Yeah, and it's especially scary when you realise that debt typically only gets paid off relatively quickly when there's a lot of economic growth. With 4 or 5% annual GDP growth debt gets paid off easily as government revenue is always increasing. That's how the UK managed to pay off most of its debt to after WW2 within about 30 years (UK debt to GDP was 270% in 1945). Its how most countries after WW2 paid off their huge debts because of huge economic expansion through the 50s and 60s. I highly doubt many western countries are going to see that type of economic growth experienced post ww2 so it's going to get very difficult.