Philsophy

Apocalyptic Moments in American History

Apocalyptic Moments in American History

Great Depression, September 11th, Economic Crisis of 2008

Great Depression, September 11th, Economic Crisis of 2008

Apocalyptic moments allow us to find greater meaning in the journey of life on earth. In this sense, apocalypse becomes a metaphor for the constant destruction and rebirth of identity. Moreover, apocalypses serve to dramatize and exaggerate the process of self-discovery, helping humanity to become aware of its role in the world and deliberately taking part in it. With this said, history often illustrates apocalyptic moments in the following man-made evils, the Great Depression, September 11, 2001, and the Economic Crisis of 2008 all of which are seen as catastrophic and horrifying events but which change life as we know it; it is out of these changes, ultimately there comes a rebuilding of hope.

In an apocalyptic moment like those that will be discussed, we see the revelation of something hidden after a seemingly destructive and tragic catastrophe which we believe to be the end of normality. What we see as the end of normality, perhaps an end of the world we had known, changes life from what we had previously identified with. Although this change causes a sense of panic, we eventually recover and realize there is a reason to hope for the future through the embodiment of a savior, individual or bodily in nature. This perceived savior, perhaps some intervention of God, leads us into a better world unknown before.

The start of the Depression began with the stock market crash, commonly referred to as Black Tuesday on October 29, 1929 when the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell and the market lost an estimated $9 billion in revenue. With the plummeting of stock prices, Americans grappled with the fear that there was “no hope of recovery”, resulting in a massive panic throughout the entire nation (About.com). Masses of people tried to sell their...