. +1000

[OldDem2012]

11. LOL!! Bingo! The OP has not yet realized that you can't....

...tell people on DU what to do or how to think. Big mistake!

[Posteritatis]

36. Nah, the wooösphere will just shift the goalposts slightly. (nt)

[MrSlayer]

5. Is there anyone here that seriously believes anything will happen?

I'm not seeing anything to indicate that it needs to be gotten over.

[freshwest]

6. Nooo! The Apocalypse Must Be Maintained! It's good for - uh - see here:

[Kaleva]

8. We don't take kindly to apocalypse deniers around these parts!

[pinboy3niner]

10. Especially one trying to shoot down our excuse for another drunken party!

That's just crazy!

[Kurovski]

27. No jokes about alcohol!

Alcohol is killing our teens!

[LisaLynne]

42. How about some pot then? nt

[Ikonoklast]

45. Yeah, well, it did some serious damage to my twenties, too.

Made peace with it in my thirties.

Was an old friend by my forties.

And only pays an occasional visit to my fifties.

[Canuckistanian]

9. I have problems with a culture that never used wheels

And yet we're supposed to trust them on knowledge of future events?

No thanks, I'll go back to reading Horoscopes for entertainment value.

[Yahagirl]

15. ... and I know

how much time you have for astrology and horoscopes

[PADemD]

22. The Mayans used wheels in their long count calendars

https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcR9CQhr-GDYrp_fZLUZESq1V5L4dQ6je88BN003INlx2-a-7Evh

[LiberalEsto]

32. They seem to have used wheels for calendars nt

[nadinbrzezinski]

34. Alas they did use wheels

in toys. There is a good reason why not full fledge full sized ones were not used.

Draft animals did not exist until Columbus made that astounding navigational error, and was followed by others in search of Gold. So having a wheel, regardless of the mechanical advantage, on a cart, made zero sense.

For example, the Aztec Emperors had fresh fish from the Gulf of Mexico often. That fish was taken in the morning and arrived to Tenochtitlan in the afternoon. They used runners, who ran 20 kilometer or so legs, and it took a day to get it. Try that, given the inclination to get over the Sierra, with pulled on carts with humans, it would have been much slower.

Oh and the Observatory (so named since it's form is very similar to a modern day one and function was the same), near Merida should tell you that yes, they knew about the wheel.

Oh and did I mention they had a far more advanced calendar than what we use even today for our civil calendar? The Maya calendar does take into account silly shit like the fact that the day is NOT 24 hour hours long.

At the height in the Classic period they were probably the most advanced culture in the world.

Now did they have their problems? Like all other cultures yes. Their religion, which requires sacrifice, could be seen as a major problem, but the same priests were involved in some pretty advanced astronomy.

Oh and natural medicine and herbology... some medical remedies used by the Maya and Aztec are now currently under research. The active components are actually like for real.

[a la izquierda]

54. You need a little education.

As Nadin suggests below, most indigenous peoples in the Americans used wheels for something. But why on earth would they need wheels when: a) they had no beasts of burden; b) lived in places not conducive to wheel use without said beasts of burden.

Yet they were expert astronomers, used advanced medicine, and built gigantic stone monuments without the wheel.
What a culturally insensitive and shitty thing to say. And by the way, the Mayans DON'T predict the end of the world. That's a Western misunderstanding and misrepresentation of their religious beliefs.

This is why I teach this stuff for a living.

[sakabatou]

12. I've heard from Mayan descendants, that the whole 2012 stuff is bull.

[nadinbrzezinski]

35. thread winner

[Posteritatis]

37. I can't imagine how frustrating this is for the Mayans, actually

You know, the seven million of them alive today that all the ancient-aliens and doomsday-prophecy people seem to forget exist, many of whom are rather more aware of their culture and history than the kooks pushing the Mayan Y2K schtick.

[leftofcool]

13. Well shit fire and save the matches!

I had plans for a late night pre-end of the world pass the bong party and now you come along and spoil it. Thank you very much!

[Yahagirl]

16. No kidding!

it's like finding out there's no Santa Claus!!
(oh crap, you already knew that right? )

[RomneyLies]

14. Bookmarking this thread for the inevitible eruption of the Yellowstone Caldera

[freshwest]

19. Yay! Let's say we all go together!

[dballance]

25. That's so funny

One of my friends on Facebook made a sarcastic post that there no are asteroids headed for us so the 12/21 thing not a problem. I sarcastically posted a reply that he shouldn't forget Yellowstone could blow at any time - but don't worry about it. So we're thinking alike

[arcane1]

17. I will be raising one hell of a toast to the Maya on 12/21/2012

They were brilliant astronomers and scientists and architects and engineers and so many other things. They exemplified human potential, able to predict a solstice in 2012, and for millennia beyond, and manage to build an entire civilization, all while adapting to a freakin' jungle. And they were humans, just like us. I will be raising a glass to them that night, in honor of their cleverness and their legacy.

I'll be raising another glass (or two) that night to dull the pain of dealing with the "2012 Spiritual Awakening" crowd.

[Posteritatis]

39. Millions of them are still around right now. (nt)

[arcane1]

40. Good point! I shall raise a glass to them as well :)

[guardian]

18. Why does the media hype this Mayan calendar end of the world crap?

I've never met anyone who believes it. I suppose their might be a couple of dozen people somewhere. But you had that with the Hale-Bopp cult.

[jberryhill]

20. It's fun

[arcane1]

21. I'm still getting over missing my ride on Hale-Bopp, dammit...

I had to think twice about castration, and missed my chance

The media hypes this crap because it makes people tune in, and thereby get thirsty for Mountain Dew and hungry for Pizza

[LisaLynne]

44. Is that why they say you can't take it with you?

[Drew Richards]

23. I know you probably already know this but

The calendar doesnt actually end.
It is just the end of the mayans calendar that calculates the galactic cycle and begins again
As year one of the new galactic cycle...

Just saying its silly to think its the end but hey im still gonna party like its the end of the world on the 21st. Any excuse to get ripped.

[jeff47]

24. Actually, there's an even better reason to say the end of the calendar isn't doomsday

It already ended.

The Mayan calendar didn't include leap years. Our calendar does. The people who came up with the 12/21/12 date didn't account for that.

So the Mayan calendar actually ended about 7 months ago.

[TDale313]

26. Well if you're gonna get all facty and stuff.

[William Seger]

41. Nope, leap years don't matter

The Mayan Long Count is just a count of the days since the beginning of this creation cycle, which most researchers take to be August 11, 3114 BC. It doesn't count years -- they had other calendars for that -- so leap years don't matter. In the Long Count system, the date 13.0.0.0.0 is a count of 1,872,000 days since August 11, 3114 BC, which is December 21, 2012, on our calendar regardless of leap years.

[Speck Tater]

28. Patience. By this time next month it will be long forgotten. nt

[TlalocW]

29. As long as we can also get beyond Thunderdome

Just let it go, man.

TlalocW

[obamanut2012]

30. YOU can, but I'm still trying to finish my ark

[Lint Head]

31. There are some excellent End of the World parties going on. Check your local bar listings.

[nadinbrzezinski]

33. two things

1.- This current version of the long count does end where it ends (they found a longer stone with a longer count this year)

2.- You are correct. We know this since this BS, and BS it is, is a creation of the Western Mind. Bakums were months, period, And the end of the long count, means the end of THIS CYCLE, not the end of the world.

I congratulate you for getting it, by the way.

Me. end of the WORLD PARTIIIIIYYYYYY! on the 20th... com'on, any excuse to party.

I expect to wake up the next day, uncover the parrot's cages like every day, and have two conures beg for their waffles. Life will go on.

[zappaman]

65. Can I come party with you?

Be warned, tequila gets me naked...GRRRRRR!

[backscatter712]

38. Oooh, the calendar ends. Is that where the Mayans ran out of room on the rock? n/t

[Safetykitten]

43. Here I am sitting in my official Mayan "ENDTIME!" outfit watching tv and you spoil it all!

[Ikonoklast]

47. Hope you made your outfit out of Cheetos and bacon.

Because that would be freakin' awesome!

[Jersey Devil]

46. Well, I am not buying any Christmas presents until 12/22

just to be safe.

[spanone]

48. soon, grasshopper

[Buns_of_Fire]

49. After reading through all the posts, I'm getting the distinct impression...

...that maxing out all my credit cards in preparation might not have been a good idea.
Oops.

[bedazzled]

50. those folks used to cut people's hearts out and throw them into pits, didn't they?

i find it hard to admire their culture for that reason, i guess.

[Berlum]

55. These people (Christians) used to torture people mercilessly for not believing what they believe

Millions upon millions of souls were gruesomely tortured and/or viciously murdered by Christians during THE BURNING TIMES and the Inquisition.

I find it hard to admire their culture for that reason. I know.

[bedazzled]

59. i don't either

the only religion i can partially stand is Buddhism. even they tend to be know-it-alls sometimes.
guess it's part of being human and thinking you understand god.

[Berlum]

56. The Burning Times. Get a clue.

[Berlum]

51. No Mayan authorities?

What have you been smoking, dalliance?

You obviously have make little or no investigation into the Mayan teachings at all.

Kinda discouraging to see you pimping a poorly researched & grossly uninformed view of the calendar.

[William Seger]

52. "End of the Mayan calendar" is entirely the invention of New Age book hustlers

... and it's based more on New Age crap about a millennial apocalypse and/or "transformation of consciousness" than it is on what's known about Mayan beliefs.

[Berlum]

53. That's not what the traditional Daykeepers say

But you are welcome to your own beliefs.

[William Seger]

61. Sez who?

Not these guys: http://www.maya-portal.net/blog/kenneth-johnson/changes-mayan-calendar-after-2012

... or these: http://www.newrealities.com/index.php/articles-on-shamanism/item/1708-it-was-written-in-time-by-humbatz-men-mayan-daykeeper

... or these: http://www.indigenous.youth-leader.org/?p=3712

... or any other Mayans that I have heard of. Who are you referring to?

[nadinbrzezinski]

62. I have spoken to Maya

Even attended a sacrifice or two, shared ritual meals and all that, ad Dec 21, 2012 is NOT what they mean. Not in any way, shape or form.

[zappaman]

63. You attended a sacrifice?

Truly, you are the jewel in DU's crown as there is nothing on this Earth you have not done!

[zappaman]

66. +1000 n/t

[libdem4life]

57. Yugas ... the Hindu Option

... and they aren't too worried about it. Also, Jesus said he was coming soon back around 2,000 years ago. Lots of other reasons to party, however.

"Hinduism perceives time to flow in great cycles called yugas. There are four yugas and depending upon the yuga the duration varies. The four yugas along with their duration in earthly years are:


The Yuga Cycle

Satya Yuga 1,728,000
Treta Yuga 1,296,000
Dvapara Yuga 864,000
Kali Yuga 432,000 *** we are here with about 427,000 years to go, more or less.

Total 4,320,000 One yuga cycle.

It is said that we are now living within the Kali yuga, which started about 5000 years ago. Each of these yugas is said to have a certain quality of life. Kali yuga is the worst of times because it is the time of quarrel and deceit. The level of morality and spirituality is greatly decreased and the maximum span of life one can expect is only 100 years. In the previous yuga, Dvapara Yuga, life is said to have been much better. "


http://www.sanskrit.org/www/Hindu%20Primer/yugatime.html

[Jack Rabbit]

58. Let's party on the 22nd

That will be getting over it.

If the world was destroyed on the 21st, we'll just get too drunk to care.

[In_The_Wind]

60. That sounds like an excellent plan.

[img][/img]

[zappaman]

64. I have stocked up on duct tape

powdered milk and ammo.
This is real folks!
Please take precautions, no serious as a heart attack, the Mayans knew what's up!