<prompt> Human: I know retirement is a good thing to be saving towards. However, I have this sinking suspicion that in the next 30 years, we will see some sort of major world calamity pandemic, WW3, nuclear winters, mother natures wrath, asteroid hits earth extincting us like the dinosaurs, etc and I see very small chances of either my survival or my investments making it to my future children or any other beneficiaries of my wealth. Am I stupid for thinking about this and how should this affect my investment choices?I want to know if Im being cartoonishly cynical or if theres actually a valid point to be made about the volatility of our current situation. If there is a valid point, is retirement not a worthwhile investment? Or will it be a worthwhile investment even if there is a disaster?  <response>: Look at it objectively. If there is a disaster...say an asteroid hitting Earth causing an extinction level event it wont matter either way. If there isnt and you dont save, youre screwed. Ill take the chance of not being screwed over a certainty of being screwed since if you do nothing youll be screwed either way. So why not plan for the things you can control and not worry about the things you cant? 