These days, it feels like the end of the world is always just around the corner. From RaptureTok to climate doom and geopolitical upheaval, someone always seems to be predicting an impending apocalypse. But how does believing in The End affect how we are in the world? And is there a healthier way to navigate living in uncertain times?

On this episode, we’ll talk to writer Dina Nayeri about growing up in a community that saw the apocalypse as right around the corner, and what she now sees as the dangers of that worldview. We’ll also talk to historian Kim Haines-Eitzen about how the apocalypse was originally understood in ancient texts, and what’s been lost in modern interpretations.

Dina Nayeri is the author of the essay “Yearning for the end of the world,” as well as several other novels, plays, short stories, essays, and memoirs, including her most recent book, Who Gets Believed: When the Truth Isn’t Enough. Learn more about her on her website.

Dr. Kim Haines-Eitzen is a Professor of Ancient Mediterranean Religions at Cornell University, and a Fellow at the National Humanities Center, where she is working on a forthcoming book project about the apocalypse. Learn more about her other research on her website.