2013: The new Apocalypse

2012 was marred by many eventualities, wars, paranoia and conspiracies. Truth was the main objective behind any of the aforementioned but it suffered greatly at the hands of father time.

Take the Mayan end-of-time proclamation that came to pass without not even as much as a belch from our dear friend the sun.  Was the whole 21 December brouhaha a hoax or just a failing in interpretation? Irrespective on how one sees it, the affair did stir much in the way of media writings, blogs, books, speculations, documentaries and debates; all in all, a pleasant diversion to the everyday humdrum of human life.

The Lance Armstrong doping debacle also grabbed the imagination of the populace. Here is a story so sordid and scheming that even the most ardent fans of the Icon were left reeling at the truthiness of it all. Yet, the whole judicial issue was based on circumstantial and inferred indictments: solid proof has yet to be presented. Yet again, a non-political story managed to divert the attention of the masses away from the realities of life, if only for a brief moment.

There is a rumour doing the rounds that Armstrong is toying with the idea of coming clean; and possibly on Oprah. Once again only time will tell what the truth really was.

The American elections and the ANC party elections were entertaining to say the least. President Obama like President Zuma was presented by the media as being in danger of losing his crown. The election figures showed a different story.  Was the whole pre-election news mongering engineered to keep the masses entertained and filled with angst about the future?

The Green Movement, as is the custom, again made lot of noise during 2012 pushing their agendas (noise pollution,) used much paper on pamphlets and other marketing materials (from trees, plants, etc) undertook many miles of travel on roads, air and sea (using natural resources,) and wore down many shoes on mass-actions necessitating the purchase of new ones by the consenting participants (leather, electricity, waste, etc.) Civil disobedience and damage to property pail into insignificance when compared to the foregoing wastage practices.

The great Mandela fell sick and instantly caused a panic amongst the pack of media wolves and loving adherents: some hoping to be the first to publish a piece of the action while the rest spent their time in prayer, vigils and hopeful Facebook postings. What is going to happen when the great-equaliser death eventually does go knocking is anyone’s guess but it will be sad and interesting.

2012 also delivered many deaths as is the norm given the mortality state of life; some deaths more notable than others but all eliciting equal amounts of sorrow from grieving loved ones. The one lesson that sticks out by the devastation left behind by the-great-equaliser is that life is promised to no one.

Oh yes, and positive thought, or the religion thereof, has become entrenched as the new black.

What was notable about 2012 is up for grabs and the answer(s) will depend on socio-economic and gender and employment status of the respondee.

What about 2013?

Well, as yet there have been no reported or observed conspiracies or rationalised paranoia that have reared their ugly heads; likewise for doomsday seers, new-age religious prophets or apocalyptic mystics.

Wars continue unabated, politicians are still being self-serving, fat cats are still raking it in, the populace is still being screwed to every till point and bank counter, the unemployed will soon be able to take over the governing of a country for having the most active members, and prejudice still is paramount in most minds.

I’ve heard talk of a 30 year cycle of change which is apparently  approaching its conclusion, of the age of Aquarius where enlightenment will reign supreme, of economic transformation where all will be treated fairly, of Governments becoming more open and amiable and of Father Xmas finally attending one of Oprah’s talk shows. In the words of Fry and Lewis: The more things change, the more they remain... insane.

At least the Facebook Soap Opera changes every 5 minutes.