Extinction is the greatest disaster that humanity must avoid. While that may seem a simple enough task, it is also a gargantuan concept to contemplate. The hypothetical collapse of civilization depends on so many complex factors that it requires a broad look at a myriad of things to get a full, coherent picture.
A simple but effective way to visualize the end, utilized for many years, has been “The Doomsday Clock.” Though the Clock has many critics, it’s worth preserving as an icon symbolizing the threat to humanity.
The Clock itself is not a genuine countdown but a metaphor. Before the Cold War, the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists designed it in 1947 to portray the direction humanity was headed toward — and still is heading toward today. In this regard, it is also unique because it is not necessarily affected by the occasional news and events from daily life. Instead, the Clock is a general symbol of the threats imposed by vast issues like nuclear proliferation, climate change, the spread of diseases, artificial intelligence and notable geopolitical issues.
The Clock symbolizes the very foundation of our civilization. It examines the broad trends in our behavior, so it is affected not by the usual scandal of the week, but by what has festered beneath everyday news for years, even decades.
Actions of individual leaders or sensational events may represent memorable moments, but society often changes due to a much longer and more complex chain of events. A large catastrophe in history always involves many different factors that affect each other. Because of this, one must have a broad look at the world to see the direction where things are headed.
This perspective is key to understanding the purpose of the Clock, as reading the news regularly is bound to be a stressful thing to do. There is always another disaster, another tragedy ready to be shown on television or somewhere online. The effect of, and consequently the problem with, this is that one can get so desensitized to negative news that they lose sight of the big trends that shape our world.
I am imagining a countdown, where each of its seconds represents a different magnitude of danger. When the countdown begins, we might see the usual and redundant issues like corruption and overconsumption. These issues are usually mitigated through consistent reform, so they do not pose a challenge, even if they are significant. This is followed by major downturns in industry and civil order — economic upsets that result in lasting difficulties and discontent toward principles of law, signaling the subtle erosion of stability.
We then see more radical shifts, riots and mass violence, trade wars and arms races and, finally, open conflicts. Along with these, patterns of disease spread, followed by radical political movements and the suspension of civil rights for the public. From the most mundane to the most extreme, it makes more sense for the Clock to not just symbolize but also logically and scientifically measure the broad trends of humanity.
The Doomsday Clock is an effective metaphor but not a coherent tool. It must be reformed by defining the stages that lead a civilization to its devastation. Members of the Bulletin in charge of adjusting the Clock have long since branched out of their specialty of nuclear war and have included trends about the environment, politics and technology. The Clock should embrace the diversity of its interests and represent the direction we are headed on a scientific scale.
Desensitization is the root of the criticism against the Doomsday Clock. Many people across the world and across decades found its metaphor a loud but useless stunt. Its critics point out that the Clock does not follow a regular convention or scale; it predicts the incoming apocalypse in an arbitrary way that lacks or even defies nuance. This defeats the Clock’s purpose; it stops being a pragmatic tool for complex understanding and instead becomes a form of sensationalism.
Reforming the metaphor for a scientific purpose also clears up its deeper philosophical message, and that is something I want the public to be aware of. We may feel overwhelmed by the usual barrage of news to the point of apathy, but it is still our responsibility to be educated and well-informed citizens to defend our peace and democracy.
The Doomsday Clock is not only a loud warning against apocalypse but could potentially help us avoid disasters by safeguarding our civilization — from ignorance or from apathy. While it already serves as an iconic metaphor, it is time to make it an educational tool as well.
Deniz Gulay is a sophomore double-majoring in history and Russian.
Views expressed in the opinions pages represent the opinions of the columnists. The only piece that represents the view of the Pipe Dream Editorial Board is the staff editorial.