Humanity’s Doomsday Theatre of the Absurd: How Experts and Billionaires Keep Us Terrified, for Profit, By James Reed

It's that magical time again: the news cycle once more declares the end of civilisation. This week's special? A one-in-six chance humanity will vanish by 2100. Tomorrow? Maybe fifty-fifty; wait that one has already been played! The week after? Solar flares, AI misalignment, or some newly discovered "engineered pandemic." Every headline promises apocalypse, every expert quote heightens dread, and we, the obedient audience, click in terror. Or, at least, we are supposed to.

But here's the twist: the real action is happening off-screen. While we obsess over probabilities like 19 percent or 50-50, the billionaires are quietly executing their contingency plans. Peter Thiel buys a chunk of New Zealand. Sam Altman negotiates evacuation rights with him. Mark Zuckerberg constructs a fortress, presumably with a moat, laser turrets, and an AI butler named "Obedience.exe." Meanwhile, we sit on our couches, refreshing the news, waiting for the clock to strike midnight.

Historical patterns, inequality, elite overreach, societal mismanagement, do show how civilisations self-destruct. But there's a difference between "historical pattern" and "imminent apocalypse." Yet the media knows the best way to keep eyeballs glued to the screen: inflate probabilities, mix in AI, climate, nuclear war, sprinkle with pandemics, and top with a trending hashtag. Cue panic. Cue viral TikToks of melting glaciers. Cue sleep apnoea pillows and "miracle arthritis cures" in sidebars. Profit. Repeat.

And here's the delicious irony: these experts' prophecies fail, spectacularly, time and time again. Humanity doesn't vanish. Civilisations don't spontaneously combust in alignment with expert odds. But that doesn't matter. Each failed prophecy is instantly forgotten, replaced by the next apocalyptic forecast, as doomsday cults do. The cycle is self-perpetuating: panic, sell, forget, repeat.

Meanwhile, the elites don't panic, they prepare. Bunkers, fortified compounds, exclusive evacuation plans. The apocalypse is not for them; it's for us, the public, the ones whose fear fuels the narrative and fills the ads beside the latest "Sleep Apnoea Pillow Goes Viral!" story. They monetise terror while insulating themselves from it. We get the headlines. They get the land in New Zealand. The algorithm doesn't care who survives, it only cares who clicks.

So, next time you see a headline screaming "1-in-6 Chance Humanity Ends!" take a deep breath. Smile at your overpriced latte, which at least will not smile back! Maybe check your bunker app for fun. Remember: doom predictions are a one-week viral spectacle. Civilisation is messier, slower, and far more resilient than the news wants you to believe. And if the end really is near? Well, at least you'll have your sleep apnoea pillow and your smartphone to document it!

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2025/08/humanitys-doomsday-clock-experts-bet-1-6-odds/

"Experts estimate varying probabilities for human extinction or severe societal collapse within the coming decades.

Toby Ord, in his book "The Precipice," assesses a one-in-six chance of existential catastrophe this century, encompassing risks from artificial intelligence and other factors.

Nick Bostrom's work highlights a median expert estimate of 19 percent for human extinction from global catastrophic risks.

Jared Diamond predicts a 50-50 chance of survival beyond 2050, based on patterns of past civilizations.

Historical research shows civilizations often collapse due to recurring factors. Luke Kemp's analysis of over 400 societies across 5,000 years indicates that inequality and elite overreach frequently lead to self-termination.

Diamond identifies environmental damage, climate shifts, and poor societal responses as key contributors to downfall.

These patterns suggest modern global interconnectedness could amplify impacts, leaving no recovery options.

Nuclear weapons remain a primary threat, with around 10,000 warheads held by nations including the United States, Russia, China, and others.

Recent assessments place nuclear risk alongside climate change and AI in pushing the Doomsday Clock to its closest point to midnight.

Engineered pandemics and biological threats add to the list, potentially spreading rapidly via global travel.

Kemp suggests that climate change now proceeds at a rate ten times faster than historical extinctions, risking agricultural declines and mass migrations. By 2070, up to two billion people may face extreme heat, halving viable land for key crops.

Developing regions could suffer most from these shifts, though subsistence farming might mitigate some food shortages in Africa.

Artificial intelligence poses risks of misalignment or unintended consequences, with experts warning of potential catastrophe.

In 2023, AI leaders issued statements on the technology's capacity to cause harm if unchecked. RAND research in 2025 examined AI's role in exacerbating nuclear or biological threats.

Solar flares, like the 1859 Carrington Event, carry a roughly one-in-ten chance per decade of recurrence, potentially disrupting power grids and communications.

Such an event today could cause widespread blackouts lasting weeks or longer.

Stratospheric aerosol injection offers a potential cooling method but introduces risks like ozone depletion and altered rainfall. Termination shock could accelerate warming if deployment halts abruptly. Studies indicate unpredictable effects on global systems.

Experts continue to monitor these interconnected risks, with ongoing research emphasizing the need for robust preparedness strategies.

Wealthy individuals prepare for these scenarios through bunkers and remote properties. Peter Thiel owns land in New Zealand, while Sam Altman has an agreement to evacuate there with him. Mark Zuckerberg is constructing a fortified compound, reflecting broader trends among tech elites.

Billionaires' private fortifications highlight disparities in resilience planning across socioeconomic lines. Ultimately, the convergence of nuclear, climatic, and AI threats demands immediate, evidence-based responses to avert potential extinction-level events."