About this episode
Alex Heard discusses his book "Apocalypse Pretty Soon" examining American obsession with doomsday predictions and the culture of catastrophic expectation that pervades contemporary society. His journalistic investigation into millennial movements, survivalist communities, and apocalyptic believers reveals the breadth and diversity of end-times thinking across religious, political, and cultural boundaries. Heard explores why apocalyptic belief appeals to so many people and how such expectations influence behavior, from stockpiling supplies to withdrawing from mainstream society in preparation for collapse. The conversation covers specific groups and individuals convinced that civilization's end approaches, examining their reasoning, preparations, and the psychological needs that apocalyptic belief might fulfill. He addresses the relationship between millennial transitions and apocalyptic anxiety while exploring how Year 2000 expectations have intensified existing tendencies toward catastrophic thinking. Heard examines both religious and secular apocalypticism, revealing common themes across different traditions and the ways people interpret contemporary events as signs of approaching doom. His research demonstrates how apocalyptic belief serves social and psychological functions while potentially creating self-fulfilling prophecies through behaviors that actually increase social instability. The discussion provides perspective on millennial anxiety while examining how societies have historically responded to calendar transitions and the persistence of apocalyptic expectation despite repeatedly failed predictions throughout human history.