The Post-Apocalyptic Tale: Survival, Death, and Morals

Dimension Films

This is something I may do from time to time when I get really motivated. It may involve one movie or a few that revolve around some interesting idea or ideas or hints at some. Hopefully these posts will spark conversation with whoever happens to take the time to read them, because I'm aware they're a lot longer than normal.

What is so appealing about the post-apocalyptic tale? It seems to me to be the very essence of human survival. Unlike many survival stories that involve being lost in the wilderness, separated from mankind, or some variation on this scheme, there is no good and right civilization to return to. One doesn’t stumble out of the woods to collapse in the arms of a search and rescue crew or some flabbergasted family in route to a vacation spot. These stories rely on the sheer power of will and logic against inanimate forces, and it is assumed that the reward is finding ‘home’ and comfort again.

                Not so when the human race is on the line. There is nothing to return to. But everyone needs a goal, something to keep them going. So, why not head to the ocean? Or where we grew up? Or ‘I heard they have a [insert particular safe-haven] in [insert city], let’s go there.’ However, this only occurs when one wants a ‘happy ending’ to their story, like ‘I Am Legend’, or ’28 Days Later.’ A lot of sad and awful things have already happened, so why not give the audience something to feel good about? But these stories never stay with us for long.

                Its stories like ‘The Road’ or another movie I recently watched (that was surprisingly good for how simple it was) ‘Carriers’ that tend to floor you; especially ‘The Road.’ The drive for survival is still there and keeps people going, but they know (and we know) it will all end in death. That sounds silly to say because that’s just like normal, comfortable life, but therein is the paradox.

               Stories like ‘The Road’ depict people struggling against all odds (hunger, cold, thirst, disease, cannibals, etc) in a world gone to hell, all for the sake of life and clinging to humanity (referred to as ‘the fire’ in ‘The Road’). Although many people may resort to violence, and even cannibalism, to survive, ‘we’ won’t. Here is the core issue: are you willing to leave behind or even kill family, friends, anyone, to survive?

                 It seems only natural to try and relate this to the idea of evolution and the survival of the fittest. It sounds lame and like a cop-out relation, but it has its meaning. For evolution to work and for life to progress at the best, the strong have to survive over the weak and create a better, stronger community/civilization. Of course, in the apocalyptic scenario and that of man as hunter/gatherers, the most physically fit and knowledgeable in the use of items for survival will outlast everyone else. However, not everyone is both knowledgeable and fit which is why so many stories have the strong, tough guy willing to do anything and then the more sentimental, smart guy. Still, only a certain few will survive.

                This is why it is so frustrating to our logic when we watch people in movies struggle and make self-sacrifices to keep people alive and moving with them. For example, the father in ‘The Road’ sacrifices his own safety and health for the sake of keeping his son with him. Even though this is the core emotional and poignant facet of the story, it is still illogical in terms of survival and evolution. Sure, it may be smart to start out in such a scenario with a small group of dependable people, but once one gets gravely ill or struggles to move, it would be best just to leave him/her behind.

                Herein lies the appeal of apocalyptic stories. It challenges us to examine our morals towards life and death and what we would do to survive knowing there’s nothing waiting for us at the end of the road. It’s an age-old challenge to our psyche, but still a relevant one to return to now and then.

                Now let’s return to the real world. Seeing as the belief in evolution and survival demands that we make sacrifices and decide the fate of others as measured against our own, why do we continue to try and help those less fortunate than us? We continue to feed, clothe, treat, and protect those who are probably going to die and sacrifice our own resources, time, and energy to do so. This is entirely against all logic of survival and evolution which many of us cling to as the underlying force behind all living things. It really makes much more sense to forget about these people and save diminishing natural resources and other necessities for those people who are going to live a normal life span.

                So why do we still try to save these poor wretches? For what reasons have we attached such a significant value to human life? We’re all going to die with or without apocalyptic events. There seems to be something in us that can’t quite handle or wrap our minds around the event of ‘death’ and the need to preserve life. If death is all there is, then why did we invent ‘morals’ which only try to make life ‘better’ and possibly give it meaning and prolong it? With evolution, all we have is survival and death, what place do morals have?

                There is the idea that we invented morals as a way to ‘ease our passing.’ They’re a sort of cushion against what we can’t explain: our purpose. But then again, the only thing keeping these morals in place is the literal ‘cushion’, the comfortable lifestyle of materials, science, knowledge, health, etc, that keep us from having to cope with life and death scenarios. So as long as we are comfortable we can afford to cling to morals and this intangible idea that human life is worth more to us even at our own expense. Because in the end, morals are what we hope will persuade others to do likewise for us in our time of need. However, take away everything and give someone the choice between his/her own safety and health and see how quickly someone comes to your aid.

                But let’s discuss for a moment the feeling we get from the father/son relationship in ‘The Road.’ Most anyone who has read the book will agree it is a heartbreaking story because of the love and dedication the father shows for his son which ultimately ends with him dying. We see it as a beautiful thing and the hope, the ‘fire’ that keeps the two going through a land utterly devastated by all sorts of disasters. I see two important, interesting features to this story and our reaction to it. One, the idea of dedication to love and support thrills and inspires us. Two, the message is that these are things worth dying for.

                In my mind, these two things we admire so much are completely against all logic for survival. For survival in the real world, it’s necessary to maintain relations and a certain image/persona to ensure success. The degree that morals play into this is up to the individual and what they’re trying to accomplish. However, down to the bare essentials of a post-apocalyptic world, this would no longer be necessary. And yet, we still praise the efforts of those who try to stick to morals like Ralph in William Golding’s Lord of the Flies even though they’re the ones being hunted down and overcome by those who choose survival of the fittest.

                It seems to me that we can never understand the full weight and worth of morals until we must make decisions when our world of comfort is destroyed. How easy would it be for us to lay these ideals aside? Or rather, how long would it take for us to finally let go of them? Reduced to this state it’s not that we must adapt to the circumstances which necessitates ‘evil’ actions. It’s that we finally have no need to adapt to the comfortable life which necessitates morals. Faced with nothing but a period of survival before death we go back to what is natural. For what is more natural than that?

                See all the ideas that can be sparked from such an age old story of the post-apocalyptic in movies? All you have to do is think a bit harder than normal instead of letting explosions and effects overwhelm your senses.