The End of the World: Which did not come
Reactions of ordinary people to the end of the word this time were different than before. More rational, less emotional with fewer believing in such an eventuality.
I remember in the sixties, in Napoli Italy were I was living and I was actively participating in the making of the local society, a similar rumour circulated in the city and people's reactions were different. Fear, emotions and praying. The anticipated end of the world was a associated with the prophecy of the "mago di Napoli" (the magician of Naples) that the endwould be combined with an explosion of Vesuvio volcano, similar to that which destroyed Pompei in 79 AD. The end of the world did not come, Vesuvio did not explode and the Mago di Napoli had to change town and since then nobody heard of him.
In early summer 1962, the internet did not exist, radio and TV were under state control and this kind of news circulated by word of mouth. People in Napoli, fearful and with no sensible information, got into a panic and moved their belongings in the middle of the streets as the way to survive the anticipated earthquake which would have accompanies the explosion of Vesuvio and also save their properties. Some people were living and sleeping in the mid of the streets and the basic element dominating the happening was the Catholic Church, which was deployed in the streets with all its human resources, praying to God together with the illiterates and giving them hopes and insurances for the life after death.
Since the end did not come, the priests advised the populace to move back in their homes and life returned to its normal rhythms, with more people going to church every Sunday giving thanks for their salvation.
Today, most people spent more time in the Facebook, primarily out of curiosity and this is the end of the file, without catastrophes, without fear and with much of willingness to understand each other.
This time the missed end of the world was associated with much internet debate and publicity for NASA which took the occasion by explaining scientifically the far distant scenarios of the end of the universe and in this way become known for its other activities besides flying astronauts. The Church was involved discretely and only in cases were faith was not replaced by knowledge. This time, the presumed end of the world was internet driven and intelligent people were not perplexed like in the past but making fun and telling anecdotes.
Indeed, yesterday I was returning from a private visit in the Caspian region and while flying in a small plane, right over the Black Sea, my friend taking advantage of the occasion told us a joke which said in that place, time and location, demonstrates that intelligent people do not believe in myths and prophecies anymore. Here it is.
God invited Barak Obama, Vladimir Putin and Jose Manuel Barroso and informed them that He was fed up with the people and had decided to destroy the world, once and forever, in two weeks time. So God invited the chosen leaders to go back and announce the news to their people and the world.
Upon their return to the world, Obama addressed the nation and said, "Fellow Americans, I was with God yesterday and I have to tell you good news and bad news. The good news is that God exists. The bad news is that He will destroy the world in two weeks time."
Putin, from the Kremlin, went on national television and said: "My beloved Russians, I have bad news for you, God exists and in two weeks time will destroy the earth.
Barroso, in a good mood, went in the Wednesday College announced the news and then the Press Service of the Commission issued an "Urbi et Orbi" communique, on the behalf of the President Jose Manuel Durao Barroso: "I was with God the other day and I bring to all Europeans two pieces of good news. First God exists and second I will remain President of the European Commission forever, until the end of the world."
Kassandra, wishes all New Europe readers Merry Christmas and Happy New Year adding that in the joke of my friend, you can replace Barroso with any leader of your choice. new europe on line
Kassandra
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