Those actually looking forward to TEOTWAWKI ....

[CountryGent]

So, on a bit of a lark, I read a book that discusses the contemporary cultural aspects of the zombie craze that was or is common here in the States. It is entitled The Zombies are Coming: The Realities of the Zombie Apocalypse in American Culture, by Kelly J. Baker (Blue Crow Books, 2020):

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It was, frankly, a mixed bag and left more questions than answers. Be that as it may, it did tackle a topic that has been common in the preparedness community for some time now: those that seem to or come right out and state an actual desire to experience the end of human civilization as we know it. One such entry from the aforementioned texts covers this phenomenon:

Before we can get to the reality of zombies and their doomsdays, we have to consider the American fascination and attachment to the apocalypses more generally. The continuing desire for the world to end, both past and present, is not going away any time soon. It's time to consider the apocalypse, the people who want it to happen, and the stakes for all of us in the hope for doomsday of any kind.​

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Now, obviously, part of her befuddlement is due to the zombie scenario being completely within the realm of fiction. (Curiously, though a religious studies Phd, the author only made passing references to apocalyptic literature and tradition in history. A deeper comparison could have been fascinating, but I digress.) There are, however, real events that could be civilization destroying or even the end our species' existence altogether. Such examples are a large impact event, a nuclear exchange between two or more major powers, a large scale ecological disaster, an unstoppable contagion, et al.

Queries:

• Have you encountered individuals holding to such views?
• If so, what conclusions did you come to with respect to reasons for their curious outlook?
• More broadly what does it say, if anything, about our culture at large?
• Do you see this phenomenon having any impact on your preparations? And, closely related, how it could affect the likely outcomes of a major disaster?
• Other thoughts?

Thanks for sharing.

Read More

 

[Stomper]

Anyone (sane) who has seen what "kinetic conflict" can inflict has no desire to ever see it occur again, but on the other hand one can also become just as fatigued "holding their breath" when so many obvious "near misses" occur (almost on a daily basis now) and want to just get the "inevitable" over with so they can get on with life….. should they survive.

 

[Andy54Hawken]

A few thoughts...

Some folks love to "What if...."
There is money to be made in the zombie craze / TEOTWAWKI items , preps , books / movies etc...

As for looking forward to TEOTWAWKI....Nope....Been in some situations there were mighty close to that ...No wish to go back there.
That said...the lessons learned and experiences had...are not forgotten.

I think that some who look forward to TEOTWAWKI have no real idea of what life would be like in any sort of break down.
I can't say or understand why someone would look forward to it , in any case.

What does this say about our culture....Hmmm...Yogurt may have a better culture than we do....?
Andy

 

[RVTECH]

• Have you encountered individuals holding to such views?

Yes

• If so, what conclusions did you come to with respect to reasons for their curious outlook?

There is little 'curiosity' anymore. Some people ( far to many) live their lives based on movies, TV shows, social media and other unrealistic data as opposed to realistic information, history and reality in general.

• More broadly what does it say, if anything, about our culture at large?

That far too many are lost in the world of social media, the internet and other unrealistic pursuits as opposed to
studying true facts (or showing curiosity) with regard to science, geography, history. etc. (a bit redundant as per the above question)

• Do you see this phenomenon having any impact on your preparations? And, closely related, how it could affect the likely outcomes of a major disaster?

No practical answer.

• Other thoughts?

Oh, many - but none than matter.

 

[Longwalkhome]

Some folks just like to be entertained and become fans of shows like the Walking Dead. Others make more out of it than what it because it fulfills an agenda on turning us against each other. Opinion books are the writers fantasy.

 

[Rkangel]

IMO most books and movies about the apocalypse are highly romanticized for entertainment. They are meant to sell tickets, books, and a lifestyle. If people truly understood what the actual apocalypse would be like, that it is not the sugar-coated Hollywood version of Zombieland, Red Dawn or Deep Impact, etc... they would probably need a lot more toilet paper cause they would be pooping themselves from fear.

If mountains melt like glass and blood runs as deep as a horse's bridle, is a bunker full of preps going to save you? In the end, people's hearts will fail them from fear. There are some things you physically can't prepare for and there are some things you shouldn't wish for or look forward to.

 

[Cavedweller]

I would challenge the author's premise that there is an "American fascination and attachment to the apocalypses...." First of all, so few people are interested in preparing for everyday disasters, such as winter storms or wildfires, that I find it hard to believe there is a widespread "continuing desire for the world to end..."

In my view, there is a big difference between a prepper and a survivalist. A prepper is a realistic person who understands that there are common hazards that a responsible person recognizes could happen at any time. A survivalist, on the other hand, fantasizes about the end of civilization from a myriad of causes, and spends so much time getting ready for the end that it overshadows all other aspects of life. No doubt the more one has invested, emotionally and financially, in preparing for Armageddon, the less one wants to admit that one could be wrong. But any sane person with children wants nothing but peace, stability and prosperity for them. I choose to believe that that is the majority of us.

Preppers are such a minority of the general population, and survivalists are such a small fraction of the prepper community, I doubt there are any "stakes for all of us in the hope for doomsday of any kind." Time spent "consider[ing] the apocalypse, the people who want it to happen..." is akin to navel gazing.

 

[RVTECH]

In my view, there is a big difference between a prepper and a survivalist. A prepper is a realistic person who understands that there are common hazards that a responsible person recognizes could happen at any time. A survivalist, on the other hand, fantasizes about the end of civilization from a myriad of causes, and spends so much time getting ready for the end that it overshadows all other aspects of life.

Well said.

Similar to the difference between a 'conservationist' and a 'preservationist'

 

[Stomper]

A few thoughts...

Some folks love to "What if...."
There is money to be made in the zombie craze / TEOTWAWKI items , preps , books / movies etc...

As for looking forward to TEOTWAWKI....Nope....Been in some situations there were mighty close to that ...No wish to go back there.
That said...the lessons learned and experiences had...are not forgotten.

I think that some who look forward to TEOTWAWKI have no real idea of what life would be like in any sort of break down.
I can't say or understand why someone would look forward to it , in any case.

What does this say about our culture....Hmmm...Yogurt may have a better culture than we do....?
Andy

Which begs the question (often asked by those who don't care for it)…. When yogurt goes bad, how can you actually tell?

 

[Cavedweller]

Which begs the question (often asked by those who don't care for it)…. When yogurt goes bad, how can you actually tell?

By the fuzzy green stuff growing on top.

 

[RVTECH]

When yogurt goes bad, how can you actually tell?

It separates and will no longer 'congeal'.

 

[Andy54Hawken]

Which begs the question (often asked by those who don't care for it)…. When yogurt goes bad, how can you actually tell?

When yogurt goes bad....it steals the light bulb from the refrigerator....
Andy

 

[USMC-03]

The entire "zombie" subculture is completely disinteresting to me. I understand it's appeal at some level, and zombies make for a very convenient dehumanized antagonist in fiction, movies, video games, etc. But it's such a bore.

That said, the "zombie apocalypse" has a certain use as a survival what if; Jeff Cooper used the term goblin in much the same light - faceless opposition that has no more redeeming qualities than a rabid opossum.

To the point of enthusiastic hope for a social collapse of some sort, I'm nowhere near this camp. Like many here, I've seen enough and studied enough history to know what would really happen on the other side. However…

A small piece of me, the malicious villain that I keep tightly penned up, would take huge perverse pleasure in watching those who are oblivious to the danger melt down - particularly the people I've tried to repeatedly warn. Plus it's nice to be needed.

 

[Red98422]

A fascinating topic, and honestly one I have thought of before. I am sure we have all heard the phrase (or some variation of) "we are in desperate need of a reset".

Without getting political, I believe it is mostly people who are….frustrated, with their liberties being either trampled on outright or blatantly ignored.

Those very same people more often than not (in my experience) aren't even prepers (no offense meant by the term), and when pressed and offered insight as to what that would actually look like I'm often left with a dejected look and an admittance that they don't see another way to correct what they perceive (right or not) as being wrong. (Typically those in power, the wasting of tax dollars or the "system" as a whole).

That is my experience on this subject at least amongst those whom I've cared enough to dig deeper past the initial phrase.

 

[Howard1955]

The number of people who know where their food and water comes from seems to be shrinking. How many of the millions of people living in cities would have any idea of how to dig a well, or grow enough food to feed their family through a winter?

Food preservation, animal husbandry, basic building skills, etc are being - or have been - lost. There are some who still know how to make their way (the Amish come to mind), but not enough to supply food, water, and shelter for everyone else, if a major calamity happens.

This 'Great Divorce' from the foundations of life is happening in our minds and in our bodies. It's not surprising at all that a large populace, divorced from understanding/participating in supplying their basic needs, might get lost in their imaginations.

And when the imagination is fed a steady diet of violence and evil, what should we expect from such a culture?

Zombie movies. "Mostly peaceful protests". Confusion and division everywhere.

Yes, I know people who are looking forward to the 'end of the world'. In my opinion, they don't really know what they're talking about. Whether it's actual zombies, or just another 'mostly peaceful protest', anything that causes horrific suffering should be avoided.

We should have repented, as a nation, a long time ago.

 

[CountryGent]

When yogurt goes bad....it steals the light bulb from the refrigerator....
Andy

I remember as an adolescent and consuming all things computer science, there was the references to "bad sectors on a hard drive". The mental image was that part of the machine being in a revolutionary state or, more crudely, pulling a switchblade on me during operations.

 

[Andy54Hawken]

I remember as an adolescent and consuming all things computer science, there was the references to "bad sectors on a hard drive". The mental image was that part of the machine being in a revolutionary state or, more crudely, pulling a switchblade on me during operations.

"Bad sectors on a hard drive"....sounds like a really horrible 80's porn movie....
Andy

 

[Member 3687]

First after playing on a number of SHTF and TEOTWAWKI sights for several years in the past it is not just a US thing as many Brits are also looking for the same thing, I just feel the US is more open about it.

I do not look for or want it after being in a few 3rd world countries and seeing what it could look like.

I personally like being fat, dumb and happy with running tap water and power most days but that does not mean I do not like the "What If" questions and scenarios as they provoke thought, that and the fact the way the world is going right now, in my mind there is a good possibility it could happen.

When I first heard the term Zombie as it was becoming mainstream it was another way to say "LETS GO BRANDON" sort of, as it was a term of endearment for the empty, mindless folks running our government and then it moved on from there.

In the gaming world it was a way to do a first-person shooter without pissing off the folks that say games where just training our youth to kill other humans, since Zombies were already dead and they had no spokesman in their corner to complain, it was considered acceptable.

Now it is another way to look at the end of the world and the Zombie term is used in place of any country, government or identity you want to talk about without actually naming them, Political correctness in a way.

God, forbid you talk about blowing up the government even in jest but wiping out hordes of Zombies in a global melt down is a dream of all fun-loving folks and will not get you arrested. (YET)

I feel TEOTWAWKI, SHTF and Zombie are terms misused by most and only a few really hope for it to happen. I think most of us just want to go to work, come home and have a little fun on the weekend and have government just stay out of our lives.

Of course this is just my opinion but you never know, I might be one of the brainless Zombies we are talking about.

Edit spelling

 

[Nosferatu]

This already happened 2 years ago when the Plandemic hit.

We're in the end of the world AS WE KNOW IT. It's just not as drastic as everyone was hoping for.

We still have power, running water, internet and have to wear a mask or show our vax papers wherever we go.

The zombies are in charge. You voted for it.

 

[FourTeeFive]

Consider what the biggest selling video games are; it's just a modern day version of "cowboys and Indians" or war games or whatever. Kids play it and when they grow up they still find a form of it entertaining.