You can't blame Hollywood and the travel industry for banking on Y2K mania. As P.T. Barnum said, no one has lost money overestimating the stupidity of the American public (or something like that). Americans have a long and proud history of buying into such nonsense.

Reaction to the end of the millennium, though, is proving Barnum wrong. Barring a last-minute rush of millennial lunacy, all the riot plans locked deep in the vaults of America's cities will be for naught.

What does this say about us? Is the media suddenly pulling through with some Y2K common sense? Has the wisdom of our leaders preventing the forecasted hysteria? Or are Americans simply unable to handle two holiday buildups at once--and have opted for Christmas consumerism over New Year's millennialism? Maybe all the Y2K anxiety the nation's pundits have been expecting will be condensed into the week between Christmas and New Year's.

But probably not. The way it looks now, however many real computer problems Y2K causes the social delirium isn't going to happen. Buying stock in the local gas mask company seemed like a good idea a year ago. Every once in a while, though, depending on the stupidity of strangers isn't such a safe bet after all.

Alan E. Wirzbicki '01 is a history and literature concentrator in Eliot House. His column appears on alternate Tuesdays.