One in seven thinks end of world is coming: poll

(Reuters) - - Nearly 15 percent of people worldwide believe the world will end during their lifetime and 10 percent think the Mayan calendar could signify it will happen in 2012, according to a new poll.

The end of the Mayan calendar, which spans about 5,125 years, on December 21, 2012 has sparked interpretations and suggestions that it marks the end of the world.

"Whether they think it will come to an end through the hands of God, or a natural disaster or a political event, whatever the reason, one in seven thinks the end of the world is coming," said Keren Gottfried, research manager at Ipsos Global Public Affairs which conducted the poll for Reuters.

"Perhaps it is because of the media attention coming from one interpretation of the Mayan prophecy that states the world 'ends' in our calendar year 2012," Gottfried said, adding that some Mayan scholars have disputed the interpretation.

Responses to the international poll of 16,262 people in more than 20 countries varied widely with only six percent of French residents believing in an impending Armageddon in their lifetime, compared to 22 percent in Turkey and the United States and slightly less in South Africa and Argentina.

But only seven percent in Belgium and eight percent in Great Britain feared an end to the world during their lives.

About one in 10 people globally also said they were experiencing fear or anxiety about the impending end of the world in 2012. The greatest numbers were in Russia and Poland, the fewest in Great Britain.

Gottfried also said that people with lower education or household income levels, as well as those under 35 years old, were more likely to believe in an apocalypse during their lifetime or in 2012, or have anxiety over the prospect.

"Perhaps those who are older have lived long enough to not be as concerned with what happens to their future," she explained.

Ipsos questioned people in China, Turkey, Russia, Mexico, South Korea, Japan, the United States, Argentina, Hungary, Poland, Sweden, France, Spain, Belgium, Canada, Australia, Italy, South Africa, Great Britain, Indonesia, Germany.

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I put this in the survival forum for what i consider obvious reasons, if these numbers are accurate in the poll and if only 1% of those people in the poll take actions in a panic specificly the dec 21st date we are talking about possibly tens of thousands nation wide in a panic. That would be a SHTF for sure, consider that in your city a couple hundred to thousands go crazy and start panicing, emptying grocery shelves, filling anything that holds gas and water, i see it possibly creating a snowball effect while also creating the herd mentality escalating the problem. Masses of panicing people grabbing anything they can, attcking those who have what they feel they need, this is one of the things i had feared, what if people actualy believe 2012 is the end, the reaction of people under the mass panic, that is my worry, i had really hoped the numbers were'nt that high. I would like to hear your comments.

The poll was biased. It asked whether people are feeling "fear and anxiety about the end of the world."

I believe the world may well end by 2030. But I don't get upset about it.

Newton said 2060; but I'll probably be off the clock by then.

The world IS about to end...

It ends with every second that passes only no one cares or takes notice of it.
We come to expect normality every day, we expect to wake up tomorrow, we expect everyone we know to be there in the next few seconds, sometimes they are not, therefore the 'normal' world as we know it right now ends and becomes the past.
The world is ending even as I type and as you read.

And should the world really end and I am talking we all turn to ash in a solar superflare or a nuke war then know that we may not be here but the universe will continue for another 7 trillion trillion trillion years ( according to Prof Brian Cox ( not the actor)) or so.

There are many who hope, pray and expect for a tomorrow but will not see it so take heart instead of jumping on the end is nigh bandwagon live for today, take each tomorrow as a gift.

i'm not one of them. not while I still take a breath on it. maybe YOUR world.



the earth will be around until the sun goes supernova or andromeda collides with the milky way or something random in between like a rogue asteroid or planet.

I am not one of those people either, i dought the world will end in december, my fear is the responce of panicy idiots, the herd mentality is what i fear, hordes of morons looting everything in sight, not a proficy from a group of people who never even had the wheel.

Do I believe the world will end soon...not really.

Do I believe the world could end soon...yes.

This being in the survival forum, survivalist by their very nature have back up plans to most scenarios... real or imagined. One scenario I do not forsee is the Zombie Apocolypse. One scenario I do forsee and dreadfully anticipate is the escalation of a limited nuclear war initiated by a US/Israel strike on Iran.

As for the 2012 Mayan Calender... Last year we went to Mexico and the Yucatan Penninsula interior and actually talked and interacted with the Mayan Indians and descendants. They place no importance on that date. However, they are more than willing to sell round ceramic Mayan Calenders made in China to tourists along with 8' ceramic step pyramids and plastic "crystal skulls."

One other unfortunate scenario that continues to plague me is an economic collapse of some sort or severity which brings on much social unrest, riots, and martial law.

Alas, unless it is by the random asteroid or extreme nuclear conflaguration...I reckon to be here for some time yet.

reply to post by 1947flxible

Gottfried also said that people with lower education or household income levels, as well as those under 35 years old, were more likely to believe in an apocalypse during their lifetime or in 2012, or have anxiety over the prospect. "Perhaps those who are older have lived long enough to not be as concerned with what happens to their future," she explained.

Polls and studies like this are designer in nature. That is to say, they are commissioned to return a specific result so, they really mean nothing unless you lend credence to their veracity.

In this case, we stereotype those in lesser income levels by associating them with less education. It also suggests that those under 35 are not all that bright. It is designed to implant the notion in your head that less wealth equals less intelligence, youth equals ignorance and age equals peace and comfort. The result is that you will approve as corpo-government moves to eradicate the great masses of those who are less economically affluent.

*Don't get angry if the poor are not fed and cared for.

*Dismiss efforts by those like the Occupy Movement because they are generally under 35.

*Those over 35 are the ones you will see in positions of power and authority.

Pretty neat, huh?

I do not fear the end of the world, the world will end humanity way before that happens.
This is the first and best reason to love and care for your Mother.

the end a A world is coming. I don't live in that world, but the beginning of its end will happen in two parts.

the first part of the beginning of the end is next Friday and the second more devastating part is 10 days later, on May 21.

the end of the end is on July 8.

it actually already happened and that's the only reason I know this.

its always important to clearly differentiate 'world' from 'earth'. For some reason people use them interchangeably while they are not the same thing. its also important to understand that on the earth there are more than one world.

the earth is not ending and not every world is ending.

very specific OP well if may 22nd i cant respond to this you were right.

reply to post by 1947flxible


i'm not the OP, you are.

and if you are still here on July 9th...take a deep breath and find comfort.