Questioning the psychology of the purveyors of doom

Serious question.

It seems that ever since someone reminded their friend that an ancient race of natives indicated a 'renewal' of some type would take place in (apparently) 2012, all hell has very slowly but surely broken loose. It seems the 2012 doom scenario has become a mental masturbation point for many who were just itching for a reason to build another bunker. Don't get me wrong, bunkers are surely useful for escaping wild weather in certain regions, and good for you if you can afford to build one. I've spoken before about the diversity of personality-types on here and it makes ATS a very interesting place to be. This brings me to the crux of the thread:

To those who seem to feed on the prospect of doom:

Some are known to make money from peoples fear. Some are known to do it to satisfy an almost psychopathic sadistic requirement in themselves. Making malleable people run around like scalded cats for no reason thinking the latest meteorite etc is about to wipe out the face of the world as we know it. Based on nothing.

However to those who seem to transform into an almost evangelistic persona and basically welcome the end of the world, those who actively want it to happen: What is your deal?

I'm looking for answers from those who seem to want to usher in the destruction of modern society, as to why you actually want it to happen? Be it from:

Solar Flares
Meteorites/Asteroids
Giant Tsunami
Giant earthquakes
Mega-volcanoes
Nuclear War
Planet X
Aliens
Radiation Poisoning
Killer Bees
Rogue Armed Forces
Zombies

As mentioned, 2012 is just a ridiculous excuse for fear-mongering and money grabbing. The only real concerns people should legitimately have are the global economy, wilder weather than usual and the possibility of solar activity messing with us. If you start analysing every single possible global scenario, you'll go mad and retire into a paranoid-schizophrenic way of life.

I know some people enjoy a good doomsday scenario possibility, a form of mild entertainment for sure. That's not the person i'm aiming this thread at. To those who are just busting for a global disaster scenario, please detail why you are salivating at the thought of modern society being extinguished like a 20 cent candle? What do you hope to gain out of it if you're dead?

Go nuts.

reply to post by outsidethesquare


I can only speculate, but I bet it's a hope for the shedding of the physical realm to live as immortals in the next. The idea that there is a paradise waiting for us after death is ingrained so far up our culture's nether regions, and it's brilliantly contrasted against the divine rule that if we commit suicide we can not go there, could be the reason for the rise of this hope for armageddon. In other words credulity.

I remember the same thing in 2000. Credulity, herd instinct and a strange paradoxical urge to end existence in favour of another is my answer to your question. This is opinion of course.

Great post.

I feel this doomsday scenario has removed the boring door that leads to the History class. In other words ancient history has become entertainment or an exciting book to read. I’ve never had so much interest in ancient civilizations when in school. Now, when it involves unraveling a mystery it becomes better entertainment than many TV programs. Nothing may happen come Dec. 21, 2012 but at least some of us learned some interesting information about ancient cultures. If we make it to 2013 they need to bring out a new TV program that has all the elements of LOST to satisfy this thirst for solving a mystery.

reply to post by outsidethesquare


lol
i have to question the near psychopathic Psychology of the poo-poo-ers
nobody is forcing you to read those threads

why so much OBSESSIVE need AND effort to convince others that nothing is going to happen?

haven't read the bible in over 20 years but i seem to recall that practically EVERYTIME,
when a prophet made predictions of an impending doom and called upon the people
to change their ways, so as to avert said doom

people like you came out in droves to convince the people that "nothing will happen"
which usually lead to major death tolls.
heck come to think about it it's pretty much universal, and these naysayers
were usually defenders of the status quo
so really have to wonder what motivates this kind of behaviour

never mind "i told you so's"
if somebody tries to warn of mass deaths
and you should convince everyone that "nothing will happen"

and it does happen, and people who disregarded a warning, thanks to your efforts die...

i'll be curious what kind of backflips [nevermind pedaling] YOU'LL be performing
on that day

i mean, look how ridiculous your attempting to debunk Dec.,21,2012 101days23hrs12min early looks
when the only way to prove or disprove prophecy/prediction
is to wait and see.

what's wrong with you?
cant wait?
nerves?

or is it really yourself you are trying to convince?
lol

reply to post by DerepentLEstranger


The posts above yours were great and provided interesting theories, but in regards to your post, what i asked for was reasoning as to why there are hordes of doomers telling everyone the world will end at *insert date here*. This thread is not purely about the Mayan 'dates'. It's about the entire year being filled with various dates that are coming and going.

Unfortunately your post merely served to re-enforce my beliefs of certain people in the seemingly cult-like doom crowd. You've not only managed to give no real justification for these predictions, but also label me as part of a group being potentially responsible for multitudes of deaths? lol Smooth work.

So you believe that someone who comes out and says the world will end on December 21, is actually changing the course of peoples lives and their planning, so as to avert disaster? What ratio of people would actually listen to the doom? 0.001%? And the fraction of that percentage who actively change their life-path supposedly averts the doom of mankind according to your theory? Just so you know, most people don't give a flying poo, and don't even read any of these wild doom theories. So where does that leave your angle now? Do only a certain number of people need to pay attention to the prophecies, in order to steer mankind clear of catastrophe? If so are they here on ATS? I want names.

Quoting the bible isn't really helping the scenario either. I won't go into why as that'll just cause another barrage from your end.

Give me solid reasoning without the notion that people who don't buy into irrational theories (which we research nonetheless) are responsible for mass-death, and it'd keep the discussion more analytical and interesting for debate.

So i'll jot it down here:

Theory 1: Announcing various doom scenarios will change the way mankind reacts and goes about their future-planning. This in itself averts doom

Keep 'em coming.

Originally posted by outsidethesquare
reply to post by DerepentLEstranger

 

The posts above yours were great and provided interesting theories, but in regards to your post, what i asked for was reasoning as to why there are hordes of doomers telling everyone the world will end at *insert date here*. This thread is not purely about the Mayan 'dates'. It's about the entire year being filled with various dates that are coming and going.

Unfortunately your post merely served to re-enforce my beliefs of certain people in the seemingly cult-like doom crowd. You've not only managed to give no real justification for these predictions, but also label me as part of a group being potentially responsible for multitudes of deaths? lol Smooth work.

So you believe that someone who comes out and says the world will end on December 21, is actually changing the course of peoples lives and their planning, so as to avert disaster? What ratio of people would actually listen to the doom? 0.001%? And the fraction of that percentage who actively change their life-path supposedly averts the doom of mankind according to your theory? Just so you know, most people don't give a flying poo, and don't even read any of these wild doom theories. So where does that leave your angle now? Do only a certain number of people need to pay attention to the prophecies, in order to steer mankind clear of catastrophe? If so are they here on ATS? I want names.

Quoting the bible isn't really helping the scenario either. I won't go into why as that'll just cause another barrage from your end.

Give me solid reasoning without the notion that people who don't buy into irrational theories (which we research nonetheless) are responsible for mass-death, and it'd keep the discussion more analytical and interesting for debate.

So i'll jot it down here:

Theory 1: Announcing various doom scenarios will change the way mankind reacts and goes about their future-planning. This in itself averts doom

Keep 'em coming.

lol
dont like it when the shoe is on the other foot?

concerning the act of labeling

...the crux of the thread:

To those who seem to feed on the prospect of doom:

Some are known to make money from peoples fear. Some are known to do it to satisfy an almost psychopathic sadistic requirement in themselves. Making malleable people run around like scalded cats for no reason thinking the latest meteorite etc is about to wipe out the face of the world as we know it. Based on nothing.

However to those who seem to transform into an almost evangelistic persona and basically welcome the end of the world, those who actively want it to happen: What is your deal?

lots of ASSumptions there, champ, and Prejudgment
not to mention delusions of omniscience

and i have no desire to assist you with your...

project

let's call it that

whether it's for school

or work

why should anybody help you create a profile or list of symptoms for who knows what purposes?

because, that is what you're doing here?
[don't forget to insinuate/hint at raving paranoia later]


and my use of the bible was no different from making an allusion to greek myth used to be
as most folks here wouldn't know the Sybil from Tiresias

finally, to demolish yet another ASSumption

i'm not hoping for the destruction of society and the state

but seeking it

Originally posted by DerepentLEstranger

 

lol
dont like it when the shoe is on the other foot?

concerning the act of labeling

Please explain how stating fact that some doomers make retail (or online rather) profit from their prediction-related merchandise and/or teachings/seminars, and so on is in any way similar to labelling someone a negligent killer, based on a wild and fantastic tongue lashing with absolutely no logical structure? You need to step back from your flaming keyboard for a second and try, although it seems impossible for you, to give me a rational reply based on logic.

Originally posted by DerepentLEstranger

 

lots of ASSumptions there, champ, and Prejudgment
not to mention delusions of omniscience

and i have no desire to assist you with your...

project

let's call it that

whether it's for school

or work

why should anybody help you create a profile or list of symptoms for who knows what purposes?

because, that is what you're doing here?
[don't forget to insinuate/hint at raving paranoia later

]

do i really need to hint at it? You're doing a great job on your own. Everything you've said is highly defensive and basically projection. Are you able to have a rational conversation without trying to over-use stupid inSINuation shown by capitalising words?

Originally posted by DerepentLEstranger

 

finally, to demolish yet another ASSumption

i'm not hoping for the destruction of society and the state

but seeking it

i don't think that one even needs my elaboration

You've made no case whatsoever, other than to back up what i said in the OP.

I have no interest in your weak arguments and stupid pillow fights. I'm asking to get the viewpoints of those who are constantly prepping for doomsday, and more specifically those who come out with or follow every doomsday like it's the millennium bug on meth (2012) this time.

It might not be the same for everyone, so I appreciate that you invite others to reflect, introspect, and speak for themselves, rather than simply dictate to us all what our motivations and reasons are. (that is what I have seen to be a problem around here. )

I don't consider myself someone obsessed with the whole doom thing.
On the other hand, I did feel guided, years ago to set up my life in a way that would maximize my survival chances in case of widespread catastrophy or failure of our current society system. I did it, and then went on enjoying life.


I admit though that at times, in reading about or hearing about certain scenarios of major destruction, I do feel a tinge of wanting such a thing to happen.

My perception is two fold-
One is simply my personal appreciation for the creative process, for change, for birth/rebirth. Even with the prospect of suffering, I always feel joy in anticipation of the new forms that shall come forth after. I'm a woman, perhaps that is part of our make up- otherwise we would have stopped letting babies come out of our genitalia long ago and none of us would have a physical form to experience!

In all honesty and sincerity, revealing my most profound secrets on this (at risk of being mocked)
I feel that years ago, I became aware of our collective consciousness, and remain connected even now.
And that we CHOOSE to push the re-start button from time to time, and start the game over.
Because our systems we have created are in a state of deterioration, our environment is saturated with refuse and drained of nutrients, the culture has become so set that radical change becomes difficult without some sort of strong trauma to shake free of it.

Also, as part of our experience of physical time-space existence, we like to have containers which evolve so as to experience different things, and there are points in time when change to the physical body (mutation) is facilitated, allowing some steps or leaps in the evolutionary process.

This means some growing pains. But I still see it as a beneficial process.
I do not have any beliefs in an afterlife exactly- I am not looking forward to going to any "heaven", though I do percieve a continuation of human consciousness as a collective that will continue to manifest in forms, and so my consciousness as an individual is not relevant to this change.

I also have a super happy life, by the way, so am not wanting to end it because I am miserable! (thats's what I see people accuse often on forums)
Do I look miserable?

reply to post by outsidethesquare


I think what most people want is change, not so much a global doom-like scenario. Who really wants to witness the suffering of millions, perhaps even billions of people - not me.

What I FEEL will happen soon is a re-birth of consciousness. It is time for the human species to evolve in psyche. It has to catch up with the technological advances of the last 100 years. We can travel outer space, but we have not yet travelled our inner-space. If we don't evolve now, then we really will be doomed in the next 5-10 years. This planet is at breaking point now and won't put up with our crap much longer.

Anyway that is my little rant in response to your question.

Peace * Ned

good replies, thanks guys. It's nice to see the words of those who simply yearn for re-birth in peaceful terms rather than the over excited people who come on here shouting WORLD ENDS 9pm REPENT YOUR SINS! and so on

it's natural to wish things were different to the way they are, mankind has made a lot of mistakes.

anyway thanks for the perspectives, hopefully some of the more out-there amongst us will reply also.

You already answered your own question. They cant kill themselves and get into heaven... or ascend.... what ever idiotic nonsense these deluded fools spew these days.

What you should really be thinking about is.. what happens when their illogical beliefs of a paradise evaporate and their hate for the world remains....

Funny thing... I was actually called out today as being a doom monger, something that's never happened to me before, in real life nor online. That's actually what motivated me to open this thread in the first place.

Another aspect of me replying. I am acutely aware of my own psychology as I'm a long term mental health patient with PTSD and Bipolar II ( with five more sub level diagnoses as well ) so I have a sort of clarity that most others lack. I've been tested, analyzed, and dissected, mentally, about as much as anyone can be. This gives me a unique perspective into myself, if not into others as well.

This fixation with doom and the end is nothing new. A quick study of history shows that this theme has been playing out, in the minds of humanity, since our earliest writings. I personally think that this is simply a reaction to the acknowledgement of our own mortality. We all know our number is going to be pulled one day - so we tend to think about that. Basically our only defense in the face of mortality is to try to plan, investigate, and understand. We, as a species, put a lot of thought into not dying. In seeking to control the things we cannot control, those thoughts can sometimes get a bit carried away and bring us to some very strange places....

What if the world is going to end in 2012? What can I do to protect myself??? and we're off to the races.

Speaking only for myself - I can't control meteors, comets, nuclear war... so I focus on the things I can control. Those being worldly threats... things like overzealous law enforcement officers, corrupt politicians, tyranny, etc. But, in the end, it's probably about the same as worrying that aliens might kidnap me in my sleep and probe me. I just flavor my worry to suite my personal palette.

I don't think that the gloomy folks - at least those who aren't faking it to get Youtube hits - have a malicious or psychotic nature. In fact I think the opposite is true. I think they tend to be empathetic people who want to provide a "heads-up" to their peers and warn others of what they perceive as dangerous things. It's the Internet equivalent of standing next to the wet floor in a store - hoping to keep people from falling until an employee can be flagged down to clean it up. Of course there are probably exceptions to this... people who stir the pot just to watch others freak out. But I think these sociopathic types are exceptions and not the rule.

In summary - I think most people who become fixated upon doom are just manifesting their own fear of mortality without actually realizing it.

~Heff

reply to post by Hefficide


yeah that's pretty well summarised, and i agree there are a lot of good-natured people out there who are perhaps just over-analysing things which you quite rightly stated can not be 100% controlled by humans anyway. That's not really the percentage i'm looking at though, i'm wanting to chat to the ones who come on here and other places and seemingly try to instil fear of the apocalypse in everyone and unequivocally state the world is about to end, even giving dates and TIMES in some circumstances. Then when it comes and goes they'll go quiet, then come back not too far in the future and do it all again.

I guess some of us are more dramatic than others, but i find it highly irresponsible as there are some very malleable minds out there who are highly susceptible to this sort of thing. This is the point where some folks go on to believe they can make a profit (sic) out of it as well, and start end-of-world merchandise type stores.

One day the crap will hit the fan at some point for sure, could be right now, could be in 40,000 years. My view is go about your business as there's little point obsessing over something you have no power to change.

This thread has no malice intended, just a light hearted question to hopefully stir some serious replies, without the drama attached.

I am not a student, psychologist, teacher, professor, 'disinfo agent' or any sort of 'TPTB'. I'm just amazed at the amount of hype attached to 2012 in particular, it's been pretty intense.