Of the many conspiracy theories hotly debated on these boards, why does that of the Mayan calendar ending in 2012 engage so little resistance?

I'm not an authority on Mayan civilisation or on their calculations, but everything I read on the net seems to contain very sensible disclaimers pointing to the lack of evidence for the belief that the world will end in 2012.

Jose Argüeles appears to be the chief proponent of the theories. He also claims to have received the "telektenon" from King Pacal of Palenque, as I understand it. Yet a stela (inscription) written in the person of Pacal himself talks of the date 4772 AD. There are many other references to dates after 2012.

There's tonnes of evidence to suggest that Mayan civilisation saw the end of a cycle of their calendar as a cause for celebration. In other words - the event was the date itself. What is the archaelological evidence to suggest that 2012 is anything more than the end of the 13th 400 year period? Beyond some new age drivel with questionable connection to actual Mayan historical fact from the likes of Argüeles?

LW

One cant refute a perpetual loop. If its not the mayans that says the world is going to end in 2012, its the aliens. If its not the aliens, its the secret goverment. If its not the secret goverment, its interdimensional demons. If its not interdimensional demons, atlanteans. But of course the atlanteans dont exist today, they probably told it to the mayans. Et voila.

Originally posted by merka
One cant refute a perpetual loop. If its not the mayans that says the world is going to end in 2012, its the aliens. If its not the aliens, its the secret goverment. If its not the secret goverment, its interdimensional demons. If its not interdimensional demons, atlanteans. But of course the atlanteans dont exist today, they probably told it to the mayans. Et voila.

Well there you have it, why question that stunning deductive reasoning!

I agree Weasel, I have read that most credible Anthropologists are very hesitant when it comes to the importance of 2012. Not even so much that it's the end of the world or any of the other theories associated with the date. I read recently somewhere that relevant academics are beginning to even doubt that 2012 is the exact transferral of the Mayan date, into our calendar system. If that made any sense.

Originally posted by Baphomet79
I read recently somewhere that relevant academics are beginning to even doubt that 2012 is the exact transferral of the Mayan date, into our calendar system. If that made any sense.

It does make sense! There is apparently an argument that says that Argüeles' interpretation of the dates involved forgot leap years, or somesuch, meaning that all the dates he ascribes events to are completely out.

But so much theorising on completely different topics is based on this weird assumption that the Mayans said something which they patently didn't. And there seems so little debate on the subject.

If I post a picture of a UFO in the sky over London, about half the responses will say "that's a balloon/plane/cloud/twig/whatever". And about half will say "that'd definitive evidence of the existence of extra terrestrials". I'm paraphrasing, but you get the idea. That's debate, and seems to me to be quite reasonable.

But so often on these boards I read of "the coming events in 2012", and it seems to be accepted as a given, when it simply isn't - and I can't understand why no one ever questions it. The concept of an earth shattering event seems to have incubated itself into the consciousness of people, despite being based on absolutely nothing at all.

It annoys me because I think it spoils reasoned debate on other subjects.

LW