The Institute for Human Continuity!...wat.

[Momo-P]

Has anyone else seen these absurd commercials? I just saw one for the first time and...I can't believe it. What the heck.

To sum it up, the commercial basically talks about how the world is gonna end in 2012 and how they've created a human lottery to ensure life survives. No, I am not kidding. And as if not annoying enough in itself, they actually cite the mayan calendar as evidence for this event taking place (because that's real hardcore evidence there) and even have the guts to say "modern science supports it"...since when?! All science I've heard regarding 2012 says nothing will happen...so what's with this institute?

To see people boldly lying like this is aggravating, but I guess I'm more concerned in what will happen when this ad becomes more widespread. Not only will people believe it because "tv told me", but you KNOW it's gonna lead to an insane amount of chaos and fear. I mean...crap. What the heck. ._.

[ich1990]

Just another viral marketing campaign, unfortunately.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2012_(film)

[Roy Mustang]

The Institute for Human Continuity is part of a viral advertising program developed by Sony to start encouraging movie goer interest for a new film called 2012.

[font="Book Antiqua"][color="Red"]Col. Roy Mustang[/color][/font]

[ninjaduckofdoom]

Nevermind, beat me to it. haha.

[Bobtheduck]

Stupid 2012...

It's going to be like Y2k, only the craziness will last a whole year instead of just New Years...

... Exploitation... I won't be seeing this movie. I'll try to keep people I know from seeing it, too...

[blkmage]

Someone should make a 2038 movie.

[Mr. SmartyPants]

Hahaha. Their commercial reminds me a whole lot of the Fallout Vaults.

[K. Ayato]

2012...Who cares? >_>

[Radical Dreamer]

XD I love viral marketing.

[sdzero]

Here we go again.

[Etoh*the*Greato]

2012...Who cares? >_>

I do, very much! They're running an election for leader of the Post 2012 world. I've entered myself in to the competition THAT I MIGHT RULE OVER ALL YE WORMS!

And why the hate, everyone? We've already established this is pretty clearly fiction. I love end of the world scenarios. Particularly as a roleplayer, they make for some really fun stories! May I remind you all, you anime lovers you ( ]great[/I] fodder for fiction.

[Bobtheduck]

The hate because, unlike most EotW type fiction, this is based on something a lot of people believe... Because some calendar from an ancient civilization ended there... This movie is exploiting people who are (whatever) enough to believe that.

I wonder how many of those nutbars also think the Bible's just "too unbelievable" (and how many of them ARE Christians, thinking the Tribulation will start then... Can't go too far without Christians tying all the end of the world theories into Revelations...)

[Radical Dreamer]

I wonder how many of those nutbars also think the Bible's just "too unbelievable" (and how many of them ARE Christians, thinking the Tribulation will start then... Can't go too far without Christians tying all the end of the world theories into Revelations...)

Hahaaaa, THAT train of thought stops there. Do recall our rules about sparking theological debates; you've been a member for a while and I'm sure you're aware of them.

[Arya Raiin]

The "End of the Wold" stuff does make good fictional stuff I must say. However, what about the people who DO believe in all of that stuff? There are some people out there who are lost who pick up everything that comes along. Those are the people we need to look out for and help. Also... what the heck?! They're taking that blasted calender and putting it everywhere and it makes me so mad to see them doing that! It's not right for advertisement to do that at all! If the Lord decides to come back in 2012 I can't wait, but also though he could come now if it was time too, or in 300,239,421! We will never know till the time comes back.

[ich1990]

2012 looks like it has enough Oh Glorious Destruction to make it worth watching, although I can't say it is high on my list. I will probably wait until it comes out on DVD or something though.

I wonder how many of those nutbars also think the Bible's just "too unbelievable"

"When people stop believing in God, they don't believe in nothing -- they believe in anything."

-G.K. Chesterton

[Doubleshadow]

I realized what it was right away. I visited the website for kicks. XD

[mechana2015]

The Paramount logo right at the beginning of the trailer on TV is a pretty good giveaway of what's up.

[CreatureArt]

What was that old radio broadcast serial... was it the original War of the Worlds? Whatever the show I seem to remember that back in the day a number of listeners believed aliens really had invaded and started to panic. A little reminiscent of that, isn't it?

[Warrior 4 Jesus]

Yes, it was the War of the Worlds radio broadcast.

Oh my goodness, CreatureArt's back! How are you doing mate? Haven't seen you in ages. How's Photosoph and your family?
God Bless you sister, have a blessed week.

[CreatureArt]

It was War of the Worlds? Great, looks like I didn't entirely tune out during that first-year media lecture!

Wow, nice to see you still around, W4J! Nice to see you still sporting the Tintin avatar. I'm in my last semester of study, finishing up a final class in 3D animation. The family are going strong, praise God!


I don't want to derail the thread so here's my little opinion on-topic: these sorts of 'fake-real' campaigns probably take advantage of our world-views being heavily filtered by mass media. When we see advertising that closely mimicks the way news shows and articles are presented it makes it a bit harder to determine what is credible information and what is some product or organisation trying to get public exposure.

I find the sorts of ads like this Institute for Human Continuity one clever, often well-crafted -- but very irritating! Fortunately this one in particular hasn't aired in NZ yet.

[Bobtheduck]

What was that old radio broadcast serial... was it the original War of the Worlds? Whatever the show I seem to remember that back in the day a number of listeners believed aliens really had invaded and started to panic. A little reminiscent of that, isn't it?

The 2012 thing didn't start because of some book or radio broadcast or movie, though... This is something people have been talking about and believed already...

This movie is exploiting that. It's exploiting people going around saying the world is gonna end because an ancient calendar stopped there... As if they were just going to keep it going forever.

As for, uh, theological discussions... Well, I think something along these lines is outside of normal theological debate, but I'll leave that point where it is, I suppose. Respectfully.

[Warrior 4 Jesus]

And here I thought the 'This movie is not yet rated' part at the ending of the trailer would be clue enough that it wasn't for real.

[Bobtheduck]

And here I thought the 'This movie is not yet rated' part at the ending of the trailer would be clue enough that it wasn't for real.

It's not so much just that people may think the report itself is real. It's that people think the world really is ending 2012. The movie, while not pulling a Blair Witch sort of scam (which would be rather difficult, as we're still in 2009) is still playing on all those people that freak out about the Mayan calendar.

[WhiteMage212]

I was watching movie trailers in the theater and when the preview came on for 2012, someone was going: OMG, is the world really going to end? I wonder what's going to happen? To me, the movie is nothing what the Bible says in revelation.

[Etoh*the*Greato]

It's not the point to be the end of the world according to Revelation. I kind of doubt it's the point to be the mayan return of Qetzaquatl either. I think they're just making a quick buck off of the whole ordeal.

[sdzero]

I was watching movie trailers in the theater and when the preview came on for 2012, someone was going: OMG, is the world really going to end? I wonder what's going to happen? To me, the movie is nothing what the Bible says in revelation.

Same here!

That trailer really upset some kids before G.I. JOE started. A bunch of crying kids in the theater...not exactly what you want to here before the movie starts.

[CrimsonRyu17]

I wonder if we should boycott movies like Terminator because it's making money off the concept of robots taking over the world in the future, which some people actually believe in.

[WhiteMage212]

I wonder if we should boycott movies like Terminator because it's making money off the concept of robots taking over the world in the future, which some people actually believe in.

Hey, at least the movies aren't about scientology with aliens coming back for us!

[Bobtheduck]

I wonder if we should boycott movies like Terminator because it's making money off the concept of robots taking over the world in the future, which some people actually believe in.

The two concepts are so distant, it's not even fair to compare them. The organized obsession with 2012 far outweighs some overzealous science fiction fans (unless you're counting Tom Cruise and John Travolta in that particular group of overzealous science fiction fans)

[Etoh*the*Greato]

Well, there was recently a panel to discuss the possibility of placing limitations on the extend of artificial intelligence research, and 2012 fever will only last as long as the trend. We'll have a new date for the end of the world soon enough.