While the zombie apocalypse is popular, I’d say an asteroid strike/supervolcano/other no-fault apocalypses convey a similar sense of relief.
That being said, I do strongly agree with the “heroic fantasy” angle.
I don’t agree with your thesis about the CAUSE of such fantasies being pleasant.
I’m not sure I’d characterize the relief as pleasant, at least not in a positive sense. It’s a removal of bad things (stressors), not an addition of good things. The cause of said fantasies is a desire to avoid feeling one’s current burdens, by imagining a situation in which they don’t exist.
While the zombie apocalypse is popular, I’d say an asteroid strike/supervolcano/other no-fault apocalypses convey a similar sense of relief.
That being said, I do strongly agree with the “heroic fantasy” angle.
I’m not sure I’d characterize the relief as pleasant, at least not in a positive sense. It’s a removal of bad things (stressors), not an addition of good things. The cause of said fantasies is a desire to avoid feeling one’s current burdens, by imagining a situation in which they don’t exist.