--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Now the End of the World is an…" description: "\"“Now the End of the World is an abstraction because it has never happened. It has no existence in the real world. It will cease to be an abstraction on..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f80/hakim-bey-17371_abstraction_now-the-end-of-the-world-is-an-abstracti_2909217.jpg" --- # Now the End of the World is an abstraction because it has… ![“Now the End of the World is an abstraction because it has never happened. It has no existence in the real world. It will cease to be an abstraction only when it happens--if it happens. (I do not claim to know "God's mind" on the subject- -nor to possess any scientific knowledge about a still non…” quote by Hakim Bey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f80/hakim-bey-17371_abstraction_now-the-end-of-the-world-is-an-abstracti_2909217.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f80/hakim-bey-17371_abstraction_now-the-end-of-the-world-is-an-abstracti_2909217.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f80/hakim-bey-17371_abstraction_now-the-end-of-the-world-is-an-abstracti_2909217.jpg) > ““Now the End of the World is an abstraction because it has never happened. It has no existence in the real world. It will cease to be an abstraction only when it happens--if it happens. (I do not claim to know "God's mind" on the subject- -nor to possess any scientific knowledge about a still non- existent future). I see only a mental image & its emotional ramifications; as such I identify it as a kind of ghostly virus, a spook-sickness in myself which ought to be expunged rather than hypochondriacally coddled & indulged. I have come to despise the "End of the World" as an ideological icon held over my head by religion, state, & cultural milieu alike, as a reason for doing nothing .”” [Hakim Bey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hakim-bey/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The concept of apocalypse is a mental construct used to paralyze action; it should be discarded. **In simple terms:** Apocalypse is a mental virus. Key Takeaway Reject fear‑based narratives. Themes nihilism politics psychology Mood critical philosophical Type theoretical provocative When to use this quote - political activism - personal decision‑making - future planning Key Concepts existentialism cultural critique Questions to Reflect On - What “end of world” fears limit you? - How can you replace fear with agency? A Different Perspective Fear of the unknown can stall progress. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Abstraction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abstraction/) [End of the world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/end-of-the-world/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Real world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real-world/) [Scientific knowledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scientific-knowledge/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [Become aware of internal, subjective, sub-verbal experiences, so that these experiences can be brought into the world of abstraction...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-maslow/become-aware-of-internal-subjective-sub-verbal-experiences-so-that/) [Abraham Maslow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-maslow/) > [I am mainly concerned with unqualified knowledge, by contrast with the varieties of expert knowledge: scientific knowledge of various sorts, legal knowledge, medically expert…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-sosa/i-am-mainly-concerned-with-unqualified-knowledge-by-contrast-with-the/) [Ernest Sosa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-sosa/) > [Those Dutchmen had hardly any imagination or fantasy, but their good taste and their scientific knowledge of composition were enormous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/those-dutchmen-had-hardly-any-imagination-or-fantasy-but-their-good/) [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [During the first half of the present century we had an Alexander von Humboldt, who was able to scan the scientific knowledge of his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-von-helmholtz/during-the-first-half-of-the-present-century-we-had-an-alexander-von/) [Hermann von Helmholtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-von-helmholtz/) > [“Human society should very seriously understand that the body itself is the source of all miserable life. 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It isn’t absurd, e.g., to believe that the age of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-wittgenstein/the-truly-apocalyptic-view-of-the-world-is-that-things-do-not-repeat/) [Ludwig Wittgenstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-wittgenstein/) > [“As I see it the world is undoubtedly in need of a new religion, and that religion must be founded on humanist principles. When…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-huxley/as-i-see-it-the-world-is-undoubtedly-in-need-of-a-new-religion-and/) [Julian Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-huxley/) > [The fact that these scientific theories have a fine track record of successful prediction and explanation speaks for itself. (Which is not to say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-kornblith/the-fact-that-these-scientific-theories-have-a-fine-track-record-of/) [Hilary Kornblith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-kornblith/) > [“Science can now help us to understand ourselves in this way by giving factual information about brain structure and function, and how the mind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bohm/science-can-now-help-us-to-understand-ourselves-in-this-way-by-giving/) [David Bohm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bohm/) > [“To the point: A woman who wants to terminate her pregnancy has to make her decision in the context of a culture that shames…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willie-parker/to-the-point-a-woman-who-wants-to-terminate-her-pregnancy-has-to-make/) [Willie Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willie-parker/) > [“Yet the paradox is that scientific methodology is the product of human hands and thus cannot reach some permanent truth. We build scientific theories…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kalanithi/yet-the-paradox-is-that-scientific-methodology-is-the-product-of/) [Paul Kalanithi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kalanithi/) > [“If my duty to my parents is a superstition, then so is my duty to posterity. If justice is a superstition, then so is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/if-my-duty-to-my-parents-is-a-superstition-then-so-is-my-duty-to/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [Science is not marginal. Like art, it is a universal possession of humanity, and scientific knowledge has become a vital part of our species'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-o-wilson/science-is-not-marginal-like-art-it-is-a-universal-possession-of/) [E. O. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-o-wilson/) > [What our species needs, above all else, is a generally accepted ethical system that is compatible with the scientific knowledge we now possess.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/what-our-species-needs-above-all-else-is-a-generally-accepted-ethical/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Hakim Bey > [Don't just survive while waiting for someone's revolution to clear your head.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hakim-bey/don-t-just-survive-while-waiting-for-someone-s-revolution-to-clear/) [Hakim Bey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hakim-bey/) > [Only the dead are truly smart, truly cool. Nothing touches them. While I live, however, I side with bumbling suffering crooked life, with anger…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hakim-bey/only-the-dead-are-truly-smart-truly-cool-nothing-touches-them-while-i/) [Hakim Bey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hakim-bey/) > [The autonomy of the individual appears to be complemented and enhanced by the movement of the group; while the effectiveness of the group seems…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hakim-bey/the-autonomy-of-the-individual-appears-to-be-complemented-and/) [Hakim Bey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hakim-bey/) > [...only drugs make you feel as good as people in TV ads appear to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hakim-bey/only-drugs-make-you-feel-as-good-as-people-in-tv-ads-appear-to-be/) [Hakim Bey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hakim-bey/) > [The dullard finds even wine tasteless, while the sorcerer is intoxicated by the mere sight of water.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hakim-bey/the-dullard-finds-even-wine-tasteless-while-the-sorcerer-is/) [Hakim Bey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hakim-bey/) > [If rulers refuse to consider poems as crimes, then someone must commit crimes that serve the function of poetry, or texts that possess the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hakim-bey/if-rulers-refuse-to-consider-poems-as-crimes-then-someone-must-commit/) [Hakim Bey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hakim-bey/) > [Art tells gorgeous lies that come true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hakim-bey/art-tells-gorgeous-lies-that-come-true/) [Hakim Bey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hakim-bey/) > [The Universe wants to play. Those who refuse out of dry spiritual greed & choose pure contemplation forfeit their humanity - those who refuse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hakim-bey/the-universe-wants-to-play-those-who-refuse-out-of-dry-spiritual/) [Hakim Bey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hakim-bey/) > [Sorcery: the systematic cultivation of enhanced consciousness or non-ordinary awareness & its deployment in the world of deeds & objects to bring about desired results.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hakim-bey/sorcery-the-systematic-cultivation-of-enhanced-consciousness-or-non/) [Hakim Bey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hakim-bey/) > [“i am awake only in what i love & desire to the point of terror -- everything else is just shrouded furniture, quotidian anaesthesia,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hakim-bey/i-am-awake-only-in-what-i-love-desire-to-the-point-of-terror/) [hakim bey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hakim-bey/) > [Sorcery breaks no law of nature because there is no Natural Law, only the spontaneity of natura naturans, the tao. Sorcery violates laws which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hakim-bey/sorcery-breaks-no-law-of-nature-because-there-is-no-natural-law-only/) [Hakim Bey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hakim-bey/) > [The media of sameness and separation represent the world in its most religious form - the structuring of the social in images.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hakim-bey/the-media-of-sameness-and-separation-represent-the-world-in-its-most/) [Hakim Bey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hakim-bey/) > [A Tong can perhaps be defined as a mutual benefit society for people with a common interest which is illegal or dangerously marginal -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hakim-bey/a-tong-can-perhaps-be-defined-as-a-mutual-benefit-society-for-people/) [Hakim Bey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hakim-bey/) > [“Poetic Terrorism WEIRD DANCING IN ALL-NIGHT computer-banking lobbies. Unauthorized pyrotechnic displays. Land-art, earth-works as bizarre alien artifacts strewn in State Parks. Burglarize houses but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hakim-bey/poetic-terrorism-weird-dancing-in-all-night-computer-banking-lobbies/) [Hakim Bey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hakim-bey/) > [Chaos comes before all principles of order & entropy, it's neither a god nor a maggot, its idiotic desires encompass & define every possible…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hakim-bey/chaos-comes-before-all-principles-of-order-entropy-it-s-neither-a-god/) [Hakim Bey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hakim-bey/) [Explore all 37 Hakim Bey quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hakim-bey/) ## More Abstraction quotes > [Everything in dancing is style, allusion, the essence of many thoughts and feelings. The abstraction of many moments.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alvin-ailey/everything-in-dancing-is-style-allusion-the-essence-of-many-thoughts/) [Alvin Ailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alvin-ailey/) > [The premises from which we begin are not arbitrary ones, not dogmas, but real premises from which abstraction can only be made in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melchor-lim/the-premises-from-which-we-begin-are-not-arbitrary-ones-not-dogmas/) [Melchor Lim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melchor-lim/) > [Two elements are needed to form a truth - a fact and an abstraction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/remy-de-gourmont/two-elements-are-needed-to-form-a-truth-a-fact-and-an-abstraction/) [Remy de Gourmont](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/remy-de-gourmont/) > [But we must not underestimate the potency of the mathematical process of abstraction. A surprising variety of things happen to have both magnitude and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/banesh-hoffmann/but-we-must-not-underestimate-the-potency-of-the-mathematical-process/) Banesh Hoffmann > [Sometimes I start in a very realistic fashion, and as I go on from one painting to another of the same kind, it becomes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georgia-o-keeffe/sometimes-i-start-in-a-very-realistic-fashion-and-as-i-go-on-from-one/) [Georgia O'Keeffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georgia-o-keeffe/) > [I like residing in abstraction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sufjan-stevens/i-like-residing-in-abstraction/) [Sufjan Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sufjan-stevens/) > [Cancer begins and ends with people. In the midst of scientific abstraction, it is sometimes possible to forget this one basic fact. Doctors treat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/june-goodfield/cancer-begins-and-ends-with-people-in-the-midst-of-scientific/) [June Goodfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/june-goodfield/) > [Yes, there was an element of abstraction and unreality in misfortune. But when an abstraction starts to kill you, you have to get to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/yes-there-was-an-element-of-abstraction-and-unreality-in-misfortune/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [Computer Science is a science of abstraction -creating the right model for a problem and devising the appropriate mechanizable techniques to solve it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-aho/computer-science-is-a-science-of-abstraction-creating-the-right-model/) Alfred Aho > [In 'Self Comes to Mind' I pay a lot of attention to simple creatures without brains or minds, because those 'cartooned abstractions of who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonio-damasio/in-self-comes-to-mind-i-pay-a-lot-of-attention-to-simple-creatures/) [Antonio Damasio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonio-damasio/) > [Don't get stuck on the level of words. A word is no more than a means to an end. It's an abstraction. Not unlike…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/don-t-get-stuck-on-the-level-of-words-a-word-is-no-more-than-a-means/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [Holidays are in no sense an alternative to the congestion and bustle of the cities and work. Quite the contrary. People look to escape…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-baudrillard/holidays-are-in-no-sense-an-alternative-to-the-congestion-and-bustle/) [Jean Baudrillard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-baudrillard/) > [The pragmatist turns away from abstraction and insufficiency, from verbal solutions, from bad a priori reasons, from fixed principles, closed systems, and pretended absolutes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-james/the-pragmatist-turns-away-from-abstraction-and-insufficiency-from/) [William James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-james/) > [ I'd say that \[Louis\] Brandeis practiced a kind of a "living originalism," to use the title of Jack Balkin's great book. He said you… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-rosen/i-d-say-that-louis-brandeis-practiced-a-kind-of-a-living-originalism/) [Jeffrey Rosen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-rosen/) > [When novels deal in abstractions, they generally go off the rails.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philipp-meyer/when-novels-deal-in-abstractions-they-generally-go-off-the-rails/) [Philipp Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philipp-meyer/) [Browse all 562 Abstraction quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abstraction/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Now the End of the World is an abstraction because it has never happened. It has no existence in the real world. It will cease to be an abstraction only when it happens--if it happens. (I do not claim to know \"God's mind\" on the subject- -nor to possess any scientific knowledge about a still non- existent future). 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