[Coda]

That is, in fact, the problem with the sensationalistic methods of the media. They always claim the most attention-grabbing scenario, regardless of just how accurate or likely that scenario is. That's how they get watch time, which is how they make their money. And because of this behavior, you can't actually tell just how bad (or how good) the likely future is going to be -- but the vast majority of the time you can be sure it's less extreme than the reports.

This is especially true in wealthy first-world countries: there's a self-correcting factor in play, because people have the power to self-actualize. These doom-and-gloom scenarios pitched by the media are reason to take action, but they are not reason to fear. Take heart in the fact that this is in fact a controversial thing and not something that's just quietly coming to pass, because that means that the self-correcting factor is working as intended.

Something that's all too easily forgotten: just because you have to take precautions to make sure a bad thing doesn't happen doesn't mean you need to let the fear of that bad thing dominate your life.