Mad Max?

Yeah.....Congress just raised the debt ceiling, job losses are all over the news, foreign country's are going bankrupt, the housing market is still in the tank, etc., etc., etc.,....is the end near? The Ol' Man and I had a discussion about "the end", and what it will mean. Will the world's economies and civilizations go completely Tango Uniform and Mad Max will be a reality? Will there be a complete collapse of governments? That's one side of the coin. The other side is that there'll still be "functioning" governments, but it'll be the wheel-barrow-full-of-money-for-a-loaf-of-bread scenario. Either way....whether it happens next year or 10 years from now, how do you plan for this? Does anyone else even think about planning for this vision of the future? We are so entangled in technology...will people be able to live with out electricity, if it comes to that? What's going to happen on 12/20/2012 when all the stars and planets align with the center of the Milky way Galaxy? Am I TOTALLY off base even thinking along this line? Should I stick my head in the sand and just be concerned with my little sphere of influence and hope for the best and have the don't-worry, be-happy mindset? AAACCKKKK! I can't do that!