ABSTRACT
This chapter argues that many of the cries of rage and despair from divergent groups around the world may be an expression of a deeper source of distress than just the specific anguish of the individual group. Whether it be blacks, gays, whites, immigrants, women, men, Latinos, Asians—or any other group that feels singled out for exclusion and discrimination—all of these groups may be reflecting what can be termed “extinction anxiety.” It is postulated that “extinction anxiety” is bubbling up from the collective unconscious globally as a result of the very real threat to life as we know it on the planet. This is fueled by the age-old archetypal fear and yearning for the apocalypse to which has been added the increasing scientific evidence for global disaster as a consequence of climate change.
