I’m going to back the car up after that drive-by egging of “2012”. The hit and run is fun. The release is refreshing. But it’s probably not the best approach.

Taken as a whole, the various 2012 “prophecies” divorce a few genuine time tested insights from their original contexts and place them along side a considerable amount of twisted and manipulated historical minutia, lazy science, and creative calendaring.

For example: The first edition of McKenna’s The Invisible Landscape the year 2012 is only mentioned twice. December 12th is never mentioned. The second edition is revised to include the full “December 12th, 2012” date and places it generously throughout the book.

Why make such an odd change to a book already in print?

Years after the original publication McKenna became aware of a convergence on the date by other folks who also originally included less specific/entirely different dates in their various new age/armageddon theories. He decided it was significant.

Many 2012 books and believers will point to McKenna’s independent (ignoring the non-independent way the 2nd edition came about) discovery of the date as a sign of great cosmic serendipity. Further proving any vaguely related claims that also moseyed up to the 12th.

It’s a viscous cycle of significance. The end result is a bag full of theories and prophecies whose main claim to authenticity is each other. When you look at each one independently, they often fall apart instantly. Aztec myths made Mayan… Misplaced and distorted relevance to the culture of the time… Misrepresentation of basic astronomy… And so forth and so on. The degree of blatant twisting and turning borders on the absurd.

Which begs the question again: Why?

These bits and pieces are distorted (conscious and unconsciously) in order to conform to a brand image. It’s consumer spirituality. It doesn’t require anything of you other than buying into the brand. You can make it an accessory to your identity. There’s a New Age coming. One of love and beauty and a better mankind. And you know it. Because you already have a little bit of it in you. You appreciate love and beauty a little more than your fellow man. You’re already living in a better world. A little. But you need more. And you need to signify it. You need to project who you are.

(All of which appeals to an alienated ego)

It’s just like the marketing of cars or sneakers – Like those goods, a single sale isn’t enough. If it asked something of you, it has the potential to be satisfying. If it is truly satisfying, why buy more? Yet brand loyalty is a powerful thing. Sure it isn’t as satisfying as i expected, but I’ll stick with it. Next time it will be.

(All of which further alienates an ego)

2012 presents it’s self as an external solution to a disconnected society. It’s not. It’s the self-perpetuating symptom of one.

One in a very long list of seemingly dissimilar cultural, political, and spiritual movements (of both the right and the left) here in the United States. It happens to be the one I’m picking on now, because it’s so prevalent in my current context.

A context in need of change. We all need something different. Something that reconnects with an internal faith. Something rooted in the deep equality of differences. Something that acknowledges what we have, rather than fostering a perpetual grasp towards the great coming better that was nearly lost to the past. Something that values work over acquisition. Something you don’t buy into.

(All of which appeals strongly to my alienated ego)

Filed under: spirituality  opinionated  alienated  2012