DOOM!!!

The Jehovah's Witness guy stopped by to talk to me again. I don't mind his visits. Some part of me enjoys listening to this other perspective, getting insight into how others view the world and the place of religion within it.

He handed me a pamphlet that asked the question, 'Are Disasters Getting Worse?' After talking to him for a while I went and did some research.

Disasters are not getting worse or more frequent. What we do have is an increase in the amount and speed of information relating to disasters. We also have an increase in concentrated population. When New Orleans got hit last year the concentrated population of that area made its impact more apparent. Inflation has also played a major role in making disasters seem worse. We see estimated repairs to an area in the billions. This has very little to do with actual damage done and a whole lot to do with the value of the dollar. A home built for $10,000 or less will now need replacing to the tune of $500,000 or more. Disasters cost more now.

But what about the 2012 Theory? Many individuals use the supposed end of the Mayan calendar as a harbinger of some sort of planetary Doom's Day. To me, this seems unlikely. On the other hand, many researchers have used different indicators that point to a similar phenomenon. Some sort of exponential increase is occurring and it will come to some sort of head this century. What kind of indicators tell us this? They all center around the notion of novelty and progress. Some people look at computer processing power. Others look at medical advancement. Still others monitor patent applications for unique devices. While December 21st, 2012 may not be the actual date of the hyper leap when we experience information doubling several times per second, the signs of such an event approaching are clear and multifaceted.

But what really remains to be seen is what we DO with it. If the past is any indicator, the new kinds of porn available will make Debbie Does Dallas look like Steamboat Willie.