I have noticed a nasty habit of certain people to predict, believe predictions, sometimes even seeming to look forward to, an Apocalypse. Some of this is a result of discomfort with how things are going, it isn't what we were told to expect, the old ways don't seem to work, and there is a tendency to glorify and idealize the past. What gets missed is that the past wasn't all that great. It takes some effort to avoid such nostalgia but most of us who have passed our youth can remember places and times that were far worse.

I really think that one of the strongest and most useful of survival skills is the ability to take a deep breath, stop taking yourself so seriously, have a good laugh.

A little humor to help things along:
http://scienceblogs.com/clock/2009/12/elephants_cant_jump_video.php