# Are we fear mongering, or is the world going to swallow us alive? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [May 30, 2010, 10:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-fear-mongering-or-is-the-world-going-to-swallow-us-alive/541277 "2010-05-30T10:24:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Swarog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a8b319/32.png) [@Swarog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swarog)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2010, 10:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-fear-mongering-or-is-the-world-going-to-swallow-us-alive/541277/1 "2010-05-30T10:24:42Z")
People are talking about global warming, volcanoes are erupting, we are warring in the middle east, etc…etc…etc…etc… Are we living in a tumultuous world that is about to erupt and swallow the human race alive, or is this all fear mongering and it’s been done since the beginning of the human race? ---
**Author:** ![Gfactor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de053/32.png) [@Gfactor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gfactor)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2010, 10:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-fear-mongering-or-is-the-world-going-to-swallow-us-alive/541277/2 "2010-05-30T10:29:58Z")
Moved from General Questions to Great Debates. **Gfactor** General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![ivan\_astikov](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/58f4c7/32.png) [@ivan\_astikov](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivan_astikov)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2010, 10:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-fear-mongering-or-is-the-world-going-to-swallow-us-alive/541277/3 "2010-05-30T10:41:40Z")
It’s fear-mongering, and mostly propogated by supposedly benevolent religious organisations, or at least their ignorant and superstitious members. The danger is, these fears can be used as a manipulative tool. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2010, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-fear-mongering-or-is-the-world-going-to-swallow-us-alive/541277/4 "2010-05-30T16:50:57Z")
Every single human in the middle east or living near a volcano could die tomorrow and humanity would carry on. The people trying to stir up these fears are waiting eagerly for someone to ask “well, what can we do about it?” and the answer will be “give us money.” ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2010, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-fear-mongering-or-is-the-world-going-to-swallow-us-alive/541277/5 "2010-05-30T17:03:26Z")
> [@muody25](#): > > People are talking about global warming, volcanoes are erupting, we are warring in the middle east, etc…etc…etc…etc… > Are we living in a tumultuous world that is about to erupt and swallow the human race alive, or is this all fear mongering and it’s been done since the beginning of the human race? It’s fear-mongering, and mostly propogated by supposedly benevolent press organisations, or at least their ignorant reporters and viewers. The danger is, these fears can be used as a manipulative tool. ---
**Author:** ![Llama\_Llogophile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@Llama\_Llogophile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Llama_Llogophile)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2010, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-fear-mongering-or-is-the-world-going-to-swallow-us-alive/541277/6 "2010-05-30T17:05:26Z")
It’s true that living on Earth is extremely dangerous. Very few people leave it alive. ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2010, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-fear-mongering-or-is-the-world-going-to-swallow-us-alive/541277/7 "2010-05-30T17:07:59Z")
> [@muody25](#): > > People are talking about global warming, volcanoes are erupting, we are warring in the middle east, etc…etc…etc…etc… > Are we living in a tumultuous world that is about to erupt and swallow the human race alive, or is this all fear mongering and it’s been done since the beginning of the human race? There have always been wars and volcanoes and I honestly haven’t seen too many people predicting dire consequences for the human race due to these things. Global warming is another thing all together and needs to be addressed. ---
**Author:** ![ivan\_astikov](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/58f4c7/32.png) [@ivan\_astikov](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivan_astikov)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2010, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-fear-mongering-or-is-the-world-going-to-swallow-us-alive/541277/8 "2010-05-30T17:10:25Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > It’s fear-mongering, and mostly propogated by supposedly benevolent press organisations, or at least their ignorant reporters and viewers. The danger is, these fears can be used as a manipulative tool. Good try, but who invented the whole Apocalypse thingamajig? I don’t think it was a creation of those guttersnipes, the press. They are just reporting a juicy story. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2010, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-fear-mongering-or-is-the-world-going-to-swallow-us-alive/541277/9 "2010-05-30T17:32:04Z")
I would say that in the next 70 or so years there is a pretty good chance everyone is going to die of something. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2010, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-fear-mongering-or-is-the-world-going-to-swallow-us-alive/541277/10 "2010-05-30T17:38:43Z")
The Black Death killed 50% of the population of Europe. The result? Not only did the continent recover, it prospered like never before. ---
**Author:** ![toofs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/4491bb/32.png) [@toofs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/toofs)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2010, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-fear-mongering-or-is-the-world-going-to-swallow-us-alive/541277/11 "2010-05-30T19:14:12Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > The Black Death killed 50% of the population of Europe. The result? Not only did the continent recover, it prospered like never before. If some thing or mechanism were to wipe out 50% of the population of the entire planet today, we would still have _3.4 billion_ humans running around. It would bring us back to the total human population of about 1960. [Cite.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_population) ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2010, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-fear-mongering-or-is-the-world-going-to-swallow-us-alive/541277/12 "2010-05-30T20:17:52Z")
> [@Mach Tuck](#): > > It’s true that living on Earth is extremely dangerous. Very few people leave it alive. About 6% of humans have never died. This percentage has been going up. ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2010, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-fear-mongering-or-is-the-world-going-to-swallow-us-alive/541277/13 "2010-05-30T20:19:59Z")
Well, there is ONE volcano that might wipe out most of humanity… But even it isn’t predicted to wipe out _everyone_… ---
**Author:** ![ivan\_astikov](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/58f4c7/32.png) [@ivan\_astikov](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivan_astikov)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2010, 7:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-fear-mongering-or-is-the-world-going-to-swallow-us-alive/541277/14 "2010-05-31T07:56:06Z")
You mean that one parked in Yellowstone? You’d really think North Americans would be trying to make friends everywhere, knowing their entire real estate portfolio could go up in smoke and ashes any year now. ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2010, 10:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-fear-mongering-or-is-the-world-going-to-swallow-us-alive/541277/15 "2010-05-31T10:39:38Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > The Black Death killed 50% of the population of Europe. The result? Not only did the continent recover, it prospered like never before. Oh, well, that’s alright then. :rolleyes: > [@davidm](#): > > There have always been wars and volcanoes and I honestly haven’t seen too many people predicting dire consequences for the human race due to these things. Global warming is another thing all together and needs to be addressed. This. ---
**Author:** ![ivan\_astikov](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/58f4c7/32.png) [@ivan\_astikov](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivan_astikov)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2010, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-fear-mongering-or-is-the-world-going-to-swallow-us-alive/541277/16 "2010-05-31T12:51:00Z")
> [@septimus](#): > > About 6% of humans have never died. This percentage has been going up. 100% of humans ARE going to die. That percentage has never gone down. ---
**Author:** ![DanBlather](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f4b2a3/32.png) [@DanBlather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DanBlather)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2010, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-fear-mongering-or-is-the-world-going-to-swallow-us-alive/541277/17 "2010-05-31T16:06:47Z")
Maybe the sky _will_ fall tomorrow, I doubt it though. ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2010, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-fear-mongering-or-is-the-world-going-to-swallow-us-alive/541277/18 "2010-05-31T18:35:10Z")
[QUOTE=ivan astikov] You mean that one parked in Yellowstone? You’d really think North Americans would be trying to make friends everywhere, knowing their entire real estate portfolio could go up in smoke and ashes any year now. [/QUOTE] There are several mega-volcano around the world, Yellowstone simply being one of them. And didn’t the Siberian Traps just about wipe out all life on earth? It could happen, though the probability of it happening in any given year is pretty small. > [@](#): > > Are we living in a tumultuous world that is about to erupt and swallow the human race alive, or is this all fear mongering and it’s been done since the beginning of the human race? Based on the past I’d say that we definitely live on a ‘tumultuous world’ that has the potential to swallow up all live on earth at any given time. The probability of one of those life destroying events happening at an given time are pretty small, but eventually they happen. It’s not all fear mongering, since the reality is that if humans live long enough as a species we’ll be put to the test at some point, just as our ancestors were put to various tests that nearly wiped us out in the past. I think people have the impression that the world is fairly peaceful, and that it’s only something like Global Warming (caused by humans) that is a threat. The reality is that the planet itself gives life and takes it away, and at any time it could kill us all in any number of ways…or a really big ass rock could smash into us out of the blue (so to speak), or a nasty gamma ray burst could hit us from a distant star, or the solar system could wander into the path of a waiting black hole (or a black hole could be moving in our direction ready to swallow us up), or space aliens who look like whales could wander into the solar system to ask why they have lost most communications with their relatives and decide to take steps, or… This is why I advocate humans spending a bit more time and effort in looking for ways to not have all our eggs on this one planetary basket. -XT ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2010, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-fear-mongering-or-is-the-world-going-to-swallow-us-alive/541277/19 "2010-05-31T19:21:44Z")
As it was pointed out by others, Global Warming is not really fear mongering, scientists for example see doomsayers like [Lovelock](http://www.realclimate.org/index.php/archives/2006/02/james-lovelocks-gloomy-vision/) as fear mongers, the most likely effects caused by global warming are bad but they are not the end of times. [http://www2.ucar.edu/climate/faq](http://www2.ucar.edu/climate/faq) The fear IMHO is not in nature, but in the lack of the political will to do something about global warming gases emissions among several powerful nations. Even then if what I fear takes place and very little is done, I do not see an end of the world; humanity will continue, but many will suffer in specific areas. [http://www.ucar.edu/news/features/climatechange/regionalimpacts.jsp](http://www.ucar.edu/news/features/climatechange/regionalimpacts.jsp) The sad thing is that it will be thanks to ignorance IMHO that those effects that could had been controlled early with less expense, will have to be in the future confronted with even more expensive mitigating works and technology. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2010, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-fear-mongering-or-is-the-world-going-to-swallow-us-alive/541277/20 "2010-05-31T22:01:13Z")
> [@muody25](#): > > People are talking about global warming, volcanoes are erupting, we are warring in the middle east, etc…etc…etc…etc… > Are we living in a tumultuous world that is about to erupt and swallow the human race alive, or is this all fear mongering and it’s been done since the beginning of the human race? My understanding of global warming is even if the worst happens, it won’t kill everyone. It’ll ‘just’ do trillions in property damage, cause tons of political instability, kill millions (instead of billions) due to disease and famine and by and large make life harder for people. Volcanoes have always erupted. As far as war in the middle east, we actually have far fewer military conflicts now than we did historically. At the same time we now have far more tools to destroy and harm ourselves than we used to. But we also have more tools to protect and sustain ourselves. If 99% of people die, that still leaves 68 million (the population in 1AD was about 250 million). And it doesn’t take much for people to survive. Basic food, basic medical care, basic shelter. So we’d rebuild.