Exactly. I find, quite often, that people are generally unaware of their environment. I often point out amazing cloud formations or sundogs to people around me, and they're equally often quite stunned when they suddenly notice something that was in front of their faces for over 20 minutes.

Likewise for movement of the sun and stars over months. Every year around this time of year, my mom comments in surprise at how soon it gets dark. I'm certain if someone said to her that it was a result of 2012 that she would be completely convinced that the sun had always set at 9:30pm and that the sun setting at 5pm was a sign of DOOM.