One of the peculiarities of modern American culture that strikes me as I read US based discussion boards is the sheer pervasiveness of what can only be described as bizzare fears of some coming catastrophe or other.

There is a history of that, of course, and sometimes the politics that have arisen out of it are nasty to say the least. The anti-communism that pervaded US foreign policy from the end WWII still exists, even after the disintegration of the USSR, although it is slowly being replaced by the "Islamic menace". But these kind of fears, irrational as they may be, have received plenty of attention. What I'm interested in are the truly "off-the planet" ones.

These range from the "UN plan for world Government based on Proposition 21", to the "Obama wants to take away our guns and then put us all in concentration camps", through to "the coming Global economic meltdown" and, ultimately "the end days and the return of Jesus".

The last of these is possibly the easiest to explain. Its not just a product of religious fundamentalism but, amongst some people at least, its a heartfelt desire. Without mentioning any names (although part of hers involves fabric) its something to look forward to with glee. And that glee isn't a matter of looking forward to eternity in a heaven of perpetual bliss, its a time of retribution, when "disbelievers" (and particularly those that have mocked her) will meet their just "rewards", while she looks down from on high, secretly revelling in their pain and misery.

I actually think that gives us a clue to the ultimate reason for the apparent paranoia of many groups: they WANT it to happen.

Every now and then I watch a show called "Preppers". Its about people preparing for "the end of civilisation". While their reasons for believing in that possibility sometimes have a semi-rational basis, in many cases the "possibilities" are in the range of getting hit on the head by a meteorite. And the reasons they give for "preparing" for such an eventuality, and often spending huge amounts of time, energy and money in the process, are always the same "its to protect my family".

That is a reasonable enough aim, but it rings hollow. In many cases its clear that the families involved are either just going along with it because its easier, have been bullied into compliance, or even openly resent the whole project. That doesn't matter because the "prepper" (usually a man in his early forties) is just doing it "for their own good".

But I think its a kind of fantasy. They want it to happen so they can be the staunch tough guy fighting off the hoard of rampaging mobs, the heroic protector and defender who outsmarts (and gets to kill) those who would take away the things they value.

Maybe its a long shot, but I think there's as sense in which that attitude has pervaded US Foreign Policy.
Or is it that I'm trying to draw out far too much from such examples?

Best way to control people is to convince "X" is gonna get them unless they accept protection (in this case, the state).

There you go again! Foreigners are mocking us true Americans!
I gather you don't subscribe to Glenn Beck or you would know the truth what's going on in God's own country.

I'll be right back. I think one of Obama's black helicopters is hoovering over my house. He's coming to take me away, away, away!

I think you have it right, Cattleman. The guy who hoards gold is delighted to read predictions of the dollar's collapse. He feels vindicated, and a bit superior to all of us who told him he was goofy. He has a vetged inerest in calamity. Same with the second coming believers, vested interest in Revelation coming true, no matter how many friends and family perish in the fire.

Ya'll better have "Food Insurance"!
The phone number to order you can get while listening to the Glen Beck show on the radio.

But I think its a kind of fantasy. They want it to happen so they can be the staunch tough guy fighting off the hoard of rampaging mobs, the heroic protector and defender who outsmarts (and gets to kill) those who would take away the things they value

I think that probably describes a large percentage of the "wannabes". The ones who are sitting in their bunkers (basement man caves), posting all sorts of crap on the internet after thanking their wives for dinner and tucking in the little kidlets while singing them a lullaby. They are emotionally weak in real life. Probably stuck in a dead-end job and feeling middle age creeping up on them. They most likely play hours of survival type video games, and think that it prepares them to "defend the world from the evil government". IOW, harmless dolts.

Then there are the ones who have serious mental problems that induce paranoia. They have real bunkers, with real weapons and live in real fear of imagined armageddon. They are, most likely, in very dysfunctional relationships...if they have any at all. They are constantly angry. With their boss. With their wife. With their life, government and the world. Those are truly the scary ones. Luckily their numbers are scarce for now...................

What scares me is that this peculiarly American disease has begun to creep up here since the Harpercrites took over. Just recently a delusional group of right wing whack nuts convinced Harper not to sign the UN Small Arms Treaty which is supposed to regulate the trade of arms between countries. These morons bought into the goof ball American idea that the treaty "was all a plot to take their guns away."

It never crossed their feeble little minds that there is no Second Amendment in Canada.

I was listening to Brad Meltzer talk about JFK conspiracy theories this morning and he had an interesting theory. He said in the 60's , we believed that Russia or communists were behind the plot. In the 70s after Vietnam, we began to believe that it was the CIA. In the 80's, during the organized crime and drug wars, it was the Mafia. In the 90s, it became the government we were afraid of. Whatever America feared most at the time was what killed JFK. I am wondering how we are going to pin it on al queda.