2012
has often been touted as the year the world would end. When we think about the
end of the world, our minds would typically jump to scenarios that we have seen
in movies such as Armageddon, 2012, The Day After Tomorrow or even the Time
Machine and Wall-E. Either a meteor heading towards Earth, or insanely volatile
climate, or the breaking apart of the moon, or even an alien attack would kill
us all. Or at least, it would reset the world to the Ice Age where giant
cockroaches ruled the planet.
I
must admit, I have pretty much rubbished the claims that the world would end at
the end of this year. I might even venture a scoff if you tried to convince me
of it. Many of the scenarios from the movies above typically originate from
man-made errors. We consumed too much, were too greedy, and we were too late in
realizing the error of our ways. Most of the scenarios above were designed in
part to scare the living day lights out of us, so that we repent and perhaps
start recycling (if you haven’t already), or start driving hybrid cars, etc.
Dani
Rodrik, a professor at Harvard University, has a different take on how the world would end. His version depicts the beginning of the end from a less
likely source, albeit still man-made. He extends the great European debacle
into a apocalyptic scenario where all hell breaks loose and ends with an
interesting quote:
Many years later, Merkel, who has withdrawn from politics and become a recluse, is asked whether she thinks that she should have done anything differently during the euro crisis. Unfortunately, her answer comes too late to change the course of history.The political inaction of the Eurozone leaders will lead to a domino effect that would be the end of us all. Do have a read. What is scary is that, the scenario doesn't seem too far-fetched at all. I had likened the Eurozone crisis as being on the sinking Titanic, but perhaps, I didn't think big enough.
