The value of the "AB Hoax" (sure it's a hoax???)

Hello to everyone, this is my first post ever on ats and so I would really like you all to forgive me if I fail to fulfill any written and/or unwritten law here on the forums. That said, on to my existential questions full of lame bs.

Now, what I have been going through n the past days is an abnormal sensation regarding my life to have some sort of "expiration date" and real close limitation. Not that this is uncommon or that it is "abnormal", but when it actually comes to me to think about my life ending within a week from today, well, I kind of get anxious and tend to be quite nervous. And even though I realize it is absolutely STUPID and relatively primitive, I cannot handle any of it. This whole story about the meteors/asteroids/comets/whatever-they-are things about coming down on us seriously scared the # out of me, and not because the world as we know it is about to end (btw, it'd just be human society as we know it that would end, and NOT the world), not because of my own life is about to end, but because, putting it rather simply and in a primitive form, I am too young to die. I have my objectives in life, and I want to accomplish them all before I die. I want to be able to look back into my actions and my life and be able to consider myself a complete person. While this is rather obvious, I have considered, with this story, for the first time in my whole life, that I could actually die in five minutes. That makes the 17 years of my life basically useless, since I have completed about 0.1% of what I want to do. The question that came to my mind was [kinda quoting Fight Club here eh]

If I were to die NOW, what would I have wanted to do to be able to consider myself a complete person??

And that, seriously scared the # out of me. I personally am not afraid of death, but I seriously am afraid of not being able to live, which apparently could sound the same, but is actually basically opposite. The one reason, for which I actually considered the possibility (and still do) of this whole AB stuff being actually "true" is that it would be damn stupid not to face the actual facts. What I mean here, is that the approach that 99% of the people who read all that stuff was "Heck, it's all a big mass of bs, he's a wacko and really needs to get some social life.", which could actually be fine, if it weren't for the fact that it often is cowardry that leads to that kind of reaction. (Heck, I hope I spelled all of that correctly) While this whole ats community is full of open minded pople and good thinkers, I seriously would like you all to consider that being open minded can (and the AB thing is proof of what I'm saying), in some cases, be a double ended sword, by making you think about what really IS plausible and/or possible, but also making you take bs in a manner that is way too serious. At least this is kinda happening to me right now. I can't really sleep well, and whenever I meet with my pals I tend to take all discussions to existential questions, and that really has stopped me enjoying my life and friendships. Just to think about it, I was offered yesterday to go spend a week on a small island near wehere I live (sicily, italy) on the 20th. # I guess I won't cos I am quite positive that I'll want to spend that day with my "rather-split-up" family.

Regards, k33l.

P.S. - Please forgive any grammar errors, spelling mistakes etc, because English is not my native language.

[edit on 13/6/2004 by k33l]

[edit on 13/6/2004 by k33l]

Brilliant post k33l, and I agree with what you say.

I think you've touched on something very important about the way the media and indeed forums like this can affect us psychologically.

What you're describing is regular "anxiety", a well know disorder that often goes along with depression, and can have many causes or reasons. It's generally thought to be a result of our in-built instincts for self preservation and protection being over stimulated. This triggers chemical reactions in the brain causing us to be more "on the look-out", and in turn we see more things to be anxious about.

The danger is that these chemically driven reactions of the mind are immensely powerful. We share these instincts with just about every other animal. It's what makes deer nervous and jumpy around people and it's the reason our ancestors survived to beget us!

These instincts are so strong they can override our conscious "rational" understanding of the situation or threat, an cause use to behave irrationally. It's a bad pattern to get into, but also one that almost everyone, particularly those reading this forum, can relate to, to some degree.

That's why it's important to get out and stimulate your "inner self" with something positive sometimes. Go for a run. take a road trip with your friends, etc. In term of dealing with the media, the internet and other sources of information, just remember to look for information on both sides of the argument. Look to the real world and see if what you're reading REALLY makes sense, and try to understand how ideas, both true and false, can spread.

Talking of going for a run.. I've been meaning to get out there, but I went and found this really interesting website that has taken WAY to much of my time over the last week or so.. must stop.... must go outside....must resist "recent posts" button.

[edit on 13-6-2004 by muppet]

[edit on 13-6-2004 by muppet]

[edit on 13-6-2004 by muppet]

I once heard a voice tell me as I was waking up that I was going to die in 10 days, and to enjoy life now. It scared the bejeezus out of me. For ten days I walked around with doom over my head, and experienced the same dread you feel now after reading all these predictions. But during that time I really reflected on what was important to me, and that I should make the best of every day rather than look towards some magical time in the future to start living. And during that time I made the first crucial steps towards leaving the job I hated. And I didn't die after 10 days. But the prediction did have value to it. As I think these predictions do.

"Enjoy life now"

I'm one of the people who only learned of the "AB Hoax" yesterday and so I'm still reeling from it and not sure at all if it is or isn't a hoax. I have problems with much of it, especially on the proving it's a hoax side of things. But that's another thread.

I think you have some very valid points about how this kind of information affects us psychologically. People tend to freak out. It is the very reason that if a calamity of these proportions were known for a fact to be imminent, the PTB would NEVER tell the general public. We all know what would happen, we saw it when Orson Welles broadcast War of the Worlds. Great actor!

And this Aussie Bloke may be a great writer. He may have done his research well, he may have planned for months or years, he may have just wanted to wake us all up to the reality of our lives. There ain't no fantasy life in the future to be waiting around for. What we have now is it. Better recognize it, accept it and embrace it with all your heart, because it is the sum total of all your choices since you've been on this planet.

I don't want to die feeling that I wasted my potential. That may be true, but I'd rather focus on the good things I've done and know that through everything, I was never a vicious and mean person, I tried to understand and have compassion for everyone, and that I brought joy to many people's lives. An ex told me as we were breaking up that, above all, I needed to remember that I am a worthwhile person. That feels truer to me than anything I think I've ever heard. That's a thought I want to take with me to my grave.

For what it's worth - I have been following these types of things for years, since about your age in fact. I am now 10 years past double your age and here's what I have to report.

Initially, hearing such things and worrying about them had the same affect on me, and it was pretty scary since it's not like you can just go tell someone - do something - save me - the world is ending - cause of course they would lock ya up.

Anyway, many of these types of predictions of doom and gloom have gotten worse than what I first saw due to the internet. Now there can be multitudes of people sharing their thoughts, doing research, presenting highly technical suppossedly researched anecdotes about how they have confirmed what is being said. The good news is this. Most of these stories have a time frame now, stating the date or thereabouts, and I assure you I have lived through them all so far. Nothing ever happens and the world goes on. (For anyone who noticed it - wasn't planet X suppossed to hit in May? LOL)

So don't worry about dying in a worldwide catastrophe that someone has predicted. First - because it simply can't be predicted and secondly - because you do have too much to live for so get out there and do it. Living a good life is all that matters. If the whole world is gonna get it at once, well there is nothing you can do and at least we'll all be there together. Meanwhile, I wonder how all those people who sold everything and headed for the hills for any of these in the past 25 years are faring?

One last thing. Unless this board is a major government hoax too, I think you trust the people here as much as anyone else. Ultimately, do yourself a favor, let it go, and watch when everything is okay in the end on this one. You will have taken the first step towards discernment for the future, cause the one thing I can guarantee is there will always be another one coming down the pike.

What's the deal with Planet X. I've always heard about it, but I realize I never took the time to see what the deal is. Is it supposed to be some wondering planet or something?


As far as these hoaxes...it must be in human nature to see people squirm. How many of these predicitions do you see where everyone in the future are millionaires? Or a completely just and peaceful world? Our lives and deaths are such mysteries...people love to bounce on this unknown. They do make people think however. What have I done with my life to this point? Have I just been wasting time? What am I going to do with my time left? How many licks DOES it take to get to the center of a tootsie roll pop?
If you live your life, if you live everyday as fulfilling as possible, then there's really no need to worry about these hoaxes. You can sit back and enjoy life, and enjoy these hoaxes for what they really are. Entertainment.

This might be sad but I actually felt better by reading about the possibility of a comet impact wiping us all out. It gave me something else to think about to distract me from life's worries and anxieties. The last 6 weeks for me have consisted of about 3 different painful and/or traumatic events. The future is not guaranteed, we could die due to a car accident, fire, earthquake, terrorist attack, or even a comet impact. The best plan is try not to worry about it. Focus on the here and now and live life while still planning for the future and saving/planning for raincheck days. If we did die tommorrow do you wish you had told your relatives or parents anything that you never have so far? If something ever happens to me and/or my relatives, I hope it is quick and painless.

Now another question if no one minds I hope, I was just thinking that we all use insurance, would insurance companies still be in business if a huge tidal wave wiped out everything within 100 miles of the east coast USA and much of Florida along with coastal areas around the world? I'm not expecting it but it seems like an interesting comet related question.

Well here for the AB's fan. Here's an interresting link!

news.bbc.co.uk...