StudentShare
Contact Us
Sign In / Sign Up for FREE
Search
Go to advanced search...
Free

Historical Background that Has Resulted in There Being So Many Apocalyptic Theories in America - Essay Example

Cite this document
Summary
The paper "Historical Background that Has Resulted in There Being So Many Apocalyptic Theories in America" states that Anthony Aveni’s  (2009) imagined correspondent, whom he calls Dylan, is presented as a typical young, educated citizen of Western liberal democracy…
Download full paper File format: .doc, available for editing
GRAB THE BEST PAPER97.6% of users find it useful
Historical Background that Has Resulted in There Being So Many Apocalyptic Theories in America
Read Text Preview

Extract of sample "Historical Background that Has Resulted in There Being So Many Apocalyptic Theories in America"

Discuss the historical background that has resulted in there being so many apocalyptic theories in America. Why might such theories be so accepted inAmerica today? Most human cultures have myths and stories about the end of the world and modern America is no different in that respect. This is prompted by the need that human beings have to ascribe meaning to the world around them. The founding of the new colonies by Puritans from England was in part fuelled by apocalyptic stories, and again in the middle of the nineteenth century there was an outpouring of millennial fever under New York Baptist leader William Miller.

In the twentieth century such fears were again widespread due to the fear of nuclear warfare. In present day America many of the old certainties of fundamentalist religion are being questioned, prompting some to reject these ideas, and others to cling more tightly to their literal interpretations of scripture. People are also influenced by science fiction, New Age religion, and all kinds of esoteric philosophies. Modern media feed the rational insecurities that people have, exaggerating the threat of natural disasters, wars, and economic crashes and this causes people to seek explanatory narratives that help them to understand what is going on around them, and to find their own role in a precarious world.

Anthony Aveni’s (2009) imagined correspondent, whom he calls Dylan, is presented as a typical young, educated citizen of a Western liberal democracy, who hears about impending Armageddon and is worried about it. In Dylan’s case the reason is his youth and inexperience, which makes him easy prey for charlatans, but there are other reasons such as disillusionment with traditional values, and a thirst for something dramatic and exciting to relieve the boredom of everyday life. People accept these narratives because there is a gap in their world view, and this is a suitable filler for the empty space.

ReferencesAveni, Anthony F. The End of Time: The Maya Mystery of 2012. Boulder, Co: University Press of Colorado, 2009.

Read More
Cite this document
  • APA
  • MLA
  • CHICAGO
(“Historical Background that Has Resulted in There Being So Many Essay”, n.d.)
Historical Background that Has Resulted in There Being So Many Essay. Retrieved from https://studentshare.org/history/1597913-anthropology-essay-2
(Historical Background That Has Resulted in There Being So Many Essay)
Historical Background That Has Resulted in There Being So Many Essay. https://studentshare.org/history/1597913-anthropology-essay-2.
“Historical Background That Has Resulted in There Being So Many Essay”, n.d. https://studentshare.org/history/1597913-anthropology-essay-2.
  • Cited: 0 times

CHECK THESE SAMPLES OF Historical Background that Has Resulted in There Being So Many Apocalyptic Theories in America

Was Jesus an Apocalyptic Teacher

hellip; But whether or not the critics accept the facts presented; whether or not they consider him another apocalyptic teacher, the reality is his teachings has changed much of the world, the lives of many, and a lot of societies value the ideals claimed to have emanated from him. Many believed Jesus was a teacher, a hero, a king, a God, who was the fulfillment of Gods promise of showing goodness first to his people-the Jews, then to the rest of the "gentile" world.... However, scholars and critics marked the contents of his messages as apocalyptic in nature and even classified him among the Jewish fundamentalists of his time who desperately portrayed the promised messiah to redeem his nation from hopelessness....
6 Pages (1500 words) Essay

Business management work

The period 1980-95 has been such a time, during which the consequences of a concatenation of trends have been echoed in the widespread reassessment of existing theories and frameworks. Economic recessions and periods of growth are noticeable and instantaneous demonstration of change, which have a direct consequence on the experience of employees, households as well as work organizations, and would be drawn upon in any elucidation of actual events.... The growth of flexible production systems, it is argued, has been escorted by organizational 'delayering' and the turning down of the long-term, single organization, career....
5 Pages (1250 words) Essay

Disappearing Genders: Genetic Technologies and Apocalyptic Feminism

Now, the problem of gender in its general feminist sense also has in it prominent traces of apocalyptic rhetoric that is linked with the developments in genetic engineering technology, which promises to go beyond existing limitations in the sphere of relations between sexes, and even in the sphere of human procreation.... It states that it centers not so much on the loss of our humanity as a whole, but rather is preoccupied with the detachment of reproductive roles from women and the consequent destabilization of conventional femininity....
10 Pages (2500 words) Essay

Apocalyptic and Paranoid Cultures in Contemporary Setting

In the 18th century, the Illuminati were accused of making a tea that resulted in abortion.... The goal of the assignment "Apocalyptic and Paranoid Cultures in Contemporary Setting" is to explain the concept of conspiracy theories as well as to critically analyze the legitimacy of the apocalyptic movement.... In the 1890s the American Protective Association claimed that there was an international Catholic conspiracy and went so far as to circulate bogus papal encyclicals that gave an ultimatum to all American Catholics to eliminate all heretics....
11 Pages (2750 words) Assignment

Cinematography in Apocalypto

In the opinion of many a viewer, it is a visceral visual experience that speaks volumes through its cinematography.... This essay focuses on cinematography in 'Apocalypto'.... In fact, most modern films are quite big budget affairs - with cinematography, visual direction, and visual effects....
6 Pages (1500 words) Essay

Jesus' Self Understanding

Whereas, in the case of the Schweitzerbahn camp, Wright takes a sceptical view stand, since this camp proposed that a great deal can be learnt from the life of Jesus but within the context of Judaism, with the viewpoint being eschatological.... There has been an ongoing quest in this direction, by detailing facts as to the sort of life Jesus led and the principles he followed.... right's book draws strongly from the social, political and religious milieu of Galilee, which has come about as a result of the recent spurt of interest in research on this particular subject matter, thus defining the quest to find out more about the Historical Jesus....
31 Pages (7750 words) Assignment

Historical Background Of Lincolns Position

The paper "Historical Background Of Lincoln's Position" discusses Lincoln's personality because in america he holds so high a moral status that his images and quotes are used as reference points to America's highest values.... At the beginning of the chapter, Mark highlights the historical background of Lincoln's position with respect to the US constitution.... many essayists writing about Lincoln often encounter conflicting moments when trying to balance the ideological sources of Lincoln's ridicules, and the highly-esteemed accolades that Lincoln's legacy enjoys today....
6 Pages (1500 words) Book Report/Review

The Background and Theories of Ivan Illich

Ivan Illich was a social philosopher with an admirable historical background.... This paper looks at the historical background of Ivan Illich and his theories that fall within the theme of education.... Ivan Illich moved to america in 1951and was assigned to Puerto Rican parish.... … The paper "The Background and theories of Ivan Illich" is a perfect example of a case study on philosophy.... The paper "The Background and theories of Ivan Illich" is a perfect example of a case study on philosophy....
6 Pages (1500 words) Case Study
sponsored ads
We use cookies to create the best experience for you. Keep on browsing if you are OK with that, or find out how to manage cookies.
Contact Us