We dream of contrived scenarios as to not take plausible actions.

I had a fantasy of moving to the wilderness. I was dissatisfied with my urban environment

Despite the enjoyment in fantasising, if I'm able to purchase rural land and go through the difficulties of setting up a homestead, then I'd be more than capable to trudge through the mundane and insignificant difficulties of living in a major city.

It's common to hear advocation, especially on the internet, for an economic collapse, given how house prices have gone incredibly high.

However, if house prices collapse, so will any chances you have of getting a mortgage, and if house prices collapse to the point you don't need a mortgage, you have bigger problems to worry about. Look up what the Russian people went through in the 90s, gang wars, crimes, child and adult prostitution, terrorism, etc.

The passive entertainment industry often invokes these scenarios in shows and movies, and we tend to imagine that much like the protagonist, we too would have a decent chance of survival.

Furthermore, the news industry constantly makes us feel like active participants in whatever conflicts arises, because otherwise we can’t comprehend why else we’re being told such information.

Social media also plays a part in this. We compare ourselves with others. The algorith might show us people more famous, good-looking, richer than us, and then we say "if I were them, I would be happy!". Some guys even envy the lives of women, they say "women have it easier, they can get attention at the snap of a finger" but this ignoring that most of the attention is superficial, likes and comments from thirsty men aren't real.

We just have to adapt to our surroundings, change what we can and work with what we can't.