Iain Anderson

Director, Cicero

As I write this the world is supposed to have ended. While Mayan observers predicted the end of the world on 21 December, it seems many Britons went into hibernation in the middle of the month. So what is going on?

Dr Raj Persaud and Adrian Furnham

Consultant Psychiatrist and Emeritus Visiting Gresham Professor for Public Understanding of Psychiatry

If there is a recurrent pattern through history of believing in imminent apocalypse, does this begin to reveal more about our psychology? 'Apocalypticism' appears linked to certain religious and personality outlooks.

Andy Miah

Professor, University of the West of Scotland

However, that doesn't stop us from speculating over what it might mean, if it really was the end of the world. After all, we will be confronted with this at some point in the future, whether it is the Mayan predictions, global warming or some other global catastrophe.

Mark Borkowski

Publicist, author and agency head

If I could have one Christmas wish, it would be for our politicians to stop being too embarrassed to stand by culture and support it for fear of being branded 'elitist'. The Arts are for everyone, and nothing embodies this better than the volunteers who worked tirelessly to create the opening ceremony this summer.

Will Porter

Glam Rocking and Leftwing Politicking

I personally favour calling people out over their predictions and asking for an apology. The videos and blogs should remain online with an additional retraction by the author as a monument to delusion and a warning to others.

Rob Atkinson

Actor, writer and carer

I don't wish to be alarmist - are you sitting down? - but on the 21st December, we're all going to be abruptly vaporised.

Alice Grist

Author and Soul Rocks Books Publisher

I say we make December 21st our time to get real, get fabulous and start changing things for the better, get soulful, get spiritualized, one thought at a time.

Ellen Grace Jones

Arts and socio-political writer / Editor of Lifestyle For Women magazine / @EvolverLondon co-founder

In cultural terms the tiresome doom-and-gloom connotations stem from misguided interpretations of the calendar. It never meant, 'the end of the world', moreover, 'the end of the world as we know it.'