Apocalypse

There seems to be a prevalent fascination with the concept of the world coming to an end among many people. While I'm certainly not obsessed with the idea, it's definitely something that's crossed my mind, and after all, how could it not? As someone whose studied so much history, literature, and religion, it's a concept that I've come across numerous times. Throughout history, countless cultures have had their own ideas about when and how the world as we know it will come to a halt. Some said it would come with a flood, some said with fire, some said its already ended before, and others say it will be by our own hand. I personally believe the last aforementioned fashion will be how it all goes down. It's not that I don't think a force of nature could finish off this world, I just think that based on what humanity has shown that it's capable of, us doing ourselves in sounds like the most plausible scenario. However, while it's possible that it could happen in an instant, I think it'll be more of a gradual decline. I don't think we'll go out in a fantastic explosion, I think it will be more of a steady fade. Obviously climate change is a huge topic that gets brought up when discussing the end of the world, and I think I've made my views on that matter as clear as I can. Still, it's possible that we'll just blow ourselves up. After all, it's a well known fact that there are enough bombs on this planet to destroy it many times over, and if that were to be the case, I have a strong feeling that my own nation would play a part in it. When world leaders have the power to destroy everything with an order, the possibility of everything we know ending abruptly is unfortunately all too real. But what should we make of that? Honestly, I believe it's best not to fret about it too much. If it happens it happens and there's not much any single person can do to change it. All we can do is sit tight and hope that, if conflict between nations of such a magnitude does come to fruition, the words of Abraham Lincoln will reach the right ears; "We are not enemies but friends. We must not be enemies. Though passion may have strained it must not break our bonds of affection. The mystic chords of memory stretching from every battlefield and patriot grave to every living heart and hearthstone all over this broad land, will yet swell the chorus of the Union, when again touched, as surely they will be, by the better angels of our nature." Of course he was referring to the United States in the wake of the civil war, but I've always felt that quote can easily be attributed to the much broader scope of humanity in general. It's a terrifying and sobering thing to think about, the idea that someday everyone and everything we've ever known will be gone, but that's just something we all need to come to terms with at some point. It's not easy, after all death in general is a concept that all too many people struggle to come to terms with, so naturally death on such a grand scale is almost incomprehensible. There is a silver lining though. Being armed with the knowledge that a very final end is possible, I think that should serve as motivation to make the most out of what we have. To live every moment of every day to the absolute fullest we can should be our top priority. To either take from, or leave a mark on this world before it turns to dust should be something that we all aspire to do. The idea of the apocalypse terrifies me, just as it has and does countless others as it rightly should, but we need to confront concepts that scare us if we ever want to live up to our fullest potential and truly make the most of the live that we have been blessed enough to have been given.