Hi all, I just joined this group. I've actually thought a great deal about apocalyptic fiction. Some of my favorites are The Road and the Protector's War which I'm currently reading, but recently I've been wondering with all the economic crisis, environmental crisis, energy crisis happening in the world, is apocalypse closer than we think?

What are your thoughts?

For almost all of history people have expected the 'end times' to be during their lifetime, so going by record, I'm going to say we'd probably be wrong to guess it this time as well!

I mean, it's easy to imagine, but even if first world countries did have a 'fall from grace', we'd simply revert back to where we were a thousand years ago. Without at least a single factor that changed permanently (say, massive environmental changes, radioactive wastelands, or zombies ;)) I think humanity would slip into a lull like the Dark Ages and then come back just as strong as ever.

It may feel bleak, but when you really think about it, it could get far, far worse.

as far as a real apocaplyse goes, I'd bet on going out with a wimper not a bang. fiction-wise "Parable of The Sower" is the distopia that seems to most realistic to me

I don't think we're close to a real end of the world. Being an "old guy" (58) I've heard several "the world's going to end" stories, and we're all still here.

Hi Jason,
I recently read both books you mentioned.
I loved one and loathed the other.

Yes there are many problems, but I still dont see the apocalypse as inevitable.

Discounting nuclear war and its global implications to the environment; I suspect that if civilization should fall, humanity would take a few centuries to regroup, but eventually civilization would rise again.

Just look at what happened after the fall of the Roman Empire.

Hey all,

Jeff, I agree. I think we could handle dramatic political shifts, but environmental or nuclear doomsdays are the worst scenarios, because you can't just change those things back again. A big meteor would suck too. Although, famine would be really bad too, like if we overused our crops.

Mike, its true, there is always someone saying "the end is near!" and so far it hasn't come yet. So its unlikely. However, I think the world is in a precarious situation right now. What with the world economic crisis, global warming, and all the political turmoil happening in Greece and other places, things just seem very unstable.

Then add the fact that the Mayan calendar ends in 2012! lol, spooky!

I suppose the sun will go super nova or we might be struck by a meteor. Cant really do anything about that.

I generally worry more about man made disasters.
Nuclear war or pandemic plague.

During WWI we (USA) were struck with a massive killer flu. Coincidentally we had massive press censorship due to the war and as a consequence the flu epidemic was not covered because it undermined the war effort. 600,000 Americans died, not to mention the rest of the world. Our population has exploded since 1918, can you imagine how many people will die if it happens again?

Nevertheless, civilization has crashed and then rebounded.

The Mayan calendar CYCLE ends in 2012, it doesn't mean the world ceases to exist.

During the middle ages, it was common thought the world would end in the year 1000.

it makes interesting conversation, but that is all.

THANK YOU! The word cycle is the important part. Fear of the apocalypse at the end of the Mayan calendar cycle is like believing it will come every December.

I'm thinking our end will be a lot closer to "On the Beach"

Political fall out would throw us more into a mad max type lifestyle.

Unfortunately the only people who seems to be doing well in those mad max movies are mechanics, tattoo artists and hairstylists... they are apparently covered up in work once civilization ends.

Before Mad Max, I had no clues that mohawks would be so essential for post-apocalyptic survival.

And covering cars with spikes... don't forget that!

and leather chaps

Garrett wrote: "THANK YOU! The word cycle is the important part. Fear of the apocalypse at the end of the Mayan calendar cycle is like believing it will come every December."

Actually 2012 would be different from the end of a solar year. It would be more similar to the end of 400 solar years or one "baktun".

In the current cycle, we are approximately entering the 14th baktun.

True, but using any cycle of time as grounds for determining a literal end of the world is arbitrary and absurd.

Garrett wrote: "True, but using any cycle of time as grounds for determining a literal end of the world is arbitrary and absurd. "

Not to the ancient mayans it wasn't. In fact it was actually the opposite. The fear of that day was quite well supported by their own calculations and rational.

It makes good living-room conversation, but I also remember a few years ago when all the new age followers said there would be great earthquakes and tidal waves because all the planets would be in alinement and their gravitational pull would cause havoc on the Earth. In actuality, the planets were only in the same quadrant at the same time.

I also seem to remember the Fall of 1993.......one of Nostradamus' predictions said there would be "great destruction in the new city"...........people kept saying it meant California would fall into the sea.

More recently I'm sure we all remember all the hoopla over Y2K and the supposed crash of civilization come midnight.

No Im not ready to fill my garage with Spam come Dec 2012

Another thing I think people need to think about is the fact that a lot of things that we tend to think of as being part of post-apocalyptic society like; totalitarian regimes, rampant disease, food shortages, the constant threat of violence etc. is the way a huge number of people on the planet are living right now.

Society is in a very apocalyptic state right now, which is why...nope, I'll resist pimping the book for now. But, we're in a constant state of flux and in the back of our heads we're scared to death of the next new thing, which is where all these fears come from. That's why I always feel hopeful when I write about one apocalypse or another. Death is change and a change will do us good. That's also why we can't help but be interested in apocalyptic fiction. The chance to think "well, it won't be this bad" or "it is this bad" or "I'm glad somebody else sees it's this bad and is hoping for a change" is a great luxury for people.

No Im not ready to fill my garage with Spam come Dec 2012

Interesting you mention that. I just read an article in the L.A. Times about how more people are embracing the idea of self-sufficiency. Community college enrollment has gone up for things like basic plumbing, car repair, and home-fix it classes at Home Depot.

I'm not saying that means its the end of the world, obviously, the current decline of the service economy has much to do with this.

But I'm just saying...

my local community college is also experiencing an upsurge in enrollment. Most people are between jobs and are using the free time to enrich themselves with more skills for job hunting or to fill in gaps they hadnt been able to fill. Many are taking up art classes or a 2nd language.

At least its more realistic than the decision taken by Moira, from "On The Beach". In that book, the citizens of Melbourne Australia know they have approximately 7 months before deadly radioactive fallout finally reaches them, after the Third World War has devastated the Northern hemisphere.
Moira decides to take up secretarial school.

that is epically bad timing