Posted on 07/02/2012 3:12:30 PM PDT by DogByte6RER
Would you want to survive the end of civilization?
Let's say the end of the world as we know it is coming — but someone offers you a priceless spot in their guaranteed-to-be-safe bunker, so you can be one of the chosen few who rebuilds the Earth. Would you want to survive, and emerge into the post-apocalyptic wasteland? Would the positives of playing a role in a new society outweigh the loss of creature comforts? Or would you rather just go out with the majority of the human race? I wouldn't last long in a Mad Max-style world — the most complex thing I can do to my car is replace its refrigerant. I'd probably die in the first couple of months — or once my glasses broke, whichever came first.
But what if the new world resembled ours, just a little more rugged and difficult? Would you enjoy the opportunity to rebuild society? Here are a few of the positives and negatives associated with a civilization changing event to help you decide.
The Negatives
Your new world lacks the creature comforts of today - no electricity, no communication, no instant access to a plethora of information. Hell, the information that lies in your head likely carries little value.
If you have read any of the 99 issues of Robert Kirkman's The Walking Dead, you know that surviving in a new world with few skills amidst packs of zombies and dangerous people is no way to live. Thankfully, the end of the world as we know it probably wouldn't include flesh-eating zombies. The end of civilization, however, would bring with it a lack of communication, resources, and lead to immense amounts of unbearable drama, due to fear, hunger, and power grabs.
Do you want to live in a situation where every day includes a dangerous search for food, your nights involve defensive formations to protect those in your community, and you never know what the next moment will bring?
This type of vicious world definitely has its extremes. The bad times would cease over time as groups of people join together to reform civilization, but he birth pains of this new civilization will be severe. Would you want a part in the new world?
The Positives
What if the end of civilization leaves you in a reasonably safe place, amongst family and friends? The television show Jericho explored such a scenario. An independent community relied on itself to survive, with scant information about the outside world. In this case, it might be fun to start things over — maintain a background set of laws to maintain order, but re-create society in your image. This view might be a tad bit on the optimistic side, but it's a possibility.
Your new life will lack a number of the meaningless stresses of today — no e-mail to check, no presentations to give, no centuries old baggage stemming from geopolitical conflicts. The slate is wiped clean — why not take advantage of the positives inherent in a second chance?
Your Decision
Would you want to survive a devastating event that turns society on its head? The role you play in the rebuilding process might be a large one — how do you weigh the pros and cons?
But more and more are waking up to this difference, I think.
Again, that's my interpretation and also that of many actual Bible scholars.
Prior to the second coming, there will be a period of tribulation that is suppose to be like nothing that has ever been experienced.
Live fire.
I’ve seen the film. Strains credulity.
could be nuclear fire
could be small arms fire
could be ordinary fire as in forest fire
could be an infection referred to as ‘fire”...aka biological warefare.
could be an asteroid causing planetwide sterilization via atmospheric fire.
could be electricity of some kind
Ultimate, it could be when our sun reaches the end of its life and becomes a red Giant. We may or may not be there to see it.
Me too. I read it when I was 17 and it still influences my thinking about humans and civilization.
I hadn’t seen that. I am going to look up the article.
Jack - I read the book of Revelation and it is hard to understand, but using the Study Bible helped somewhat. I also found a book in the library that was really useful in understanding the End Times. It’s by Tim LaHaye and is called “Revelation Unveiled” - a revised version of his first book “Revelation Illustrated and Made Plain.” You might try looking into that for your questions.
Thanks. That would be pretty awesome!
The important consideration will be what YOUR capabilities are.
If you are not somebody who is likely to survive the scenario, then it doesn't matter. If you ARE somebody who has what it takes to survive, there will be lots of women looking for a protector to latch on to. Pick one who you think will be a good companion; let the bitter Feminist Studies majors with no useful skills starve.
Hang in there for a cure!
Add a couple of saddle bags and a rickshaw and you would be set.
Data from ice cores indicate increased CO2 levels around the time an ice age begins and the increased CO2 levels continues post ice age for many years. BTW, we're seeing an increase in atmospheric CO2 levels now as well as the world nearing the end of a 12K year warm period.
So what does this mean? One possibility might be periodic increases in volcanic activity every one hundred thousand years ( or thereabout ). This would cause increased atmospheric moisture from heating of the oceans along with increased sulfur dioxide and ash in the atmosphere blocking much of the sun’s energy from reaching the earth. Both effects would plunge the earth into an ice age.
Many scientists say that just an increase in atmospheric moisture is really all that’s needed to throw us into another ice age. As I mentioned above, increased volcanic activity would provide both blocking and the moisture for increased snow fall plus the increase in CO2 levels seen in ice core samples.
I’m not sure what would cause an increase in volcanic activity on a periodic basis. Maybe it has something to do with a thermal cycle in the earth’s interior or some kind of crustal shifting due to gyroscopic precession or worsening balance issue with the earth’s crust. A thermal increase and resulting melt of the inner core would help to explain the shifting magnetic field. Precession differences between the lithosphere and core could both release heat and increase earthquakes which would cause increased volcanic activity. Balance issues could even theoretically cause crustal shifts.
The Bible does mention that the sun stands still and even moves backwards. The only thing I can think of that would cause that would be the earth’s crust shifting. If that occurs, then it would explain much. The Bible also mentions the sun going dark and that could be from volcanic ash and smoke.
Second of my list of possible explanations would be a strong solar flare. One strong enough to burn the world’s forests would explain the CO2 and the smoke from that would block the sun’s energy from reaching the earth. The electric universe theory is also gaining ground. If it’s true, it would act much like a very strong solar flare.
Last on my list would be an increase in meteor strikes or some kind of rouge body causing gravitational issues. With God, it’s always more than one thing, that’s how you know a greater power is in control.
Do we live in interesting times or what? Funny how the prophets knew that knowledge would greatly increase at the end of this age!
LMAO...
“oh luvvy...”
My top pick is a solar storm beyond anything we have seen in recorded history in combination with a massive seismic and volcanic activity. Why? Because there is now direct evidence that solar storms cause earthquakes.
If you look at the Younger Dryas period just as we began to come out of the last ice you’ll see this sudden cooling around 12,900. Some are ascribing it to a comet or asteroid impact. After the dust settled the warming started again until peaked out 7,000+ years ago.
Ice ages are caused by the Earth’s orbit becoming more eccentric. The cause is unknown but it might be due to precession. Maybe the Sun causes a torque-induced precession. We’re due for the next ice age any time now.
We’re also due for another pole shift. The north pole is moving toward Siberia at a rate of about 35 to 40 miles per year which is up from 5 mpy 100 years ago.
You mentioned crustal shifting. Have you ever heard of the Expanding Earth Theory put forth by Neal Adams? Kind of remind of the Earth being like a geode.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7kL7qDeI05U
So what could cause a magnetic pole shift? Seems to me that the earth must have a solid metallic core to create the magnetic field that it currently has. For the poles to shift, either the core has to melt and then reform or the core itself flips in someway.
From what I've read, most seem to agree the field is weakening. That would seem to indicate possible core liquefaction. The shifting seems to indicate the core is rotating different from the lithosphere/crust?
I agree that CMEs seem to exacerbate earthquake activity. I'm not sure what mechanism is at work. Maybe a combination of electromagnetic force and the actual impact of the solar wind hitting the earth's atmosphere.
All very interesting theories. There needs to be a cyclical component that matches up to the 100K year time frame or some division thereof.
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