Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Time Is, Time Was, Time is Past.

As you've no doubt noticed, (since the web is full of the news), today's date (well, today here in Europe & all points west at any rate - by now it was yesterday for NZ, Australia, and most of Asia), is a special one. 12/12/12 (whichever method of writing Common Era dates you use, it's the same).

Perfectly balanced dates like that only happen in the early part of each century - years 01 to 12 - so, barring a miraculous advance in medical science, and the extension of human lifespans, occurring any time soon, it's unlikely that any of us will be alive to witness the next time it happens - in 2101.

Mind you, I'm not really sure what all the fuss is about. I mean, why is there suddenly so much interest in it?? There wasn't this much attention paid to 09/09/09 or 07/07/07 was there?? Or did I sleep through it.

It's just a day.

And when you think about it all dating systems are pretty artificial really. All of them rely on some arbitrary point in time suddenly being declared of supreme importance. The founding of Rome. The (mistaken) year of a Jewish chap's birth. The birth of a prophet. The Emperor who devised a zodiac of animals. And some nomadic groups don't even bother with years at all. Only seasons matter.

All because humans have a need to mark time's passing. We're a strange species.

See you next week. Goodnight and may your God/s go with you.

Ze

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