Comments on: 2012’s Stupid, Stupid Plan to Save Humanity http://www.overthinkingit.com/2009/11/19/2012s-stupid-stupid-plan-to-save-humanity/ Overthinking It subjects the popular culture to a level of scrutiny it probably doesn't deserve. Sat, 20 Mar 2010 10:46:15 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Charlie http://www.overthinkingit.com/2009/11/19/2012s-stupid-stupid-plan-to-save-humanity/#comment-13728 Charlie Sat, 05 Dec 2009 18:02:41 +0000 http://www.overthinkingit.com/?p=11450#comment-13728 Zeppelins? Do you know how inefficient that would be? A zeppelin requires a HUGE mass to carry a very small amount of people... Zeppelins? Do you know how inefficient that would be? A zeppelin requires a HUGE mass to carry a very small amount of people…

]]> By: Aart http://www.overthinkingit.com/2009/11/19/2012s-stupid-stupid-plan-to-save-humanity/#comment-13586 Aart Tue, 01 Dec 2009 13:45:47 +0000 http://www.overthinkingit.com/?p=11450#comment-13586 I stumbled on this site by coincidence. Just wanted to say that I like the kind of perspective you give on films. And thank you for convincing me to watch 2012 after all. It sounds too horrible to pass up. I stumbled on this site by coincidence. Just wanted to say that I like the kind of perspective you give on films. And thank you for convincing me to watch 2012 after all. It sounds too horrible to pass up.

]]> By: Matthew Belinkie http://www.overthinkingit.com/2009/11/19/2012s-stupid-stupid-plan-to-save-humanity/#comment-13581 Matthew Belinkie Tue, 01 Dec 2009 08:54:27 +0000 http://www.overthinkingit.com/?p=11450#comment-13581 @M Chan - Okay, the bit about hundreds of thousands of people being chosen for their genes raises way WAY more questions than it answers. How, exactly, do you go about finding the most genetically perfect people on Earth? Who gets to decide the criteria? Where do you get everyone's DNA, and how can you analyze it quickly enough? And more importantly, how are these people told? "The bad news: the world is ending. The good news, we've stolen your semen, and we're very impressed." And how can you POSSIBLY stop these lucky few from leaking the truth to someone? I believe the billionaires keeping it a secret, because they are douches. And wait a minute: isn't this EUGENICS? Isn't there something really creepy about picking who get to survive based on their DNA? I can definitely understand why the screenwriters decided to skim over this as quickly as possible. - Matt @M Chan -

Okay, the bit about hundreds of thousands of people being chosen for their genes raises way WAY more questions than it answers. How, exactly, do you go about finding the most genetically perfect people on Earth? Who gets to decide the criteria? Where do you get everyone’s DNA, and how can you analyze it quickly enough? And more importantly, how are these people told? “The bad news: the world is ending. The good news, we’ve stolen your semen, and we’re very impressed.” And how can you POSSIBLY stop these lucky few from leaking the truth to someone? I believe the billionaires keeping it a secret, because they are douches.

And wait a minute: isn’t this EUGENICS? Isn’t there something really creepy about picking who get to survive based on their DNA?

I can definitely understand why the screenwriters decided to skim over this as quickly as possible.

- Matt

]]> By: M Chan http://www.overthinkingit.com/2009/11/19/2012s-stupid-stupid-plan-to-save-humanity/#comment-13578 M Chan Tue, 01 Dec 2009 05:27:10 +0000 http://www.overthinkingit.com/?p=11450#comment-13578 P.S. Also, interestingly enough, the movie also heavily implied that all the rich people were assigned the same ark (the so-called green ticket) which ended up being the ark that was damaged. If Oliver Platt had his way and all those people were left behind, then ironically none of the people who financed the project would have been ultimately saved. P.S. Also, interestingly enough, the movie also heavily implied that all the rich people were assigned the same ark (the so-called green ticket) which ended up being the ark that was damaged. If Oliver Platt had his way and all those people were left behind, then ironically none of the people who financed the project would have been ultimately saved.

]]> By: M Chan http://www.overthinkingit.com/2009/11/19/2012s-stupid-stupid-plan-to-save-humanity/#comment-13577 M Chan Tue, 01 Dec 2009 05:24:13 +0000 http://www.overthinkingit.com/?p=11450#comment-13577 I finally saw this movie today. I distinctly remember a part of the movie explaining that while seats were sold for 1 billion Euro a pop in order to finance the project, the vast majority of people saved were, in fact, ordinary people. The leaders hired geneticists to select the 800,000 (100K per ark) people who would best repopulate the human genetic pool. So it's not just about how rich you are, but who your parents are (so to speak). Also: among vehicles that can't start without the hatch closed: most commercial aircraft and the space shuttle. I finally saw this movie today. I distinctly remember a part of the movie explaining that while seats were sold for 1 billion Euro a pop in order to finance the project, the vast majority of people saved were, in fact, ordinary people. The leaders hired geneticists to select the 800,000 (100K per ark) people who would best repopulate the human genetic pool. So it’s not just about how rich you are, but who your parents are (so to speak).

Also: among vehicles that can’t start without the hatch closed: most commercial aircraft and the space shuttle.

]]> By: Tom P http://www.overthinkingit.com/2009/11/19/2012s-stupid-stupid-plan-to-save-humanity/#comment-13404 Tom P Tue, 24 Nov 2009 15:44:03 +0000 http://www.overthinkingit.com/?p=11450#comment-13404 <i>4. Why can’t you start the engines until the door closes?</i> This is in movies way more often then it should be and it annoys me every time. Thank you for pointing it out. 4. Why can’t you start the engines until the door closes?

This is in movies way more often then it should be and it annoys me every time. Thank you for pointing it out.

]]> By: undead astronauts » china welcomes the end of the world (the movie) http://www.overthinkingit.com/2009/11/19/2012s-stupid-stupid-plan-to-save-humanity/#comment-13389 undead astronauts » china welcomes the end of the world (the movie) Mon, 23 Nov 2009 15:47:04 +0000 http://www.overthinkingit.com/?p=11450#comment-13389 [...] that bit out of the way, i’m going to critique the movie a bit. at overthinking it, the blogger notes a really critical piece of engineering stupidity. a major plot point for the [...] [...] that bit out of the way, i’m going to critique the movie a bit. at overthinking it, the blogger notes a really critical piece of engineering stupidity. a major plot point for the [...]

]]> By: Brian http://www.overthinkingit.com/2009/11/19/2012s-stupid-stupid-plan-to-save-humanity/#comment-13369 Brian Fri, 20 Nov 2009 16:27:12 +0000 http://www.overthinkingit.com/?p=11450#comment-13369 Yes, why have only one place to build your wonderful arks? (Other than the fact that China is about the only country left with any serious ability to fabricate such a thing.) They had to keep it secret or all we would have done is endlessly debate what to do and who should pay for it. (case in point: health care "crisis") What I loved is how all the people that had tickets for the damaged ark were just standing around behind the glass doors. I've seen less patient folks at airports, no way they were going to just wait for their boarding call. Especially considering the price of tickets. And of course the exotic animals were doomed, but did they save any chickens or cattle? Or grain? What are all these people going to eat when the MREs run out? Finally - the world is trashed, hours away from total devastation, and dude in India can still make cell phone calls? I guess there's a map for that. Yes, why have only one place to build your wonderful arks? (Other than the fact that China is about the only country left with any serious ability to fabricate such a thing.)

They had to keep it secret or all we would have done is endlessly debate what to do and who should pay for it. (case in point: health care “crisis”)

What I loved is how all the people that had tickets for the damaged ark were just standing around behind the glass doors. I’ve seen less patient folks at airports, no way they were going to just wait for their boarding call. Especially considering the price of tickets.

And of course the exotic animals were doomed, but did they save any chickens or cattle? Or grain? What are all these people going to eat when the MREs run out?

Finally – the world is trashed, hours away from total devastation, and dude in India can still make cell phone calls? I guess there’s a map for that.

]]> By: Mads Ejstrup http://www.overthinkingit.com/2009/11/19/2012s-stupid-stupid-plan-to-save-humanity/#comment-13364 Mads Ejstrup Fri, 20 Nov 2009 09:10:07 +0000 http://www.overthinkingit.com/?p=11450#comment-13364 To make the ark plan even more stupid the have built them in the Himalaya. I know that there is not many earthquakes in the Himalaya but they a mountains created by a collison of two tectonic plates. Given the nature of the disaster there is a great chance that the Himalaya would become quite unstable. To make the ark plan even more stupid the have built them in the Himalaya. I know that there is not many earthquakes in the Himalaya but they a mountains created by a collison of two tectonic plates. Given the nature of the disaster there is a great chance that the Himalaya would become quite unstable.

]]> By: pave http://www.overthinkingit.com/2009/11/19/2012s-stupid-stupid-plan-to-save-humanity/#comment-13363 pave Fri, 20 Nov 2009 06:05:20 +0000 http://www.overthinkingit.com/?p=11450#comment-13363 also how did no one else on the planet see it coming? where are the tweeters? is woody harrelson the only conspiracy nut around? grr. also how did no one else on the planet see it coming? where are the tweeters? is woody harrelson the only conspiracy nut around? grr.

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