--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The apocalypse is not something which is…" description: "\"The apocalypse is not something which is coming. The apocalypse has arrived in major portions of the planet and it’s only because we live within a bubb..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e7b/terence-mckenna-287_apocalypse_the-apocalypse-is-not-something-which-is_923701.png" --- # The apocalypse is not something which is coming. The… ![“The apocalypse is not something which is coming. The apocalypse has arrived in major portions of the planet and it’s only because we live within a bubble of incredible privilege and social insulation that we still have the luxury of anticipating the apocalypse.” quote by Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e7b/terence-mckenna-287_apocalypse_the-apocalypse-is-not-something-which-is_923701.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e7b/terence-mckenna-287_apocalypse_the-apocalypse-is-not-something-which-is_923701.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e7b/terence-mckenna-287_apocalypse_the-apocalypse-is-not-something-which-is_923701.png) > “The apocalypse is not something which is coming. The apocalypse has arrived in major portions of the planet and it’s only because we live within a bubble of incredible privilege and social insulation that we still have the luxury of anticipating the apocalypse.” [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The climate crisis is already happening globally, but many people remain insulated and can still imagine it as a distant event. **In simple terms:** The apocalypse is here, but privilege hides it for some. Key Takeaway Recognize and act on current environmental realities. Themes environment privilege awareness action inequality Mood urgent reflective concerned Type activist philosophical call‑to‑action When to use this quote - policy making - community activism - personal lifestyle changes - education campaigns Key Concepts climate change systemic risk social stratification Questions to Reflect On - How does privilege affect your perception of climate risk? - What actions can you take within your sphere of influence? A Different Perspective The quote may overgeneralize and ignore regional variations in impact. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Apocalypse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/apocalypse/) [Insulation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/insulation/) [Luxury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/luxury/) [Mind blowing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind-blowing/) [Privilege](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/privilege/) [Social](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social/) ## Related quotes > [“If Jesus predicted that the imminent apocalypse would arrive within his own generation, before his disciples had all died, what was one to think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bart-d-ehrman/if-jesus-predicted-that-the-imminent-apocalypse-would-arrive-within/) [Bart D. Ehrman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bart-d-ehrman/) > [The apocalypse is coming, that's the one thing I like about George Bush, I really think he can get us into the ... apocalypse,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patton-oswalt/the-apocalypse-is-coming-that-s-the-one-thing-i-like-about-george/) [Patton Oswalt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patton-oswalt/) > [“You said not to do anything that might accidentally contribute to the apocalypse,” Magnus said. “I know you were joking. But it’s less funny…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/you-said-not-to-do-anything-that-might-accidentally-contribute-to-the/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [Once we start believing that the apocalypse is coming, the amygdala goes on high alert, filtering out most anything that says otherwise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-diamandis/once-we-start-believing-that-the-apocalypse-is-coming-the-amygdala/) [Peter Diamandis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-diamandis/) > [The problem is that if we had known Satan was taking over the world we would have needed a whole other budget for, like,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-sherman-palladino/the-problem-is-that-if-we-had-known-satan-was-taking-over-the-world/) [Amy Sherman-Palladino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-sherman-palladino/) > [The shaman is not merely a sick man, or a madman; he is a sick man who has healed himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/the-shaman-is-not-merely-a-sick-man-or-a-madman-he-is-a-sick-man-who/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [Our world is in crisis because of the absence of consciousness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/our-world-is-in-crisis-because-of-the-absence-of-consciousness/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [The message of psychedelics is that culture can be re-engineered as a set of emotional and spiritual values rather than products. This is terrifying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/the-message-of-psychedelics-is-that-culture-can-be-re-engineered-as-a/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [We have been to the moon, we have charted the depths of the ocean and the heart of the atom, but we have a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/we-have-been-to-the-moon-we-have-charted-the-depths-of-the-ocean-and/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [The real secret of magic is that the world is made of words, and that if you know the words that the world is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/the-real-secret-of-magic-is-that-the-world-is-made-of-words-and-that/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [You see, a secret is not something untold. It’s something which can’t be told.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/you-see-a-secret-is-not-something-untold-it-s-something-which-can-t/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [We are led by the least among us - the least intelligent, the least noble, the least visionary. We are led by the least…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/we-are-led-by-the-least-among-us-the-least-intelligent-the-least/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [If the words 'life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness' don't include the right to experiment with your own consciousness, then the Declaration of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/if-the-words-life-liberty-and-the-pursuit-of-happiness-don-t-include/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [You are an explorer, and you represent our species, and the greatest good you can do is to bring back a new idea, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/you-are-an-explorer-and-you-represent-our-species-and-the-greatest/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [We are told No, you're unimportant, you're peripheral - get a degree, get a job, get a this, get that, and then you're a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/we-are-told-no-you-re-unimportant-you-re-peripheral-get-a-degree-get/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) ## More by Terence McKenna > [History was an incredibly damaging experience, and now it's over . . . in a sense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/history-was-an-incredibly-damaging-experience-and-now-it-s-over-in-a/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [We are somehow the children of the planet, we are somehow its finest hour; we bind time, we bind the past, we anticipate the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/we-are-somehow-the-children-of-the-planet-we-are-somehow-its-finest/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [The history of man that you don't know is what your unconscious is made out of. Just as the history of yourself that you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/the-history-of-man-that-you-don-t-know-is-what-your-unconscious-is/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [We are consciousness. We may not always be monkeys.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/we-are-consciousness-we-may-not-always-be-monkeys/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [What is happening here is we are living past the age, by the millions, living past the age where cultural values make any sense…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/what-is-happening-here-is-we-are-living-past-the-age-by-the-millions/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [What history is, essentially, is a careening, out-of-control effort to find our way back to this state of primordial balance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/what-history-is-essentially-is-a-careening-out-of-control-effort-to/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [And what is the primary datum? It's the felt presence of immediate experience. In other words, being here now is the primary datum.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/and-what-is-the-primary-datum-it-s-the-felt-presence-of-immediate/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [Our culture difinitely takes an egocentric dominator view. The fear of the psychedelic experience is quite literally the fear of losing control. Dominator types…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/our-culture-difinitely-takes-an-egocentric-dominator-view-the-fear-of/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [Every step into freedom contains within it the potential for greater bondage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/every-step-into-freedom-contains-within-it-the-potential-for-greater/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [This is the message of your life and my life - it’s that nothing lasts. Heraclitus said it: Panta Rhei. All flows, nothing lasts.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/this-is-the-message-of-your-life-and-my-life-it-s-that-nothing-lasts/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [I often like to think that our map of the world is wrong, that where we have centered physics, we should actually place literature…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/i-often-like-to-think-that-our-map-of-the-world-is-wrong-that-where/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [Knowledge, or verbal facility, is no proof that you know what you're talking about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/knowledge-or-verbal-facility-is-no-proof-that-you-know-what-you-re/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [No culture on earth is as heavily narcotized as the industrial West in terms of being inured to the consequences of maladaptive behavior. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/no-culture-on-earth-is-as-heavily-narcotized-as-the-industrial-west/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [Man was not put on this planet to toil in the mud. Or the god who put us on this planet to toil in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/man-was-not-put-on-this-planet-to-toil-in-the-mud-or-the-god-who-put/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [If you take psychedelics and the Internet and music and put all of that together you have the basis for a new community that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/if-you-take-psychedelics-and-the-internet-and-music-and-put-all-of/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) [Explore all 745 Terence McKenna quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) ## More Apocalypse quotes > [People always wonder when the world is going to end. I believe that the world will end when everyone stops loving.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nichole-fickes/people-always-wonder-when-the-world-is-going-to-end-i-believe-that/) [Nichole Fickes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nichole-fickes/) > [A South Korean inventor has finally created the robot that mankind has been waiting for. Scientists who have been worried about the robot apocalypse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-pesca/a-south-korean-inventor-has-finally-created-the-robot-that-mankind/) [Mike Pesca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-pesca/) > [The end of the world begins the moment you die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-graham/the-end-of-the-world-begins-the-moment-you-die/) [Billy Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-graham/) > [If it makes you feel any better, this isn't my first apocalypse. There is hope.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/if-it-makes-you-feel-any-better-this-isn-t-my-first-apocalypse-there/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [Funerals and weddings were commonplace, and nothing could have been so interesting to them as the coming of the end of the world ...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-eggleston/funerals-and-weddings-were-commonplace-and-nothing-could-have-been-so/) [Edward Eggleston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-eggleston/) > [“The world did not end with a bang, nor did it end with a whimper. It was more of a chomp. And a slurp.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-rudolph/the-world-did-not-end-with-a-bang-nor-did-it-end-with-a-whimper-it/) J. Rudolph > [Nuclear apocalypse-who do you need? Actors are probably not top of the list. What can I do for you? I can pretend to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-bale/nuclear-apocalypse-who-do-you-need-actors-are-probably-not-top-of-the/) [Christian Bale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-bale/) > [“It was a comfortable, familiar apocalypse,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-barnes/it-was-a-comfortable-familiar-apocalypse/) [Adrian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-barnes/) > [In the New Testament alone there are Gospels, acts, epistles, and an apocalypse. Gospels contain literary forms like miracles, parables, pronouncements, proverbs, farewell discourses,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-blomberg/in-the-new-testament-alone-there-are-gospels-acts-epistles-and-an/) [Craig Blomberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-blomberg/) > [The day came. The wrath descended. Sin, guilt, and retribution? The manic psychoses of those entities we referred to as states, institutions, systems -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-dick/the-day-came-the-wrath-descended-sin-guilt-and-retribution-the-manic/) [Philip K. Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/) > [“People have always been good at imagining the end of the world, which is much easier to picture than the strange sidelong paths of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-solnit/people-have-always-been-good-at-imagining-the-end-of-the-world-which/) [Rebecca Solnit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-solnit/) > [The awkward moment when you predict the end of the world and nothing happens :P](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-awkward-moment-when-you-predict-the-end-of-the-world-and-nothing/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I once fed a dog-fight operator to the dogs he had abused for so long, and do you want to know something? It felt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cedric-nye/i-once-fed-a-dog-fight-operator-to-the-dogs-he-had-abused-for-so-long/) [Cedric Nye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cedric-nye/) > [“You and I are victims of the same disease. 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