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Preferred term

apocalypticism  

Definition

  • In 1987, the American alternative rock band R.E.M. produced an apocalyptic-themed song entitled “It's the End of the World as We Know It (I feel fine).” Fourteen years later, the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, instilled the song with new meaning. R.E.M.'s song described a series of catastrophic events associated with the end of the world: “earthquake, … birds and snakes, … aeroplane, … hurricane, … fire, … that low plane, … rapture, … foreign tower, … book burning, … bloodletting, … continental drift divide.” The song also revealed conditions that hid the impending destruction, things like “games, … government, … reporters baffled, … save yourself, … serve yourself, … six o'clock-TV hour, … a tournament of lies, … birthday party, cheesecake, jelly bean, boom!” (lyrics by Berry et al.). [Source: Encyclopedia of Religion in America; Apocalypticism]

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https://concepts.sagepub.com/social-science/concept/apocalypticism

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