I think in some part it&#x27;s actually a part of a bigger American cultural trope. We also have this unique obsessions with zombies and pandemics etc. etc. Kinda thinking I&#x27;m special, the rest of the riff raff die and I&#x27;m left alone to &quot;make it&quot; from a feral rock bottom.<p>My guess is it&#x27;s American individualism and it&#x27;s unique inflated sense of self worth (not to knock it =] it&#x27;s got its plus sides!) + fascination with the biblical apocalypse. I&#x27;m not as familiar as I should be with the faiths of the founders of the colonies, maybe it&#x27;s something that traces back to then?