Pretty sure the plan is to let the elite engineer the "Great Reset", and then swiftly remove them from the picture.

Somebody had a comment or post recently about the elite having their own planet they should go...Didn't want to execute them, just thinking of alternatives.

My brother had a dream a long time ago that there was going to be an "underclass" in the future, and the elites. Thing is, the elites were the workers. And they were under complete surveillance. Not only that, but they frequently worked off-planet via gateways. Portals to either other planets or perhaps even other dimensions.

I'm pretty sure normal people could leave the planet as well. One interesting note is that the streets were deserted, but some restaurants were always open and stocked, so that you could prepare food if you wanted, even if there was nobody there.

I would say much is theater because they are just trying to coax as much fear out of people as possible. Where was the winter of death again? When are those A-bombs gonna start dropping?