Quite simply the end of the species is a very real thing. From global warming, to depletion of the earth's resources, to the increase in world aggression.
It's really pointless to look at these sources and think that everything is going to come to an end no matter what we do. We are the only species on earth with the power to shape the future of the planet, and that is what we should all strive for.
As it is, the media and the corporations have always geared themselves towards shaping public opinion to the lowest denominator. It is always easier to manage sheeps, easier to get them to consume more, and that translates to dollars in their coffers.
Programmes like that history channel docu and zeitgeist are a double edged blade. On the one hand you have legitimate themes, end of the world, depletion of world resources, that mainstream media would steer away from, on the other hand, it's mixed with sensationalist, conspiratorial, boogeyman scenarios that oftentimes dilutes the message for viewers with less than critical eyes.
but that makes good programming doesn't it?
