It should be easy for even a five-year-old to count from one to ten, but many cannot do that; else, why would people start raving about the end of the decade when we have yet another year to go?
The first decade in this era began in 1AD and ended in 10AD. Similarly, the 2010s, as some are inclined to call this decade, will end on 31 December 2020. Not tomorrow.
If UNIX geeks had started the count, then the decade would have ended in 9AD, for they would have called the first year 0AD. But they weren't around at the time. Tracking the beginning of time was done by people who counted in the traditional way.
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Minor correction. The last Xmas of the decade is in 2020. The first decade began in 1AD and ended in 10AD; the next decade starts in 2021 and ends in 2030.
— Sam Varghese (@varghose) December 26, 2019
This splurge of "end of the decade" stories does not come from just some outliers. No, major media outlets which should arguably know better are up there leading the queue.
This morning, the ABC's Radio National had a report which it claimed was about the political instability of the decade. One wonders what this august taxpayer-funded organ will do if the current Australian prime minister is toppled next year. Going by the correct way of counting — and there is no other way, though the ABC may have one of its own — any political chicanery of 2020 would be part of the current decade.
But "best of the decade" and "worst of the decade" stories continue to arrive by the dozen. And no doubt this rank stupidity will continue on the morrow.
One is sure, however, that many of those who are spreading the lie that the decade ends tomorrow will next year accuse others of spreading fake news.
