Connections: Zombie Apocalypse
Speaking for myself — as a mother, and perhaps for my generation —I am both horrified and perplexed by the dystopian worlds that young people immerse themselves in (I hesitate to say enjoy) these days on television, in young-adult novels, and in popular films.
I’ve sat through too many cinema previews for screeching, special-effects battles in galactic space between aliens and the remnant populations of human beings after Earth has been destroyed. What pleasure you get from watching these extraordinarily loud movies I do not know. I do know that they are usually rated PG-13, which of course means that much younger children will sneak in or watch them later, on demand.
Am I the only one who finds the whole aliens-or-zombies-or-evil-wizards-have-taken-over-the-world plot line to be not just a downer, but a total bore?
The word “dystopian” wasn’t in common use when George Orwell’s “1984” was published in 1949, or when the book appeared on reading lists during my college years. “Apocalyptic” was a familiar term in the 1970s for describing events and the world gone wrong, and even more so after the film “Apocalypse Now” about the Vietnam War was released. Today, it feels like the kids are obsessed with the end of the world.
What is the appeal of “The Hunger Games” and its sequels? I think I speak for my peers when I say I am not very interested in watching teenagers battle to the death. According to a movie guide for parents that I just consulted, in “The Hunger Games” you can observe the following edifying spectacles: A boy’s neck is snapped, an arrow is seen sticking out of a chest, a girl is killed by poison, another by a flying spear, and yet another after being swarmed by wasps. The heroine, Katniss, is attacked by dog-like beasts and then, with apparent mercy, shoots a boy that the beasts have torn apart. Sounds like fun.
What do our children believe the real world is like?
I have been pondering these questions recently, and over the last week or so the answer seemed to present itself.
The French president, Francois Hollande, and the Islamic State (or “Daesh,” as the French prefer) agree that they, and we, are at war.
The masked vigilantes of Anonymous have declared cyber war on Daesh, too.
Babies are drowning in the Aegean sea, as their families flee starvation, bombs . . . and Daesh.
Did I meanwhile hear Donald Trump say that if elected president he would send all Syrian refugees home?
It is a scary, scary world.
I guess it makes sense that young people should focus on imaginary horrors, instead of real ones — horrors that can be overcome by a brave teenager with a laser gun or arrow, and good aim.