Once the "end of the world" happens and the human race survives, people will realize there is no end of the world (at least until the next end-of-the-world hype).
It seems very foreboding, but seen in foresight it's interesting, in a funny sort of way.
There are constant predictions of the end of the world that are in the near future, but never come.
i.e. The Mayan calendar: When it's been set in stone for so long, it's hard for some people to deny it.