COMMENTARY: Doomsday in the News Again
The term "Doomsday" has appeared in the news recently. Originating from Old English around the 900s, it originally referred to Judgment Day—the final event when the Almighty separates the righteous from the wicked and assigns their fates. Today, its meaning has broadened to describe any catastrophic disaster that could bring about the end of the world.
I was reminded of Doomsday while watching the Netflix film A House of Dynamite. In the story, someone—likely North Korea—launches an intercontinental ballistic missile toward Chicago. The U.S. president has only 18 minutes to decide how to respond. This scenario evokes the Cold War era of the late 1950s and early 1960s, when fears of nuclear destruction were widespread.
- Schools conducted civil defense drills and taught nuclear decontamination techniques.
- Many people built home bomb shelters to prepare for nuclear attacks.
The mood of that time was captured in Stanley Kubrick's 1964 film Dr. Strangelove, a darkly humorous and ironic take on nuclear apocalypse. Anyone who watches A House of Dynamite should also see Dr. Strangelove.
“In Dr. Strangelove, the Russians develop a Doomsday Machine—a nuclear device set to automatically detonate if nuclear war breaks out, destroying the world and deterring any side from striking first.”
Over time, society has somewhat forgotten the specter of Doomsday as the threat of nuclear war faded.
Author's Summary: The evolving meaning of "Doomsday" reflects enduring fears of global catastrophe, echoed in Cold War culture and recent media, reminding us of the persistent threat of nuclear disaster.