The results indicated that 22% of americans believed world would end in their lifetime with 10% thinking. Despite the steady diet of a solidly fearbased health behaviors curriculum that i had consumed from kindergarten on up, i was informed that scare tactics dont work. Apocalypticism is the religious belief that there will be an apocalypse, a term which originally referred to a revelation, but now usually refers to the belief that the end of. This belief is usually accompanied by the idea that civilization will soon come to a tumultuous end due to some. What postapocalyptic fiction teaches us about anxiety. The expression was first used by sociologist john lofland in his 1966 study of a group of members of the unification church of the united states, doomsday cult. This may explain why were all so obsessed with the end of. This mindbending study shows us that there is an apocalyptic strand to modernity and history, and will affect our own way of thinking about the global future. Charles strozier brought a psychologists perspective to the conference in his talk, endism and the psychology of the apocalyptic. Jun 01, 2011 what is the underlying psychology behind apocalyptic prophecies, both religious and secular. To say nothing of paul, the prophets or john the baptist. Apocalyptic thinking, to twist the italian proverb, is illfound if it is not true, and to those of us not possessed of a special revelation, the imminence of armageddon very much remains to be demonstrated.
I am also not allowed to mention or factor in the psychology of posters on this thread. Apocalyptic thinking has the potential to lead in a direction that may not be the best option for the future growth and unity of humanity or christianity. Mel gilles presents an analysis of the prevalence of apocalyptic thinking in america, discussing its puritan roots in a judeochristian world view and emphasizing the need to distingush between imagined perils. According to this book, before the advent of monotheism, time was viewed as circular and neverending. Victoria christodoulou, a senior psychology major from point pleasant, says the course interests her because there are many websites, movies, and books dedicated to apocalyptic thinking. Mar 02, 2015 which illustrates another likely reason for apocalyptic thinking, is it provides meaning and an excuse for the sorta isolated folks who are simply unable to get along with others to begin with. Lissek suspects that some apocalyptic believers find the idea that the end is nigh to be validating. And this is a truly new apocalyptic thinking if only because of the primacy here of the body itself, a new body which is an apocalyptic body, the apocalyptic body of christ, and a body calling forth an absolutely new thinking in which the body itself is the totality of life for the first time page 104.
Some dude even wrote a book about it and was interviewed in psychology today. Join jason hartman and jonathan zap, researcher and philosopher, as they explore the psychology behind apocalyptic prophecies. Students studying apocalyptic thinking in end of the world. Steven pinker is the johnstone professor of psychology at harvard university. Apocalyptic beliefs make existential threatsthe fear of our mortalitypredictable, lissek says. This apocalyptic thinking has taken deep root in the christian religion where various sects see the 2nd coming of their savior with the physical end of the world and possibly the rapture as closely related chronologically. In 1250, richard landes explains, good friday fell on the same day again. Exploring our endless obsession with the end psychology. Or maybe, more accurately i loved watching a horror movie with my girlfriends.
A fear of interdependence the survivalists apocalyptic thinking has its roots in a fear of dependence. This phenomenon was strongly demonstrated in the realm of apocalyptic thinking by festinger and colleagues 1956, as mentioned. Psychology of the walking dead the appeal of postapocalyptic. One might think that compulsory education would cure this sort of thing, but that is not the case. These pieces of apocalyptic literature which, quite literally, deal with the unveiling of events to come leave hints at what the antichrist may do, namely face off with christ as the ultimate expression of evil, thereby bringing about the end of. The comforts of the apocalypse call it apocalyptic narcissism. Search end times on the internet and you will find a host of books, websites, blogs, and articles on the subject.
The psychology of dystopian and postapocalyptic stories. Lissek, in collaboration with national institute of. Apocalyptic, doomsday thinking with thomas lombardo youtube. Whether it is global warming or the creeping problem of resource management in a world that is becoming dangerously overpopulated, gross and gilles have clearly shown that traditional apocalyptic thinking is of no present help to us, or to our future on this planet. Apocalypse thinking is a form of patternseeking based on our cognitive percepts of time passing. We dont need god anymore to carry out an apocalypse, he told us. Exploring our endless obsession with the end psychology today. Perhaps the conundrum we find ourselves in now with apocalyptic thinking and resultant harm to our lgbt brother and sisters wouldnt exist if we simultaneously grasped the other side of the apocalyptic coin millennial zeal for radical charity and a total obliteration of poverty and contention. Apocalyptic thinking was a persistent background feature of my upbringing. Apocalyptic definition of apocalyptic by merriamwebster. Which also probably helps explain its growing popularity in an increasingly selfabsorbed and alienated society.
Dec 20, 2012 this article is more than 7 years old. Although the wildly popular 17book series, which was published between 1995 and 2007 and has sold over 65 million copies, is fictional, the vision embraced. Some limit in the definition of thinking is as follows. Apocalypse thinking is a form of patternseeking based on our. You have to rely on yourself, even isolate yourself. New thinking allowed host, jeffrey mishlove, phd, hosted and coproduced the original thinking allowed public television series. The psychology of the walking dead the appeal of post. Feb 20, 2015 apocalyptic movements and doomsday cults, they keep reappearing again and again. Both christianity and islam probably began as apocalyptic movements, and highly influential secular. History is filled with examples of small cults and larger religious and quasireligious groups that predicted the end of the world. The psychology of the walking dead the appeal of post apocalyptic stories. Apocalypticism is the religious belief that there will be an apocalypse, a term which originally referred to a revelation, but now usually refers to the belief that the end of the world is imminent, even within ones own lifetime. A new approach to the vast nuclear infrastructure and the apocalypses it produces, focusing on black, queer, indigenous, and asian american literatures.
Research has shown that college students frequently engage in supernatural behaviors in their examinations, especially when the consequences are perceived as. Groupthink is a big factor in the psychology of apocalypse, but i have been specifically warned not to bring that up. How does apocalyptic thinking factor into the recent. The expression was first used by sociologist john lofland in his 1966 study of a group of members of. Doomsday scenarios, conspiracy theories, and psychology november 20, 2012 contributed by zawn villines since the beginning of recorded history, people have. On critical thinking association for psychological science. I find a lot of it amusing, but i want to understand why its been such a big part of our culture, christodoulou says. Which illustrates another likely reason for apocalyptic thinking, is it provides meaning and an excuse for the sorta isolated folks who are simply unable to get along with others to begin with. Nov 20, 2012 doomsday scenarios, conspiracy theories, and psychology november 20, 2012 contributed by zawn villines since the beginning of recorded history, people have been forecasting the end of the world. Jenkins, imagine the antichrist as a truly modern figure.
Lateral thinking is related to creative problem solving and critical thinking, all valuable skills to have, and. The lure of apocalyptic thinking the truth is, after all that reading see prior weeks post about how civilizations collapse or contract and reform in another way, i dont really believe entirely in a quick apocalyptic crash like those i write about. Posts about apocalyptic thinking written by jadallas. Doomsday cult is an expression used to describe cults that believe in apocalypticism and millenarianism and can refer both to groups that predict disaster and those that attempt to bring it about to destroy the entirety of the universe. The apocalyptic imagination and the fundamentalist mindset charles b. The end is always nigh in the human mind new scientist. The book focuses not so much on apocalyptic thinking or apocalyptic culture persay, but does a very good job of mapping apocalyptic thinking s rise, and links it with global history and trends about the belief of time. The mind is the idea while thinking processes of the brain involved in processing information such as when we form concepts, engage in problem solving, to reason and make decisions. I have a vague memory dating back to my undergraduate days of sitting in a social psychology class and learning about various persuasion techniques.
The psychology of thinking is an accessible, broad and integrative approach to a topic that rewards such treatment. End times beliefs are extreme, and extremely influential. Apocalyptic thinking samuel mccracken, commentary magazine. Apocalyptic thinking forms the background to much of recorded history. Apocalyptic movements and doomsday cults, they keep reappearing again and again.
Heres why were all so obsessed with the end of world, according to psychology by dana dovey on 92617 at 9. Apocalypticism and modern thinking religion online. We dont feel especially frugal let it gush or let is bleed. We flatter ourselves when we imagine a world incapable of lasting without us in ita world that, having ceased to exist, cannot forget us, discard us, or pave over our graves. The apocalyptic imagination and the fundamentalist mindset. In our modern world, apocalyptic and supernatural thinking are alive and well. Infrastructures of apocalypse university of minnesota press. Students studying apocalyptic thinking in end of the.
Richard beck is professor and department chair of psychology at abilene christian university. A look at spains great literary family, the paneros, and a consideration of psychological apocalypse as an occasion for poetry. Charles b strozier by some estimates, as many as fifty million americans believe that the apocalypse when god will remake the world, jesus will return to rule, and only the faithful will survive is near. The last myth explains why apocalyptic beliefs are surging within the american mainstream today. Aug 14, 2018 in short, i suspect that a lot of christians espousing nondualistic thinking would have a hard time enjoying a conversation with jesus. The apocalyptic worldview springs from a desire to reconcile two conflicting beliefs. Apocalypticism is the religious belief that there will be an apocalypse, a term which originally. Public hosted by interreligious studies at vancouver school of theology. Dec 18, 2012 lissek suspects that some apocalyptic believers find the idea that the end is nigh to be validating. Doomsday scenarios, conspiracy theories, and psychology. Aug 20, 2017 the lure of apocalyptic thinking the truth is, after all that reading see prior weeks post about how civilizations collapse or contract and reform in another way, i dont really believe entirely in a quick apocalyptic crash like those i write about. For an observer with a moderately developed sense of history, and the most moderate standard of excellence, it can be an unbearable suspicion that his time and space may turn out to have been absolutely undistinguished.
Psychology reveals the comforts of the apocalypse scientific. Ive been doing a bit of thinking about preparing for a doomsday scenario. The psychology of the walking deadthe appeal of post. Apocalyptic definition is of, relating to, or resembling an apocalypse. Apocalyptic thinking in the age of trump the outline. In some cases apocalyptic thinking is part of a social movement.
He is a past vicepresident of the association for humanistic psychology. It can increase the divisions between christians, actively discouraging christian unity and interfering with interfaith dialogue. The article you just read could be seen as an example of what some gerontologists have termed apocalyptic demography that is, treating people living longer solely as a problem and burden to societies with terrible long term effects bytheway and johnson, 2010. The proverbial question of whether life will imitate art. This thread sits mostly dormant because these restrictions. Even though nothing happened on the fateless night of december 20, 1954, festinger et al. The first is that there is something dreadfully wrong with the world of human existence today, he said. Apr 23, 2012 how apocalyptic thinking prevents us from taking political action while americans take comfort in shows predicting disaster and myths about the end of the world, the real debate over climate. Apocalyptic, doomsday thinking with thomas lombardo. Strozier john jay college, graduate center of the city university of new york, and training and research institute in self psychology this article explores the psychological meanings of the apocalyptic imagination in what i call a fundamentalist mindset. Students often think that their entry into the discipline represents an endpoint where everything good and true has already. Tracing the development of our expectation of the end of the world from the beginnings of history through the modern era, and examining the global challenges facing america today, authors mathew barrett gross and mel gilles combine history, current events, and psychological and cultural analysis to.
Without getting bogged down, john paul minda explains how a variety of mental processes contribute to and shape human thinking. The psychology of dystopian and post apocalyptic stories. A thinking persons guide to the apocalypse with a multifaith perspective now available on dvd a new, serious and provocative. Jan 24, 2017 many earnest sources of apocalyptic speculation, including the bestselling left behind series by the late tim lahaye and jerry b. Introduce psychology as an openended, growing enterprise. Ideas about the rapture, the year reign of jesus on earth, the reclaiming of the jewish homeland triggering the end of times, and dozens of others swirled around in the religious teachings i was subjected to in my parents church. Psychology of cyberspace transference to computers. Prophecies of the end times abound all over the world and have for decades upon decades. Jan 11, 2018 apocalyptic, doomsday thinking with thomas lombardo. I was in high school at the time when the friday the th and halloween series came out and we frequently headed to the theater in a group, where we huddled together in our seats. Adopting explicit critical thinking objectives, regardless of the domain of critical thinking, may entail some strategy changes on the part of the teacher. A frieze of skulls adorns the side of the tzompantli, the platform probably used to exhibit sacrificed prisoners at the ancient maya city of chichen itza. At the extreme end are people like camping or aum shinrikyo, a japanese doomsday cult that carried out sarin gas attacks on the.
Here he notes that biblical accounts of the apocalypse can be traced back, in great detail, to. Such an important coincidence of dates, the thinking went, must also signal the arrival of the apocalypse. Saturno believes the misconception of the end of baktun signaling an apocalypse is due to western arrogance mangling a cyclical concept of time to fit our linear version and a general. What religion and science tell us about the apocalypse. Only time will tell, but we need to start thinking about this now, she warned. The social consequences of apocalyptic thinking can cause a great deal of interpersonal anxiety in addition to deepening chasms between classes, races, and ethnicities in society once the barrier of politeness has been breeched.
Other people and society cannot be trusted to protect and take care of you. In many cases they borrowed the apocalyptic mind set from the world of christianity, where some fundamentalists devoutly point to the end of the. Millennials share of the housing market is small and shrinking. Doomsday cult is an expression used to describe cults which believe in apocalypticism and millenarianism, and can refer both to groups that predict disaster, and to those that attempt to bring it about to destroy the entirety of the universe. Although end times are by definition apocalyptic, envisioning a war that ends the world, for many christians it is an event to be welcomed, even hastened if at all possible. To those who dont circulate in fundamentalist religious crowds, apocalyptic thinkingthe belief that the world will soon be coming to an end, fulfilling biblical prophecymight seem strangely. An apocalyptic revelation might in theory be a crashing bore but all apocalypses worth attention rival the original one of. Im not a walking dead fan, which is surprising because i love binging on tv series and i loved horror movies as a teenager. Individuals with a history of traumatic experiences, for example, may be fatalistic.
According to ditommaso, the apocalyptic worldview isnt uncommon. So for some, anxiety spurred by the recent natural and economic disasters makes apocalyptic thinking more appealing, he says. At the extreme end are people like camping or aum shinrikyo, a japanese. Wells classic science fiction thriller, war of the worlds, which was also adapted into a screenplay for the identically named film released in 2005, and zombieland 2004, in which mankind is fighting to survive a zombie apocalypse. What is the underlying psychology behind apocalyptic prophecies, both. Cyberspace as psychological space why is this thing eating my life computer and cyberspace addiction at the palace the internet regression, by norman holland computerized psychotherapy y2k. How apocalyptic thinking prevents us from taking political action while americans take comfort in shows predicting disaster and myths about the end of the world, the real debate over climate.