The U.S. economy is supporting more and more extremes, from the number of color tones to the size of its cruise ships and from the aggregate of ride-share vehicles on the road to the amount of new fashions issued by the clothing industry. And that does not even count cryptocurrencies and equity markets, each reaching new records. What has made these kinds of extremes seem not so extreme – to seem, well, normal? The gambling mindset, willful ignorance and indifference to elevated risks are part of the answer. Several types of causes could unwind these excesses in a hurry and trigger negative consequences. We count among these causes: Someone Calls the Bluff; A Global Trade War and Inflation; Artificial Intelligence; Climate Change and Its Damages; The Era of Limits; and Another Unanticipated Pandemic. During past financial and economic crises, solid institutions were counted upon to come forward and keep the problems from becoming catastrophic. With those institutions being politically challenged today, will they be strong enough this time to guide the downside and keep it from turning depressive?