2012 END LIFE??

When we look at things that are happening today, I think it's really easy to see where we're headed and what our big challenges are going to be, and these are some of the things that seem to be leading up to a very cyclical change, a transformative time. However, it's not necessarily going to be a smooth time. I think if we look at what's going on with the global economy, we can see in the lifestyle that people have been leading in the wealthy nations that the paradigm is definitely changing from 'me' to 'we'.

We are looking at simplification, people having to cut down on things that were luxuries and really taking a good look at how they're living. Are they living beyond their means? Is it making them happy? That's probably the biggest thing we face. The global climate change is possibly even bigger, but not on as many people's minds because it doesn't affect your day-to-day life the way your pocketbook does.

We're seeing a lot of the effects of global climate change in the Pacific Islands and far off places where things are definitely changing. It's sort of a harbinger for what's going to be coming for the rest of us. Another big one is to look at what's going on with swine flu. A lot of people will say, "It's not as bad as they said it was," but we have to realize that this is an epidemic that was sprung on us very quickly.

It was not in the news one day and then in the news the next, and that's what happens with infectious disease. We have forgotten what a threat that is. The more of a global economy we have, the more we're going to be facing possible pandemics. This is because people travel more; they do more business in other countries. People are going away on vacations, so the spread of infectious disease becomes an even bigger threat. Of course, it also leads to the possible threat of bioterrorism. Those are three major challenges.

Probably the fourth is our health. Obesity in America is becoming a major, major issue even with children. We have diseases related to stress that are skyrocketing: autoimmune diseases in young women, heart disease, and different types of cancers. These are challenges that we're facing now that are only going to escalate as we head into 2012. Do they have anything to do with the Mayan calendar? We don't know. Perhaps the Maya were able to see that this is going to be a time of great resistance and great change.