Oh Mayan

"With the death of Dick Clark this world will never again
see another Rockin' New Year!"

This Friday is December 21, 2012, and for anyone who still celebrates the Mayan New Year, or if you just have an Internet connection, you know that on December 21st the Mayan calendar will click over, ending the current b'ak'tun, which is approximately 394 years, and end the Great Cycle of 13 b'ak'tuns. Now people on the world wide web, Ronald Emmerich, and the people at the History Channel (sigh) have been holding up December 21, 2012 as a day of doom and disaster. It has become a date of much anticipation and fear, when the world is suppose to end, at least according to some people (but not necessarily the Maya).

There has been a lot of hype over this idea and a lot of pseudo-scientists claiming that everything from black holes, to solar activity, to a complete and rapid reversal of the Earth's magnetic sphere will be the culprit of our downfall. According to some beliefs, the Sun will align with the galactic equator of the galaxy and somehow the interaction between the black hole in the center of the Milky Way and our sun will mark the beginning of a cataclysmic event. To back this up, believers often put forth the prophetic powers of the Mayan calendar, claiming that the calendar is as much about prophecy as it is about keeping time. Examples given are the fact that the Maya supposedly predicted not only the arrival of the Spanish in 1519, but the collapse of their own society.

Uh... That's a pretty crappy prediction, because if there was someone in Mayan society who knew that the arrival of Cortes and his men heralded the end of the Maya themselves, why didn't they do something about it? Why wasn't Cortes and his men met with thousands of armed warriors? Instead the Spanish were invited willingly into the palace of Montezuma... and everything kind of went downhill for the Maya after that.

You see the entire "doomsday thing" is all based on a lot of faulty assumptions. First, is that the Long Count Calendar was made by the Maya, when in fact it was probably created by their predecessors, the Olmec. (Like that guy on Legends of the Hidden Temple... Kirk Fogg, I think his name was.) Second, that the turning over of the Mayan Calendar, which marks the end of the 13th b'ak'tun, also marks the end of our current age and the cycle of the world will start again. (sigh) Though the Mayans believed in cyclical time, it was only in the 260 day tzolk'in calendar that such a belief was truly prevalent. The Long Count Calendar is actually not cyclical at all. In fact, the b'ak'tun is not the highest the calendar can go. 20 K'atuns (roughly 20 years) makes a b'ak'tun (394 years), but 20 b'ak'tuns makes a piktun (7,885 years), 20 piktuns makes a kalabtun (157,704 years), 20 kalabtuns makes a k'inchiltun (3,154,071 years), and finally 20 k'inchiltuns makes an alautun (63,081,429 years.) The Maya did not even believe that their calendar was going to end on December 21, 2012.

On December 21, 2012 when you are running for your life
from that 50-foot tidal wave, make sure your are running
in comfort and style. It's what the Maya would have wanted.

This whole 12/21/12 doomsday is a modern interpretation. In the late 1990's Michael D. Coe, anthropologist, author, and real-life Indiana Jones wrote, "There is a suggestion ... that Armageddon would overtake the degenerate peoples of the world and all creation on the final day of the 13th [b'ak'tun]. Thus ... our present universe [would] be annihilated [in December of 2012] when the Great Cycle of the Long Count reaches completion." He only said it was a suggestion. It was one obscure and interesting thought written in a book on archeology that probably only .05% of the population has ever read, yet from that simple statement craziness has ensued. It is true that the Maya see us as living in the Fourth Age of humanity, and that the previous Third Age only lasted 13 b'ak'tuns, (according to their beliefs.) However, that does not mean they believed that this age would end after only one Great Cycle. That would have been like expecting Major League Baseball to collapse after someone beat Babe Ruth's home run record. The Maya fully acknowledge that the previous three cycles were failures and the current one is not. E. Wyllys Andrews V, director of the Tulane University Middle American Research Institute has stated, "The ancient Maya predicted the world would continue – that 7,000 years from now, things would be exactly like this. We keep looking for endings. The Maya were looking for a guarantee that nothing would change. It's an entirely different mindset." So really, even to the Maya, (you know if they had survived the conquistadors and small pox,) December 21, 2012 really would have been nothing more than an excuse to throw the biggest party of all parties. They would have partied like it was 12.9.9.9.9. The world isn't ending, all it means is that we are going to beat the previous record set by the Third Age... Suck it Third Agers... My guess is that it was an age populated by jerk-faced people.

As for the rest of it, Earth is not going become irrevocably irradiated by crossing the galactic equator. (sigh) In fact, we cross the galactic equator twice a year... every year. So on December 21, 2012 (like every Winter and Summer Solstice) the Sun will appear to rise in the center of the Milky Way, (That big cluster of stars on the sky that I can't actually see, because I live near New York City,) but in terms of precision the sun, earth, and galactic center are still not perfectly aligned. In fact, the alignment was more precise on the Winter Solstice of 1998 than it will be in 2012. Also true, is the fact that solar flares and activity will peak in 2012, because the Sun's magnetic field is going through a rapid pole reversal... but that happens every 7 to 10 years or so. It's only coincidence that the peak of solar activity is happening this year. Combine all this with global warming, and the crazy heart-breaking disasters that have taken place over the past few years (like the most recent and tragic loss of life,) and people start to get a little nervous, but it's more than that too.

This was their Christmas card... "Are you my mummy?"

A lot of the problems come from the human need to connect the dots. My own beliefs in God and an intelligent universal design aside, human beings like things that we can make sense out of, including our own existence. In a weird sort of way, believing that we are looking at a predicted end of the world is one of the ways how we try to justify the significance of our own existence. We want to believe that there are forces out there greater than ourselves, even if that means believing in our own demise. We want to see patterns in our world that tell us we are not alone or that in some crazy way everything has a purpose. It is how we make sense of the universe around us, because even more than our own destruction, we are even more frightened by the idea that we may just be insignificant creatures floating on a blue orb in the lonely blackness of space. Yet, even if that is true, why does it mean that we have to subscribe ourselves to the an existences of insignificance?

Human beings are, (now more than ever,) the masters of our universe. We have screwed a lot of things up, but we have the potential to not only correct those problems, but improve the world for the better. I truly believe that every challenge we face can be overcome and that every difficulty can be solved. We just need to start believing that we can do it. After all, if the Maya truly did believe that 2012 would mark the beginning of some new age for mankind, then there is no reason why we can't make it a positive change. Many New Agers believe that this is what will in fact happen on 12/21/12, like suddenly we will all shoot out of out beds and be like "I get it!" Then the world will become eco-friendly, technologically savvy, all the guns will be melted down, all the wars will stop, and herds of puppies will roam the streets offering free hugs to everyone they meet. Personally, I don't for a second believe that this will happen, (mostly because everyone knows hugs are never free... there is always a catch. I mean even puppies have to eat,) but there is no reason why we can't make this kind of world a reality if we try.

If we are to take anything from all this 2012 craziness, maybe it should be a reminder of what's worthwhile. So how about on December 2st, instead of huddling in a bunker or praying for somekind of spirtual reawakening, you get in the morning, hug your kids and your loved ones, appreciate what it truly important in your life, and go out and do something to make your world a better place. If we were all to do that then, maybe in the next "Great Cycle" we coulda ctually see a rise in green technology, the end of global warming, moon colonies and Mars bases, and who knows what else, but I can tell you one thing... It's not going to be magical or automatic. We need to work for it. We can put an end to the strife, the hunger, and the disease of our planet, but the process won't happen in one night like some crazy worldwide Christmas Carol. So, instead of feeling foolish on December 22nd go out and be the change you want to see in this world, because sometimes the best prophecies are the self-fulfilled ones.


 

10/14/12

I have no words left to express what has happened. My heart goes out to all the families of the victims and everyone else who has been affected by these tragic events. You are not alone.

Resistance is Futile

Side Prediction: You're won't be able to
understand your grandchildren's life choices.

In my last installment of my ongoing series about the future, I talked about what technology would do to the economy once it started reaching Picard-like levels. Basically it would destroy it and leave us all in a state of unending material wealth that we will no longer value. This could also greatly increase the depression rates in adults as life continues to lose meaning and permanency, but that's a bridge we'll cross when we get to it. Let's talk about scarier things, shall we?

Our economy will not be the only thing that sees a rise in technology. Humanity itself will continue to become more and more technological. Yes, I am talking about cyborgs, but not in the way you are thinking. Let me explain.

 

 

 

PREDICTION 2. TECHNOLOGY AND HUMANITY

Currently, I am writing a new novel set in the future and I have been doing a lot of research into what the world will look like in 50 and 100 years. What will humanity look like? And I can tell you some of the predictions and ideas out there are staggering, if not down right freaky. Obviously I can only take the predictions I read with a grain of salt (as I am sure you do with my own predictions,) but there are at least a few basic things I think we can agree upon.

First off, at this point in our understanding of technology and ourselves we must take it as an accepted fact that, (and unlike what was said by the predictions about the future from the early 20th century,) technology will not continue to become bigger and more obtrusive. Instead, the trend of technology is to shrink and become less apparent in everyday life, even while increasing its effectiveness and impact for humans. This means, things like light bulbs will disappear and illumination will be handled by the walls themselves. Laptop computers will be replaced by touchscreen pads, which themselves will be replaced by even smaller and unnoticeable portable tech. After all why do you have to carry something when you can wear glasses that will act as a computer screen and mouse movements that will be tracked by your eyeball... but why stop there?

Side Prediction: In about 8 minutes this woman is going to
be struck by a car while watching The View.

If we are miniaturizing technology enough to put it in a frame of glasses, why not go one step further and put it in a contact lens... and why stop there? If we are putting computers in our eyes, why not just take the final leap and actually give us a technological eyeball? Not only will it be able to project digital screens (literally) right before our eyes, but I'm sure we can make some tweaks to the concept of what are natural eyes are. We can make eyes that see further and sharper than any natural human can. We could even make an artificial eye that changes color based upon the whim of the user. Maybe today you are feeling like having green eyes and tomorrow purple... but why stop there? After all, if I'm watching my favorite Simpson's episode (a show that will still be making new episodes well into the 2050's,) I'll need to hear it too, so why not cochlear implants? You will be able to hear whatever you are digitally seeing, and why not throw in some Superman-like hearing powers while you're at it.

Where would the power come from? Simple. As much rubbish as The Matrix was, they did get one thing right, human beings are really nothing more than Duracell batteries. After many generations of technological growth I have no doubt that we will be able to utilize our own biometrics to power our new external and internal devices, and I am not just talking about the electrical field that our brains generate. I am also talking about the beating of our hearts, the movement of our feet, even our digestive system. they can all generate power in some form. If you wore a watch powered by your biometrics you would never need to wind it or replace the battery... because you are the battery. Yet, in this new world why even wear a watch when you can digitally project the time right in front of your eye with the blink of an eye or even a stray thought.

Here's the scary part folks. Really if you are going to put bio-implants in your eyes and ears... why stop there? Why not in your brains well? It's a much more effective way of controlling all the tech that will become part of your every waking (and maybe even dreaming) second. Also, (while your up there you might as well get the full tune-up and detailing job, because) with computers in our brains there's no reason why we can't get smarter. I am not talking about knowledge, but the ability to learn and reason. We can increase our cognitive abilities, our hand/eye coordination, our memory recall, and almost any center of the brain you might be able to think of... Yes, even the parts that control your dirty little minds. I told you this could get downright freaky.

This brings me to my second point I think we can agree upon, barring some catastrophic worldwide collapse or destruction, technology will always continue to improve, and if (as humans) we can do something (regardless of any moral misgivings) we usually will eventually wind up doing that thing. So despite our old fashioned 21st century misgivings, our grandchildren very well could become walking, talking, brain-texting machines that are as much technology as biology. I am not advocating morality on this point, one way or another. I am simply stating what I see as an inevitable fact of the future. I will leave the morality and the legislation of these new ideas to the people of the future, but seeing as how we are still having problems keeping up with the legal and moral needs of the Internet, I have my doubts that our old fashioned legal system will be able to cope with anything like this.

Side Prediction: In the future, the Roseville Elementary
Volleyball Team will be looking a tad more intimidating.

Yet, they will have to try, because with the growth of these new technologies will come a whole new set of problems. Facial recognition software, (which is already scary accurate on the damn iPhone) will only continue to improve. Couple that with our need to social network and you will have the ability to look at another human being with your optic-computer, and have that computer automatically search the Internet for that person. That means before you ever say anything to another human being you could already have opened up their Facebook, (or whatever they will have in the future, since Facebook maybe on the down slope) their dating profile, the forums they post on, their high school track records, etc. You'll be able to find out more about a person simply by looking at them then by having an hour-long conversation. How the hell is that going to change human interaction? I have no idea. Maybe it will make our conversations deeper and more substantive because smalltalk will be rendered obsolete... or maybe it will be a stalker's paradise... Who knows... but why stop there?

What will this do to professional sports? Lance Armstrong had his Tour De France victories stripped away because he was using something that stored more oxygen in his bloodstream than normal. In the future, I am sure that little feature will come standard on the basic package. We could also expect to see strength augmentation, muscular implants, greater lung capacity, and who knows what else. If a person from that future were to come back to our time, they would very much seem like a real-life superhero to us weaklings. So how does something like the NFL cope. In the beginning, I'm sure it will be easy enough to ban these technological humans from playing in the league, but if implants become the norm how can non-augmented, fully-biological athletes ever compete again? They can't, which means there will be an even bigger drive for physical enhancements. Heck, obsessive mothers and fathers already spend millions of dollars and years of their life trying to push their kids to be professional athletes, (and fulfill some unspoken desire left over from their days as a youth). This kind of technology has the potential to change everything. I mean what about law enforcement? Are all the police officers going to need implants as part of their jobs? If not how can they keep up with the new breed of (literal) super-villains they are going to face? (Then again, maybe police work will just be handled by robots.) What about soldiers? Do implants become standard issue for our men and women in uniform? What if your non-implanted child is bulled by a six-year old with the strength of an ox? Is that considered assault with a deadly weapon? There are just too many questions without answers... and why stop there?



Side Prediction: We're all going to have sweet
looking arm cannons.

Lastly, the one thing we can all agree upon is that no matter how mainstream something becomes there are always people out there who will push it further and abuse it, even past societal norms. That means, if humanity becomes augmented through invisible technology within our bodies, there will be those among us who may not want the technology to be so invisible. How many people are going to to extremes and chop off one of their hands, their arms, their legs, etc, so they can replace them with full robotic implants. It sounds like a bad science fiction, but is it really that far fetched? While we're riding this particular train to crazy town, let's go further still. Who says we even need to add technological human parts to our bodies? Why not a robotic shark fin, or a technology constructed tiger claw? Why not a prehensile tail? Why not feet with opposable thumbs? Why not four arms? Why not an implant that lets us change our skin color, or our hair color, or even the size of other (more private) body parts? Really the more you think about it the more it makes you realize how screwed up we can get, (if we wanted to.)

Scared? Well, there is also a flip side. Think on this: We could also use these implants and this technology to do other things. We can make our bodies resistant to disease, able to survive in extreme conditions, and maybe even to live longer. Do you want to live to be 150 years old... they might (one day) have an app for that. We need to face the good with the bad, because life is about change. We can't fight against it. All we can do is try to figure out what do with it when it arrives and how we shape ourselves and our views of the world to fit these new advances.

This lead me to my next installment: FUTURE LAW AND MORALITY. Now its time to get back in my time travelling telephone booth. Take care future-children, and stay radical.