--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Nearly half of the American population is…" description: "\"Nearly half of the American population is eagerly anticipating the end of the world. This dewy-eyed nihilism provides absolutely no incentive to build ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef0/sam-harris-457_absolutely_nearly-half-of-the-american-population-i_2623014.jpg" --- # Nearly half of the American population is eagerly… ![“Nearly half of the American population is eagerly anticipating the end of the world. This dewy-eyed nihilism provides absolutely no incentive to build a sustainable civilization. Many of these people are lunatics, but they are not the lunatic fringe.” quote by Sam Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef0/sam-harris-457_absolutely_nearly-half-of-the-american-population-i_2623014.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef0/sam-harris-457_absolutely_nearly-half-of-the-american-population-i_2623014.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef0/sam-harris-457_absolutely_nearly-half-of-the-american-population-i_2623014.jpg) > “Nearly half of the American population is eagerly anticipating the end of the world. This dewy-eyed nihilism provides absolutely no incentive to build a sustainable civilization. Many of these people are lunatics, but they are not the lunatic fringe.” [Sam Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-harris/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A large portion of people are apathetic about the future, seeing it as inevitable collapse, which undermines motivation to create lasting societal structures. **In simple terms:** Many expect the world to end, so they see no reason to build sustainably. Key Takeaway Recognize that hope and agency are essential for sustainable action. Themes nihilism future sustainability Mood cautious reflective Type philosophical critical motivational When to use this quote - environmental policy - community planning - education reform - personal responsibility Key Concepts existential risk psychology social motivation Questions to Reflect On - How does belief in an inevitable end affect your daily choices? - What motivates you to act sustainably despite uncertainty? A Different Perspective Optimism and collective purpose can counteract fatalism. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Absolutely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/absolutely/) [American](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american/) [Build](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/build/) [Civilization](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civilization/) [Eagerly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eagerly/) [End](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/end/) [End of the world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/end-of-the-world/) [End World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/end-world/) [Fringe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fringe/) [Half](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/half/) [Incentive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/incentive/) [Lunatic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lunatic/) [Lunatics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lunatics/) [Many](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/many/) [Nearly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nearly/) [Nihilism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nihilism/) [Nihilism Provides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nihilism-provides-2125464/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [People Lunatics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-lunatics-2125463/) [Population](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/population/) [Provides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/provides/) [Sustainable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sustainable/) [Sustainable Civilization](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sustainable-civilization-2125465/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [Seeks painted trifles and fantastic toys, and eagerly pursues imaginary joys.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-akenside/seeks-painted-trifles-and-fantastic-toys-and-eagerly-pursues/) [Mark Akenside](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-akenside/) > [God seeks us as eagerly as we seek God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/forrest-church/god-seeks-us-as-eagerly-as-we-seek-god/) [Forrest Church](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/forrest-church/) > [Only people who haven't lived through a war advocate it so eagerly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-gerrold/only-people-who-haven-t-lived-through-a-war-advocate-it-so-eagerly/) [David Gerrold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-gerrold/) > [He who will pray to God eagerly will see Him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarada-devi/he-who-will-pray-to-god-eagerly-will-see-him/) [Sarada Devi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarada-devi/) > [During my school and college days, the three Khans - Aamir, Salman and Shah Rukh - were superstars for me and will always be.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shahid-kapoor/during-my-school-and-college-days-the-three-khans-aamir-salman-and/) [Shahid Kapoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shahid-kapoor/) > [My heart I give you, Lord, eagerly and entirely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/my-heart-i-give-you-lord-eagerly-and-entirely/) [John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/) > [I love America. 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If our polls are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-harris/about-120-million-of-us-place-the-big-bang-2-500-years-after-the/) [Sam Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-harris/) > [“If your golf instructor were to insist that you shave your head, sleep no more than four hours each night, renounce sex, and subsist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-harris/if-your-golf-instructor-were-to-insist-that-you-shave-your-head-sleep/) [Sam Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-harris/) > [The fact that one can lose one's sense of self in an ocean of tranquility does not mean that one's consciousness is immaterial or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-harris/the-fact-that-one-can-lose-one-s-sense-of-self-in-an-ocean-of/) [Sam Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-harris/) > [The second commandment is "Thou shall not construct any graven images." Is this really the pinnacle of what we can achieve morally? The second…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-harris/the-second-commandment-is-thou-shall-not-construct-any-graven-images/) [Sam Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-harris/) > [“But the reality of consciousness appears irreducible. Only consciousness can know itself—and directly, through first-person experience.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-harris/but-the-reality-of-consciousness-appears-irreducible-only/) [Sam Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-harris/) > [“Whether or not one likes Huntington's formulation, one thing is clear: the evil that has finally reached our shores is not merely the evil…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-harris/whether-or-not-one-likes-huntington-s-formulation-one-thing-is-clear/) [Sam Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-harris/) > [The problem is that religion tends to give people bad reasons to be good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-harris/the-problem-is-that-religion-tends-to-give-people-bad-reasons-to-be/) [Sam Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-harris/) > [Muslim moderates, wherever they are, must be given every tool necessary to win a war of ideas with their co-religionists. 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