the mayan date marks the begining of the end of this age of mankind. after the given date, there will be a period of "zero" which begins with the 23rd and lasts for a couple of months. next year is the begining of the fall that will last for at least a decade if not more..after the period of "purification" comes the begining of the so called golden age when mankind returns to a simpler state lving of the land and begins the new book of the human story.