Taking a larger/longer view/perspective of history, one wonders how much of our present circumstances is new or unique? Is it possible that the world has ALWAYS been crazy (though varying in the level of intensity from period to period in history)?

What's different this time around (IMHO), is that we now have, for the first time, the technological sophistication and capability to destroy all life on earth (nuclear weapons, climate change, etc.) that we never possessed before in human civilizations. THAT is what is REALLY SCARY (for me at least).