Who Believe's the End of Civilization is Near?

IT'S THE END OF THE WORLD AS THEY KNOW IT Who Believes the End of Civilization Is Near? A new global survey has found that 1 in 10 people believes that the end of the world will occur sometime in 2012, when the Mayan calendar ends. Whether inspired by media attention or conspiracy theories, the anxiety about an impending doomsday extends beyond just a tiny fringe group of believers. APOCALYPSE SOON? STRONGEST BELIEVERS (BY COUNTRY) Although the majority of people in each of the surveyed countries don't buy into the Mayan prophecies regarding the end of the world... STRONGEST BELIEVERS (BY COUNTRY) 22% 22% 21% 20% 19% 19% 13% 13% 13% 13% 2012 C* ...one in ten believes it will end sometime in 2012. CHINA TURKEY RUSSIA MEXICO SOUTH KOREA One in seven citizens around the world agrees with TURKEY UNITED SOUTH ARGENTINA MEXICO the idea that the world will come to an end during their lifetime. STATES AFRICA STRONGEST BELIEVERS (BY DEMOGRAPHIC) AGE HOUSEHOLD INCOME EDUCATION "I believe the world will end during my lifetime." Percentage who agree with this statement: 19% 17% 16% Under 35 Low Low 35 to 49 13% I 14% Medium 14% Medium 50 to 64 19% High 1 13% High 13% DOOMSDAY PREDICTIONS And the share of those who believe that catastrophe preparation is a smart investment is only slightly less than the percentage of those who believe the same about retirement savings. PERCENT OF RESPONDENTS A separate poll of Americans found that most believe i Which is a smarter investment to Americans? 64% 63% 55% 51% 37% 29% 14% 13% a major catastrophe were to occur in the next 25 years, it would be a natural disaster-such as a major earthquake or hurricane-rather than a terrorist attack or financial collapse. 59% SAVING FOR RETIREMENT Which of the following, if any, do people think might happen in the United States in the next 25 years? 41% PREPARING FOR A CATASTROPHE (SUCH AS STOCKING MAJOR EARTHQUAKE HURRICANE MAJOR TERRORIST ATTACK FINANCIAL COLLAPSE SIGNIFICANT PANDEMIC OR BLACKOUT NUCLEAR FALLOUT NONE UP ON RESOURCES OR BUILDING A BOMB SHELTER) SUPER-VIRUS SOURCES: IPSOS GLOBAL PUBLIC AFFAIRS NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC/KELTON RESEARCH A COLLABORATION BETWEEN GOOD AND COLUMN FIVE