Since the beginning of recorded history, many people have expected, if not hoped, that the “end times” would come during their lifetime. If you read the Bible from a scholarly perspective, the New Testament quite literally expects Jesus to return within the authors’ lifetimes. Empires rise and fall over generations, but our human brains have a hard time conceiving more than a 5-10 year time line.
Also there’s a very common logical fallacy with regards to probability, in that people tend to grossly overestimate the likelihood of a low probability occurrence. If I told you there’s a 5% chance of rain, you might be surprised when it doesn’t rain. Low probability events that actually occur are memorable, high probability events are forgettable.
Finally, those who are most dissatisfied with society often overestimate how many like them there are out there. It’s natural for human beings to think of their own beliefs as mainstream and moderate, even if they are fringe.
