Reminds me of The Decameron.

> The book is structured as a frame story containing 100 tales told by a group of seven young women and three young men; they shelter in a secluded villa just outside Florence in order to escape the Black Death, which was afflicting the city. (Wikipedia)

Party like there's no tomorrow.

Gary Larson's famous cartoon.

https://static0.srcdn.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/...

These are the 'brilliant minds' leading society into the unknown.

“Picking up smoking, at the edge of the apocalypse - a great way to stay motivated, engaged and productive!”