Grand Unified Theory of Endogenous Existential Threats

What is GUTEET?

"my" Grand Unified Theory of Endogenous Existential Threats.   

Ok... what does THAT mean?

It is a tongue-in-cheek reference to the Scientists desire to have a "grand unified theory" of just about anything and everything.   Endogenous means "caused by one's self" and Existential means naturally "concerning one's very existence".   So GUTEET is a study of the myriad threats which appear to both  broadly threaten human existence and be things we are bringing upon ourselves by our behaviour (general and specific).

This lets out "asteroidal impacts", "alien invasions", "sol going supernova", and possibly many other threats found in the Science Fiction Canon, but not directly attributable to our own behaviour.

So, if not those things, then what things?  Climate Change?

Glad you mentioned that one... it is perhaps the most obvious, the most clear (despite myriad deniers) and most present in our contemporary awareness. 

That offered, Climate Change (aka Global Warming, Greenhouse Effect, Climate Crisis!) has a           couple of siblings:  Industrial Pollution, and  Environmental Degradation, and Mass Extinction.

Other related EETs of merit which are roughly variants of runaway technology such as runaway Artificial Intelligence, Genetic Modification and Nanotechnology, as well as errant Geoengineering.

Lastly , there are more entirely SocioPoliticalEconomic threats...   runaway Capitalism, runaway Fascism, runaway Libertarianism, extremist Socialism/Communism,  etc.  leading to some kind of Global Collapse.  Nuclear/Biological/Nanotechnological/Genetic warfare would be a close relative to these.

So what to do?   Run in circles, scream and shout?  Bury our heads and hope it goes away?  Keep Calm and Steady on?  Trust those you defer to (political/scientific/economic leaders) to "take care of it"? 

Let's address this one in it's own post...