There are some differences between the Apocalypse and Ragnarök. You can argue and reason that Ragnarök is an Apocalypse, although there are many different kinds of Apocalypses and you don’t have to have just one. It’s like a party platter, multiple apocalypses can exist at the same time.
I would even argue that we’re in an apocalypse right now, but for that discussion, we have to get down to the etymological roots of the issues.
Ragnarök
The Origin of the word Ragnarök comes from Norsk,
in Norse mythology, the last battle of the world, in which gods and men will be destroyed by monsters and darkness, 1770, from Old Norse Ragnarök, from ragna, genitive of rögn “gods” + rök “destined end” or rökr “twilight,” which is related to reykr “smoke, steam”
-Online Etymology
So Ragnarök is about the end of the order of the gods.
There are generally three camps towards the Ragnarök.
- It’s a story and isn’t real or based in reality
- The Ragnorak will happen and the story is a prophecy
- Ragnorak has already happened and the story is history
Well, without much talk about the first camp, we can discuss a little bit about the second and third.
Which brings me to the comparison of the word Apocalypse.
Apocalypse.
Prefix ‘Apo-‘ meaning ‘from’
Suffix ‘-calypse’ meaning ‘shadows’ or ‘veil’
So an Apocalypse is to lift the veil, to uncover the truth. In other words, ‘the great awakening’.
Related to the Greek Goddess Calypso for ‘Calypse’.
So Ragnarök is one type of Apocalypse.
And not all Apocalypses are Ragnaröks, simply because it’s not always relating to the gods.
Arguably, we are in an apocalypse at all times. Things are constantly changing and people are becoming aware of plenty of new things under the sun.
In recent years, there’s been a resurgence of free flowing information. The idea that many truths are being revealed and mingling out in the open to show everyone the truths that they see. Mixing with falsehoods as well.
As if the internet was pandora’s box and it reached critical mass influx or singularity some point in the past.
TikTok for instance is often derided for it’s dance videos and silly time waster, but it also hosted critical critiques on society from institutional malfeasance to grass roots policy reforms. It became so much of an issue that policy reforms targeted and grilled the CEO of Tiktok.
X when it was known as Twitter used to be a powerful decentralization rallying movement for political activists. Flash mobs and flash protests could assemble from a single tweet from an account predetermined by a guerilla group. Many nations across the world were protesting in the Middle East, Iran, Hong Kong, France, all thanks to the speed of communication in the movements.
It’s no wonder that the FBI and other government agencies have implanted themselves deep within social media platforms like Twitter.
Perhaps we’re in the Kali phase of the Hindu tradition. The worst throw of the dice. Perhaps our golden years are almost over, perhaps.
It’s not clear what’s next, but arguably with the ongoing Nietzsche death of religious modalities and the rise of atheism, we’re having a separate Ragnarök to go with our current Apocalypses.
It’s merely more great awakenings and rises of truth in different lights.
Epilogue,
I’m merely saying that a great awakening or a great revelation is an apocalypse in the sense of it revealing truths and uncovering the veil. That, and that Ragnarök is relating to the gods.
These words need not be necessarily emotionally charged with fear or sadness, because it’s not simply an ending, but it’s also a beginning too.
Words Mean Things 
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