THE END OF THE WORLD AS WE KNOW IT
I've been watching a lot of post-apocalyptic dramas lately. I recently saw Dawn of the Dead on TV, watched 28 Days Later on DVD, and I'm on my second series of Survivors.
All of them follow a group of survivors in the immediate aftermath of a virus which instantly devastates the human race. Obviously it's a topical theme at the moment, thanks to Bernard Mathews and his not-so-secure-bio-unit. Before now, much of the story about bird flu concentrated on wild birds spreading the virus. Now it has become apparent that it is the global poultry industry's intense farming methods that have created this mess. Bird flu was never a problem until we started cramming hundreds of thousands of live birds into stifling factories.
I have always said to people on the matter of animal welfare that if you can't bring yourself to feel compassion for the animal, then at least consider the end result of our sick lack of respect for living creatures. Because that end result will always end up harming humans.
It seems ever likely that if this world ever ends, that we will be the direct cause. Whether that is through viruses created through our treatment of animals, destroying the planet's climate until it becomes uninhabitable, or nuking ourselves into oblivion. And if there are any survivors, the world as we know it will still be lost. Between us we can fly airplanes, produce clothes, run sewage systems, operate a banking system. If only a handful of people get to live in a post-apocalyptic world, who will operate or maintain the transport system? Who will grow the materials used for making everyday things like towels or toilet roll? How will we keep a cohesive social system?
If we lose our collective skills and wisdom then the human race would be thrust back to pre-iron age, living on a planet surrounded by the rusting relics of what used to be. We'd have to start all over again. And what are the odds that we'd also make all the same mistakes all over again?
I'm afraid I have nothing much to offer to a post-apocalyptic world. I have no basic skills or special talents that might come in useful. I can't even cook. I've mostly earned my living writing letters on behalf of other people, which I'm struggling to think would find a use. The only thing I can think of that might do some good is that I have a sense of compassion and a strong moral compass of what is right or wrong. The world could do with as much of that as it can get.
5 comments:
I think you under-estimate the ability of man to adapt and over-estimate his ability to destroy himself. Even if the influenza virus was as bad as the 1918 pandemic, it wouldn't destroy civilization as we know it.
And despite Bernand Bastard's best efforts, an influenza pandemic is much more likely to arise from South East Asia, where H5N1 is endemic in the bird population and where more traditional farming methods are common.
PS The Dawn of the Dead remake is very under-rated. The opening breakdown sequence as the lead character escapes her suburbs is excellent. I'll also be interested to see the sequel to 28 Days Later - although I suspect it may be dreadful. Twelve Monkeys is my favorite virus disaster movie though.
Yeah, hope you're right. I was in an apocalyptic mood yesterday feeling a little pre-fluey. Had an afternoon nap however and it went.
Watched the second spisode of Survivors yesterday and one of the characters caught bubonic plague from going to a hospital in Birmingham! Things are not that bad surely.
And yeah, I've noticed there's a sequal due of 28 Days Later. I might give it a go, tho I wasn't that impressed with the first film. It was watchable, but I didn't much care if the characters lived or died which is not good.
Never seen Twelve Monkeys.
And I never saw the end of Dawn of the Dead because I fell asleep. I'll have to put it on my DVD rental list.
>>The only thing I can think of that might do some good is that I have a sense of compassion and a strong moral compass of what is right or wrong.
That's very useful. We could sit you on a post-apocalyptic office chair and spin your round, judging who is right or wrong in a dispute according to who you are pointing at. You might get dizzy but what a service to the survivors!
You'd be very useful beyond that too (if you can imagine something more useful than a moral compass on a swivel chair); good conversation with attractive women can't be underrated. Though you haven't seen 12 Monkeys so your conversation would be somewhat lacking.
You must see it; it is one of the best five films ever made. (The others are Groundhog Day, All About My Mother, 8 1/2, and Gone With The Wind.)
I thought 28 Days Later was a bit rubbish too.
I could be the new Judge Judy in a swivel chair!
Now you're talking!
Post a Comment