2012 Mayan Doomsday Countdown: “A Crisis of Human Existence”

In the lead up to the Mayan doomsday countdown on December 21, 2012, one cannot help but wonder why there are some people gullible enough to be swayed by such myths and unfounded knowledge. Despite already being deflated by many Western scientists, including NASA and even the Mayans themselves, there are still people who continued to believe on the end of the world balloon bandwagon. The surrounding scenario around the world concerning the impending Armageddon seems no longer centers on whether it would really happen on not, but on how frail the human existence has become.

"All reactions to the doomsday prophecy show a strong recognition of the crisis of human existence," Wang Sichao, an astronomer at China's Nanjing Purple Mountain Observatory, said.

Mr Wang's comments magnify the world's reaction to the Mayan doomsday countdown, of which unfortunately many believe. And because many believe, a slew of rather illogical behaviours have taken place in order perhaps to salvage one's existence.

In China alone, a husband got mad at his wife when the latter mortgaged their property without his knowledge. Further adding fuel to his anger was when his wife mortgaged their property for one million yuan, about US$160,000, when in face an earlier appraisal on the property showed its value was at three million yuan, or about US$480,000.

The wife, according to a report by China Daily, said she plans to "donate the money to orphans and enjoy my life before doomsday."

There are also enterprising individuals who capitalised on the fear brought about by Mayan doomsday countdown. One Chinese businessman reportedly has built a large stainless-steel ball whose main purpose is to shelter and protect its survivors from the world's demise on December 21, 2012. The inventor, Yang Zongfu, said he has already sold some of his invention, which sells for for one to five million yuan, about between US$160,300 to US$800,150, to other fellow Chinese citizens and had received orders from far away New Zealand.

Still, with the frenzy over the impending Mayan doomsday countdown, scientists and Mayan experts have no other recourse but to continually insist the absence of an impending Armageddon.

"The sun will still rise on December 21," Mr Wang said. "It will be a peaceful and safe day. "