BRANDEN

Reasons to Give Up
Copywrite © 2003 Branden Davis

Alright, there are probably hundreds, thousands, or even millions of good reasons to give up on the world, life etc... What I intend to do is discuss them, one at a time.

Reason to give up #2

Ragnarok, the Apocalypse, Doomsday and other assorted world ending events: Either the giants will charge across the bridge and engage in the final battle with Odin and his Norse gods, or the Mayan calendar is correct and the world ends on December 23 2012 or the Rapture (where the Bible seemingly gets upset and destroys everything) will occur and a bunch of very devout, good people will disappear all at once, leaving room for the rest of us to throw one hell of a party. North Korea, or Pakistan, or India could get upset and start lobbing nuclear weapons around until the damage done is literally earthshattering. Eventually, we're screwed.

What I don't understand is the people with the bunkers to wait out the apocalypse. As if life after nuclear war will be so worth living. That tiny concrete hole in the ground won't make for good times no matter how many cans of baked beans ya have stashed. I don't care if ya have 5000 rounds of ammo stored for that far off rainy day, bullets won't improve the quality of life in your bolt hole. I remember back in the 80s, we always talked about the threat of being invaded by the USSR. Every redneck in middle America had some impregnable fortress intended to hold out against the rising commie tide in the ultimate battle of good (presumably us) versus evil (everyone else?).... There was even a mini series about it I think ... Was it called "Amerika" ???

The point is, on some level we know all things come to an end. Since sooner or later everything will all go to hell in a handbasket, no accomplishment will last. No effort will bring about lasting change. We may not live to see the final days (although I certainly hope I do), but our children will, or their children. The very end can't be too far off. So look back at your vast storehouses of human knowledge, your monuments to great leaders and events in human history, your big back yard and two car garage, your kids' college fund, your 401k plan, your Platinum Visa (tm), and kiss them all goodbye. Nothing you have done will survive the next big shakedown. Ask a dinosaur what to expect, because the next beings to follow in our wake will be hard pressed to believe we even existed. Our bones will not be evidence enough to discourage their clingy, desperate belief that some divine power or powers created all of eternity just for them. It won't be true for them, and it isn't true for us. You are doomed. I am doomed. We might as well give up.