End of days in 2012?

[Mountainheart]

I don't know the answer , I don't think there is one.

For me the answer is to live for the moment: enjoy today for today because tomorrow I may be dead in a car crash; struck down with cancer etc etc. But *today* I am happy, well fed, enjoying a glass of wine. Why spoil today by worrying about tomorrow?

Thx
David

Look to the lesson of the Grasshopper and the Ant for the answer to this one. DJ has it right - You don't need to obsess about tomorrow, but you can't forget about it either. Balance, both in thinking about tomorrow and about enjoying today, guides my actions.

Of course you are right about the need for balance. It makes sense to prepare for eventualities; and where there are concerns for the future to take whatever actions you can to achieve the outcome that one sees as the ideal: but to me worry is 'a state of disturbance' which often takes you away from being balanced.

Worry is like a warning bell telling you that something needs to be acted upon: in short sharp bursts it is positive because it ensures that you steer away from or prepare for potentially harmful occurances: but if the alarm bell cannot be turned off or gives too many false alarms then it becomes a problem. IMO

Thx
David

[Aitrus]

So then worry is never justified?
I agree that it's wrong to let worry over any subject override balance, but to be completely without worry is not realistic, don't you think?

Of course you are right about the need for balance. It makes sense to prepare for eventualities; and where there are concerns for the future to take whatever actions you can to achieve the outcome that one sees as the ideal: but to me worry is 'a state of disturbance' which often takes you away from being balanced.

Worry is like a warning bell telling you that something needs to be acted upon: in short sharp bursts it is positive because it ensures that you steer away from or prepare for potentially harmful occurances: but if the alarm bell cannot be turned off or gives too many false alarms then it becomes a problem. IMO

Thx
David

If that's the case then why do we worry about our environment, our children's future or the economy? While heeding the hardwired survival warning bell that goes off every once in a while, I think that on certain close-to-the-heart issues long-term concern is warranted as well.

I think there's varrying levels of "worry". There's the apathetic citizen, the concerned citizen, the prepared citizen, the pessimist who can't think of hardly anything else but the bad thing happening, plus varying degrees in between. This can happen with any subject of concern. My mother is on the nearly pessimist side of "My son is going to hell" side of things, while I'm on the "prepared citizen" side when it comes to the economy and being ready for winter.

[Mountainheart]

So then worry is never justified?

I didn't say that. As a short term 'alarm bell' I think it is very healthy.

If that's the case then why do we worry about our environment, our children's future or the economy?

I don't very much. Not out of apathy but because if something is outside my control I simply don't worry about it.

While heeding the hardwired survival warning bell that goes off every once in a while, I think that on certain close-to-the-heart issues long-term concern is warranted as well.

Concern, yes but I don't see that as the same as 'worry'.

[DJ Droood]

I think it will look more like this:

"It hurts a lot, our pockets are empty. We are cutting down on expenses every day," said 50-year-old postman Costas Apostolou after dropping off envelopes at the entrance of a building in central Athens.

"They have cut my salary by about 15 percent. Will these measures get us out of the crisis? I don't think so," said the father of one in Syntagma Square, the epicenter for protests against cuts and where bloody clashes took place in June.

This week transport and taxi unions plan to stage more strikes, causing commuter chaos, slowing down business and hitting Greek's important tourist trade. Big national strikes are planned by public and private sector unions in October.

"These transport strikes are unbearable. We all have problems, we shouldn't be taking it out on each other," said Maria, a 24-year-old teacher.

"EXPLODE, TAKE TO STREETS"

All Greeks are complaining about the effect of the cuts. Some say it's not fair, others blame the world banking system and some are making plans to get their money out of the country or emigrate to start a new life.

"It's very bad. We built our lives differently, with bank loans and cards. Now they are cutting our salaries, and business is dropping. How will we pay?," said Kyriaki Alexiou, a 50-year-old doctor, adding:

"This is not getting us anywhere. If they don't do something to fix this, people will be hungry. They will eventually explode and take to the streets."

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/greeks-feel-dr ... 52404.html

[Mountainheart]

I think it will look more like this:

"It hurts a lot, our pockets are empty. We are cutting down on expenses every day," said 50-year-old postman Costas Apostolou after dropping off envelopes at the entrance of a building in central Athens.

"They have cut my salary by about 15 percent. Will these measures get us out of the crisis? I don't think so," said the father of one in Syntagma Square, the epicenter for protests against cuts and where bloody clashes took place in June.

This week transport and taxi unions plan to stage more strikes, causing commuter chaos, slowing down business and hitting Greek's important tourist trade. Big national strikes are planned by public and private sector unions in October.

"These transport strikes are unbearable. We all have problems, we shouldn't be taking it out on each other," said Maria, a 24-year-old teacher.

"EXPLODE, TAKE TO STREETS"

All Greeks are complaining about the effect of the cuts. Some say it's not fair, others blame the world banking system and some are making plans to get their money out of the country or emigrate to start a new life.

"It's very bad. We built our lives differently, with bank loans and cards. Now they are cutting our salaries, and business is dropping. How will we pay?," said Kyriaki Alexiou, a 50-year-old doctor, adding:

"This is not getting us anywhere. If they don't do something to fix this, people will be hungry. They will eventually explode and take to the streets."

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/greeks-feel-dr ... 52404.html

In the not to distant future I could see Greece becoming the first euro zone country to experience a military coup. What impact would *that* have on the financial markets...?

[Merlyn]

End of days in 2012?
"End of the old days" is more like it. Lots is changing and with no doubt in my mind, it isn't going to be business as usual. For some like me, this all began a long time ago and I get a kick out of seeing the revelations that this is all news. If I was to prepare, I would as I have, stock what I need to hunt, plant and grow. Holding food for a few days isn't going to get anyone very far.
Change: isn't what Obama thinks We are never going back, things are not in a recession, they are all in a time of flux. The sooner people look away from the news and get a grip, the sooner people will make the progress into this new age. 2012 isn't the end, it is the beginning. The coffers of the rich will last no longer than storing black beans in the cupboard, it will all spend and end, as money fails to have the value it once had. A "debt note" is a slave bill in essence. People are turning away from credit, credit scores, interest and interest rates and living in a state of never ending bills. Not so much by choice, but by necessity, we all have to put an end to "interest slavery".
Knowledge: it's something we are going to have to rely on. How many could successfully plant and grow crops? Make metal from iron ore? do the lost arts that built all we know?
Commuting to work is already in grid-lock. Living in paradise and working in the city isn't going to be the case much longer. Government is trying very hard to hold onto the reins and force everything into government contracts, union labor and play like they are going to take care of us with government sponsored health care.....

All the while the sands empty from the hour glass...

Merlyn /|\

[Muddy Fox]

Very true Merlin, I was discussing this very topic, this evening. There only has to be an addition or a subtraction, and everything will collapse. We are on a knife edge.

[Merlyn]

We are on a knife edge.

So very true,
Going back to the place near the city I lived in four years ago, I note the stress, the anger and the pace everyone there seems to think is normal.
Too many cars for the roads, so much consumption that the water they drink is recycled sewage, just a slight misjudgement causes hours of gridlock and road rage.....

It gives me the creeps...

I work where I live now, and many who come by stand in an awe struck awakening, like "you can do this?".
And I tell them yes, it is the way of the future, and the way of the long forgotten past. I have been doing so for over 15 years..
(I was forced out by the city "rules") Now I live far from the city

Merlyn /|\

[kytty]

Canu Taliesin some interesting thoughts.
a fluffy bunny discussion in the skeptical druid board - didnt expect that!
Nico are you off walking.....?

[Merlyn]

It could just be the math

Mayan.jpg (53.12 KiB) Viewed 518 times

[Heddwen]

Nico are you off walking.....?

.....probably he's preparing for Armageddon....

[kytty]

or perhaps he's not so easily diverted from that which he holds dear...

[Explorer]

or perhaps he's not so easily diverted from that which he holds dear...

In fact, I was off walking, just spent some time in the swedish wilderness, hiking Sanfljallet National Park. And it was absolutely brilliant.

But I also kind of retreated from this forum and most other parts of DHP.
The mixture of doom thinking, stupidity and sheer insanity on this board is sometimes a bit like Cerridwens dark brew. I find it distressing and suffocating, it is like coming back from the woods, turning on the news, and see another pile of mutilated dead bodies left over from the latest suicide bombing somewhere across the globe. I don't need that, frankly, I don't care. This all has nothing to do with my life, or my druidry.

The main reason for my retreat, however, is that some of that brew spills over into my private life. Somebody from this board, who I never met, is constantly trying to discredit me behind my back to my friends (IRL). I've heard it from 3 different sides now, and that is just crossing the line for me. And since he is 'druid grade' he has access to the same forums as I have, so there is no 'safe haven' where I can speak my thoughts without antagonising him.

So I changed my name back to 'Explorer', to have slightly more anonimity, and will disappear into the background. The crazies can have the board, I will take the woods.

[kytty]

i am so sorry to hear what has been happening behind the scenes.
i may not have always agreed with you but you have enlightened me and released me from sheople and sheepdom.
for that i thank you.
i wish you peace, happiness and contentment where every your life may take you
here's to you bud
kytty

[skydove]

Explorer, Can I second what Kytty has said. I have learned so much from your comments, thoughts and ideas, and whilst not always agreeing with all of them, non the less value them immensely as you are one of the people on the board who help me think things through and provide a balance when my own thoughts are going a bit wooly.
I am very saddened to hear of your experiences it is such a shame when some people cannot respect other peoples views and try to undermine them as people. Try not to take it to heart for too long though, this board would be lessened by you not being here.
Skydove

[DaRC]

Hey Explorer - glad to hear that you enjoyed your walk.

I'm very saddened to hear of your experience with the crazies.
I would certainly miss you (and your sense!) from the board - particularly as I was hoping to start Druid grade soon.

[DJ Droood]

So I changed my name back to 'Explorer', to have slightly more anonimity, and will disappear into the background. The crazies can have the board, I will take the woods.

Will you still be available for consultations?

[Explorer]

So I changed my name back to 'Explorer', to have slightly more anonimity, and will disappear into the background. The crazies can have the board, I will take the woods.

Will you still be available for consultations?

Only to young blonde females (although I'm not so strict about the blonde part).
Heh, I'm not totally gone, I'm just staying out of the debates.

[Heddwen]

then again we could go the other way...

http://www.thespoof.com/news/magazine/h ... e_6453.htm

[Al Hakim]

Hi Explorer,
to give in is sometimes a sign of weakness. We need the multitude of opinions, even if they were wrong
Al Hhakim