One of the reasons I chose to live in a rural area is because I'm literally surrounded by food and fuel. Some of it isn't all that easy to catch - I can't say I like the idea of having to learn how to trap and skin rabbits, especially as a vegetarian, and burning wood becomes a theoretical pastime when you have to chop it and carry it a couple of miles - but the chances of survival here during a crash are still far higher than in a city.

However - I'm fascinated by the persistence of apocalyptic memes. And I've seen so many now that I'll confess to not being entirely convinced by imminent doom. Specifically:

Surviving the end of the cold war, especially during its peak in the early 80s.

Watching various apocalyptic End Times New Age predictions which - coincidentally or not - were also popular in the 80s. Many of these were very, very silly, but that didn't stop people selling - and buying - maps of what the US would look like after Atlantis rose again.

Living through Y2K, which was marginally less silly, and the jury still seems to be out on how apocalyptic it would have been without massive contractor effort in the run up.

And now The Coming Crash...

There almost seems to be a need for this kind of economic disaster, especially on the Left. Possibly because the alternative would be slower, but much worse.

But something about the psychological power of the narrative is still interesting, and it's not clear yet to what extent there's a mythological element to it.