Recently friends in the grocery store, at the pharmacy, while pumping gas, have been stopping me. Even strangers stare and then walk up to me. “Hey, I think I saw you on TV last night!” they exclaim.
What this means is that the network is once again airing Apocalypse Island. (If you’ve not seen it – it was for a while the most watched History Channel event of the year – it’s worth a glance, though arguably not the entire two hour run time.) This reaction is also inevitably followed by the question: “Now that you are such an expert, what IS going to happen in 2012?”
So History buffs, here is my personal 2012 Prophesy:
First of all, contrary to current urban legend, there is no evidence that the Mayans themselves saw 2012 through any kind of catastrophic lens.
Some Maya Long Count texts refer to dates still way out in the future. For instance, an inscription commissioned in the 7th century A.D. by King Pacal of Palenque predicts that an anniversary of his accession would be commemorated on October 15, 4772.
Original Art by Mark Watts
Like other indigenous native peoples, Mayans – millennia ago and today – have never been really big on linear story lines, tales of destruction. They are into cycles and tales of rebirth. They saw seasons turning, worlds spinning, and whole solar systems revolving. The ancient ones were aware that everything is moving, alive, ever changing. Humanity is an infinitesimally miniscule part of an unimaginably huge universe by whose laws it inexorably bound. What comes around goes around.
I confess. I read news services and essays on the World Wide Web when I should be tending to more productive work. But the lure of watching the passion play of global economics and politics unfold is more temptation than I can resist: the oil spill in the gulf, global warming, depletion and increasing competition for non-renewable of resources.
As I try and make sense of it all, one simple underlying truth keeps leaping out at me. Continuous economic growth on a finite planet is impossible. We are self-destructing due to our infinite desire for more. And more. The answer is clear: we need to establish ‘steady state’ thinking – in our societal and personal lives – as our new modus operandi.
What does all this mean?
Original Art by Yeshe Salz
A friend of mine, Warren Johnson wrote a book back in the 70’ called Muddling Toward Frugality. His perspective was prescient. Almost forty years ago Warren forecast today’s diminishing resources and economic trauma. He also foresaw the solution. Big government and grand heroics would not save us, he wrote. It would be small acts of individual courage and common sense that would return us – individually and societally – to health and balance.
Okay… My Prediction:
Gradually, clumsily we are finding our way back to center. Breaking free from the over-consumptive, materialistic and existentially hollow story we spun till it held our souls captive. There is talk in the air of double-dip inflation and it may be that our economic house of cards has a bit more deconstructing to do before we learn our lessons. But I am not overly concerned.
Why?
I see it every morning when I climb – in the deepening green of summer and the renewed call of the canyon wren high in the granite. I feel it in the returning purposefulness of my stride and strength in my legs. As the ancient Maya knew, life is naught but circles and cycles. Flying through this sky on this regal piece of rock we will find our way as past generations have found theirs. Back to harmony.
Life begets life and we are one clever, adaptable and tenacious species.
We will figure this one out. What goes around comes around.
I think, finally, we are starting to come around.
“Big government and grand heroics would not save us, he wrote. It would be small acts of individual courage and common sense that would return us – individually and societally – to health and balance.”
Jefe; the above could have rolled off of Glenn Beck’s lips. So how is your vision different from his? Oh, I forgot. Jesus magic is going to fix things for Beck et al. Just what is going to fix things for the rest of us? If economic activity can’t help us in the long run, then please expand because you’re sounding a bit like Baba Rum Raisin (“Don’t Worry, Be Happy”) and even fuzzier than Mr. Beck.
“Continuous economic growth on a finite planet is impossible.”
Putting aside the obvious arguments in response to that, let’s say it’s true… what then do you propose that your clients do as a corporate strategy? They are corporations, growth is what defines them.
Yo compa Kentbert:
Ahhh, even your curmudgeonly self must admit that limitless growth is the uniquely disastrous strategy of the the cancer cell. Unless we are willing to consume ourselves into oblivion the ‘steady state’ philosophy is the only one that works. Granted, arriving at sustainable levels of living will not be easy, but it can be gracious and deeply rewarding.
And is essential.
I feel this is what is occurring in my own life – my only real laboratory – as personal economics predicates a re-awaking to what is healthy and viable. And in my ‘corporate clients’ are spending more and more bandwidth around the notions of Corporate Social Responsibility and the environment.
Everyone knows we need to slow everything down. Our lives. Our organizations mad rush for short term profits… and breath. Personally, collectively. I still instruct my clients (and will again today here in Santa Barbara with execs from Wellpoint Health) the words of my Patagonian gaucho guru, Loco Rivera:
“There is nowhere to go.
There is nothing to do.
Except to be of service.”
As for the Meher Baba quote “Don’t Worry. Be happy”…
I DO subscribe to that teaching at the most profound spiritual/philospohical level. On the political/societal level it may be more : Don’t Hurry. Be Happy.
Hoping to see you and Linda in Prescott! xoJ
Jefe, I hope you know that I, given my personal familiarity with cancer, am not a fan of it’s philosophy. But I fear that while the sense of urgency about our consumption patterns is getting through to the population, the only responses that are getting traction with GQ Public are a: it’s all a conspiracy of pointed headed intellectual atheists or b: we just need to go back to Jesus, the Founding Fathers and muzzle loaders and we’ll be fine.
Where are the catchy new paradigms that are both positive future oriented and practical. “Don’t Worry, Be Happy” is great if you are sitting on a hillside with your alms bowl between your knees. Not too effective if you are sitting in the middle of the fast lane of the freeway during rush hour (which is kind of analogous to where we find ourselves).
“Don’t Hurry, Be Happy” is good. Fits on a bumper.
I wanted to say that after watching the show on history I thought you were very objective and felt bad that you were let down like that. I don’t know why History even wasted 2 hours on this. Jim Turner comes off to me as some crack-pot and had it not been narrated by others as well I would have changed the show. I thought you handled yourself very well and maintained an even-keel.
Thank YOU!
I’m watching the show again myself at the moment.
Reflecting on what a great journey it was.
Maybe SHOULD have aired on the TRAVEL Channel.
But whether or not you buy Turner’s hypothesis,
the photography of the island, the editing and all the production values -
including the import of all the information and images from the
ancient Mayans is wonderful!
including all the Mayan ruins and history -
Dr. Salz,
It sounds like you’re saying Jeff Turner is a fraud and crackpot. Please post publically – as you’ve probably guessed, the email addr and name are to protect my curiousity.
Correction – when I say “Jeff Turner” I meant “Jim Turner”