This paper examines the impact of extinction risk on human patience. It distinguishes between human extinction risk and individual mortality risk, considers varying levels of intergenerational altruism, and considers the evolutionary perspective of the "selfish gene." The study reveals that while human extinction risk is an essential factor in discount rates, individual mortality risk can be partially or fully hedged through human reproduction. When faced with extinction risk, people become more impatient rather than more long-term. Therefore, the greater the threat of extinction, the less incentive there is to invest in avoiding extinction. These findings may help explain why humanity consistently underinvests in catastrophic risks, such as climate change mitigation, pandemic prevention, and addressing the risks of transformative artificial intelligence.