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We’re Apocalypse Pop Culture Junkies
The bearded guy holding a sign that says “The end is nigh” might not be wrong — at least, from Hollywood’s perspective.
For decades — actually, centuries — people have been fascinated with apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic scenarios. But in more recent years, especially since 9/11, it seems our entertainment industry has majored in catastrophe.
“Mad Max,” “The Hunger Games,” “Terminator Genisys,” “The Walking Dead” — and literally dozens of other movies, books and TV shows — are aimed at showing us how our little planet ends, or in some cases reboots itself. Add “The Leftovers” to the record as well since HBO recently renewed the show, about the “sudden departure” of millions of people, for a third and final season in 2017.
But why? Apart from the genre being a cash cow, why does Hollywood continually crank out bleakness and doom? More fundamentally, why do we keep paying good money to see our imminent demise on IMAX?
Whether global chaos comes from zombies, asteroids, nuclear war or a simple yet elegant flesh-eating virus, our culture is obsessed with the end of the world as we know it (cue REM) for a variety of reasons. We have some theories.
Catharsis
The Doomsday clock’s hands aren’t turning back, people. We’re at three minutes to midnight. With North Korea, Iran, the war with ISIS, domestic terrorism, racial tensions and a plethora of other national and global woes, at times the world seems to be on fire. Watching apocalyptic programming can actually be cathartic for many.
“The Walking Dead” is a favorite among Doomsday preppers and survivalists, for example, because many feel the show teaches necessary skills, including physical fitness, sanitation, food storage and how to kill a zombie. Who among us wouldn’t like to be seen as a hero who protects others and leads them to safety or freedom?
It’s Comforting
Some viewers of doom are actually consoled by destruction. What? How can global turmoil be reassuring, you ask?
As counterintuitive as it seems, watching how things might go down can, in some people’s minds, show them a picture of what to expect and prepare for in reality. The end, therefore, becomes predictable, and predictable things can be handled and overcome. Such viewers go into task-oriented behavior to protect themselves, just in case something does happen. Stashing food, water, ammo and the like feels more proactive than being a sitting duck.
The Bible Predicts It
Revelation, Daniel and other prophetic books of the Bible describe the end times, painting a bleak picture for mankind apart from God. That is, for the mankind that remains.
Some Christians believe the Church will be raptured before things on this planet go from bad to worse, and one has to look no farther than the “Left Behind” best-selling novel franchise to see this theory’s popularity. “The Leftovers,” in fact, is based on the premise that two percent of the world’s population have simply and inexplicably vanished. While there are countless theories and views of biblical end times, no one can fully explain them, so some people’s minds go wild with conjecture.
Fewer Requirements and Responsibilities
Let’s face it. Our lives our lives are often thorny. Relationships, work politics, family tensions, failures … we have our hands full with “adulting.” A world in chaos somehow has fewer responsibilities other than merely staying alive and starting over. That feels more exciting than going to an office job and dealing with a micromanaging boss or, on the home front, asking that your mother-in-law move out. At least with picking off zombies, there’s a chance to hone marksman skills.
We’re Bored
Rather than romantically struggling to survive after mankind’s near obliteration, many of us just … coast. Our lives are same-old, same-old. Work, bills, family, chores, sleep, lather, rinse, repeat. There’s nothing wrong with routine. In fact, it can be good.
But to many, such a seemingly never-ending existence feels bland. Injecting drama spices things up, even if it’s on a screen. For many, watching the White House get bombed (for the hundredth time) or the Empire State Building pelted with asteroids is more exciting than taking out the garbage.
15 Comments on "We’re Apocalypse Pop Culture Junkies"
penury on Sun, 24th Jul 2016 9:58 am
For some watching the scenes momentarily takes some of the despair from their own lives, as it shows others moderately worse off.
Cloud9 on Sun, 24th Jul 2016 10:46 am
The Pentagon has a plan to deal with the Zombie Apocalypse. http://www.cnn.com/2014/05/16/politics/pentagon-zombie-apocalypse/
The CDC advises the public to prepare for it. http://www.cdc.gov/phpr/zombies.htm
Home Land Security tells the public to get ready for it. https://www.yahoo.com/news/seriously-government-warns-citizens-zombie-apocalypse-urge-better-230018621.html
So, what is going on here? First off, you must understand that the word zombie is being used as a metaphor to describe the dislocated, dispossessed, desperate, dangerous, diaspora that will wash across the countryside in the event of systemic collapse.
If you want to know who the zombies are, look in the mirror. Anything that you can do to keep you and yours from being forced to join the above mentioned horde enhances your chances of survival.
Davy on Sun, 24th Jul 2016 11:08 am
I live collapse with a life system of doom and prep. I have a library and tool chest of resources. I am outfitted for it. Doom is my job, lifestyle, and hobby all wrapped up in one. I find almost always what I see in the media and from Hollywood is way off the mark for what is coming. First off what is coming is all over the spectrum of possibilities. Not only for all of us together as one people but also per the millions of different unique locals. Collapse cannot be generalize about except on the basics. The fantasy and fiction don’t fit except on the niches. In fact, it is the fantasy and fiction that may just be the self-fulfilling catalyst such that we are going to react the way they do in Hollywood with cannibalism and shoot outs because that is what we learned from watching this crap.
My best analysis of what is coming is a harsh medicine of pain and suffering. This will be for the most part slow and boring unpleasant punctuated by the possibility for life threatening situations of destabilization and violent death. Sounds a little bit like one of those documentaries of marines on combat patrol in Vietnam. Bored to death for long periods and then plunged into intense life threatening situation on occasion. For the most part I think this is going to be like a miserable terminal illness that is slow, painful, and degrading. There is going to be instability and loss of security. People are going to suffer and die and death will become common and our attitude towards it changed.
Not all will be bad because we will find true value form real value where today we are drunk on overconsumption. We are drunk as in drunkenness with the corresponding loss of that first effect and now in the boredom of being drunk too long and knowing the hangover is ahead. We are going to be deprived so when we find value it will be real value. Friendships are going to mean something unlike the too many connections of today’s digital world. Life will have new meaning when it is good because for the most part it is going to being tough and cruel. We are going to find the opportunity to be heroic again. Women and men will go back to being women and men. The cross dressing we have been doing as a modern people is going to end because men are best being men and women best being women in a world without fossil fuels and stable climate. Kids will stop playing stupid games and being bored. They will eat everything on their plate because they will be hungry, really hungry. They will contribute because they will have to. So many things are going to go back to being real and the fictitious life of debauchery and wanton wastefulness of gluttony and sloth will be over. These deadly sins that characterize modern life will be over not because they are sins but because you will likely die because of them in a deadly serious world of survival.
onlooker on Sun, 24th Jul 2016 11:11 am
It is all make believe. We vanquish our worse fears in make believe land but part of us or at least most people retain the notion that nothing REALLY will happen.
makati1 on Sun, 24th Jul 2016 11:22 am
During my Us visit, I got a lot of strange looks when someone asked me if I saw such and such TV program or the latest I-game or mentioned some new fad or popular bimbo or stud and I said: “What?” “Who?”
I asked what they thought of the Turkish coup, the Brexit or the $19+ trillion national debt and got the same questions: “What?” “Who?”
THAT is the typical under 50 American today.
onlooker on Sun, 24th Jul 2016 11:29 am
Yes Mak we are Cassandras in a world that does not want to hear our message
Go Speed Racer on Sun, 24th Jul 2016 12:36 pm
Very few Americans even have the ambition to buy a pruning saw, and trim a 2″ diameter branch that is blocking their front walkway. For such a stupid slothful fat lazy species, as is ‘Americans’, I think they won’t actually like their vaunted Apocalypse, when it gets here. For one thing, due to the apocalypse the 7-11 won’t have Big Gulp Cherry Slurpees anymore, and no gas for their fat pig monster truck neither. If they realized these two issues, might rather not have an Apocalypse after all.
Boat on Sun, 24th Jul 2016 12:53 pm
Go Speed Racer on Sun, 24th Jul 2016 12:36 pm
“Very few Americans even have the ambition to buy a pruning saw, and trim a 2″ diameter branch that is blocking their front walkway.”
Do it yourself projects are very popular. Home Depot is full of customers on the weekends.
Just another idiot.
Go Speed Racer on Sun, 24th Jul 2016 1:03 pm
Like hell. Americans far too stupid to trim their yard. Even worse, can’t even find a gardener who knows how to trim a yard. Here is another idiot. Lots of tattoos to be ready for the apocalypse.
Here is a proud American:
http://gawker.com/this-shirtless-mountain-dew-motherfucker-is-the-living-1782370385?utm_source=taboola
That American has muscles but still no way you could get him to trim a tree branch of a shrub.
Oh but we put put the man on the moon?. No, the only rocket today’s Americans can launch, is put in a pop bottle and light the fuse.
http://gawker.com/this-shirtless-mountain-dew-motherfucker-is-the-living-1782370385?utm_source=taboola
Boat on Sun, 24th Jul 2016 1:28 pm
onlooker on Sun, 24th Jul 2016 11:11 am
“It is all make believe. We vanquish our worse fears in make believe land but part of us or at least most people retain the notion that nothing REALLY will happen.”
Did you come up with that during a session of deep reflection? Are you living in constant dread and fear? Does it piss you off that most humans don’t feel that gnawing cancer of imminent doom that lasts for decades. Lol
Boat on Sun, 24th Jul 2016 1:28 pm
onlooker on Sun, 24th Jul 2016 11:11 am
“It is all make believe. We vanquish our worse fears in make believe land but part of us or at least most people retain the notion that nothing REALLY will happen.”
Did you come up with that during a session of deep reflection? Are you living in constant dread and fear? Does it piss you off that most humans don’t feel that gnawing cancer of imminent doom that lasts for decades. Lol
onlooker on Sun, 24th Jul 2016 3:53 pm
Quite the contrary Boat, I have faced my fears in a genuine way, without blinders or wishful thinking. I would hope all of us could do this. To live in fear is the worse way to live. So yes I have pondered this. Those who cannot face their fears are the ones who are smitten within with that inner dread and so they try to construct impermeable barriers to convince themselves that everything will be alright. As someone one said they’re is nothing to fear but fear itself.
Apneaman on Sun, 24th Jul 2016 4:03 pm
LifeZette? Laura Ingraham’s new site. Stunned cunt. Religious retards bringing up asteroids and zombies ending the humans, but no mention of AGW even as many the planet over are having their own personal apocalypse or the shit beat out of them by the latest AGW jacked event.
Take a look at this poor woman’s face it’s a look we will all be seeing or having soon enough. No asteroids or zombies, just one more AGW jacked deluge.
154 killed, 8.6 million affected as extreme rains flood China (PHOTOS)
“Earlier in June dozens were killed in the eastern Chinese province of Jiangsu as the region was hit by a series of extreme weather events, including lightning, rainstorms, hailstorms and a tornado.”
https://www.rt.com/news/352888-china-floods-millions-displaced/
Anonymous on Sun, 24th Jul 2016 6:58 pm
Like the way this articles blames the following for amerikans love affair with doom.
North Korea, Iran, the war with ISIS, domestic terrorism, racial tensions.
North Korea-Not a threat to amerika, but amerika DOES threaten and harass* N.K on a regular basis….since 1950
*By harrass, we mean killed roughly 1/3 of the population between 1950-1953.
Iran-Also no threat, but that never stopped amerika from trying to wreck its economy and replace its gov’t with one the mossad\CIA approves of.
‘ISIS’-a uS\Israeli trained and funded proxy force used to justify endless an endless ‘global’ war of terror and destabilization.
Domestic terrorism-define please?
Racial tensions-Whose fault are those again?
Doomer fiction can be fun, entertaining, and sometimes, thought-provoking, but to suggest Iran somehow encourages the popularity of such works of fiction…seriously? Weak…..
Cloud9 on Mon, 25th Jul 2016 8:27 am
It never ceases to amaze me that the world has a single view of what Americans are. They clearly have not gotten out of the cities and driven through the countryside. I had to go to a wedding last week in Nashville. Four of us decided to do a bourbon tour of the major Kentucky and Tennessee distilleries. First off let me assure you that there is gold in them thar hills quietly aging in a couple of million oak barrels. If you are into whisky let me recommend Dickel 17 year old reserve. If you want a good Kentucky hug let me recommend Buffalo Trace 90 proof straight bourbon.
There is plenty of hands on work in distilling, aging and bottling these liquors. Nothing is wasted in this process. The barrel making process is amazing. The white oak barrels once used are sold all over the world to be reused by breweries, distillers and wine makers. The distilled sour mash is rich in protein and is sold to stockmen who raise some of the happiest cows and pigs on the planet.
Incidentally, now that I am home, I have to go out and fix a minor leak in the roof, mow the lawn and clean out the flower beds. I’m the cheapest Mexican my wife can find. I also know how to weld, rebuild engines, operate a small foundry and run a lathe and milling machine.