I don't expect an apocalypse, but I do expect a slow grind down the ladder and for America to end up looking like Mexico, economically speaking, with higher crime, kidnappings and so on.

I think the popularity of apocalyptic fiction is the result of the above perception - that things are getting worse and in the long run this is unsustainable- and a feeling on the part of a lot of men that they have no role in the society we've built. Many of the traditional male skills have no purpose now and I think that the inclination then is to spend time thinking about scenarios in which they would again be meaningful.

I also think that a part of it is a reaction to the extremely cushy, luxurious lifestyle many people have. In the absence of a true threat, one is invented.  We didn't evolve in a world without predators. It's pretty unnatural to live the way we do in the first world.

Nah, I don't think there will be anything.  That said, it never hurts so be prepared.  In the ice storm before Christmas we lost power for a few days- being prepared, it was no biggee.  The things I wonder about are government collapse or a major earthquake in the New Madrid zone which would affect us here.  As misanthropist pointed out, it's more the current genres that are out there- the zombie fad, etc.  I don't think anything's coming down the pipe.

Plus apocalyptic scenarios intrigue me.  I always wonder, as humans, what we would do when it all falls down.  For me it's just a fun exercise.

Die, mostly. The cities would be a horror show and your best course of action would be to either hunker down with sufficient supplies to see you through the initial 6 months or GTFO town before the shit really hits the fan and find someplace (or have a place prepared because once it hits ain't nobody gonna be happy to see you) to hunker down with sufficient supplies to see you through the initial 6 months. After the initial die off the rate would slow but the decline would continue and life would be suck after suck after suck.

"1 Second After", by William Forstchen is a better than average example of the genre, certainly more realistic in the telling than "Alas, Babylon", and uses EMP as the jumping off point. "A Canticle for Liebowitz" has it's charms, as well, some more brutal than others and holds a pretty realistic view of human nature and our ability to create systems of belief from bare nothing and cede control over our lives to those systems.

My personal belief, based on a lot of reading on the subject, is that it will be a virus that takes us out or at least reduces the human population of the world to a small, scattered remnant eking out a hard and bloody existence. But hey, I'm an optimist for believing that the epidemic will leave 20% of the population of the world still alive. If the Spanish Flu epidemic of 1918 hit us now, with the rapidity of global travel as a vector multiplier, yeah, 20% is probably pretty fucking optimistic.

Cheers! 

Apocalypse! 

Always on top of it with a thoughtful and cogently argued response.

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What are we looking at here? All I see is a question mark in a blue box.

What are we looking at here? All I see is a question mark in a blue box.

IT HAS STARTED

(or, just quote the message and you'll likely see the cartoons).

I've said it before and I'll say it again...  for those that haven't, watch the series Jericho.  That's the scenario I'm thinking will happen whether it's self inflicted or otherwise.  The majority of this nation is living with the ability
to sustain themselves for about a week and don't have the skills, ingenuity or experience to fend for themselves.  So whether its weather, bio, nuke or whatever, if something seriously taxes a huge %age of the population all at once,
there's your zombies.  People have said in response to these types of threads that they'll count on their savings and education to get them through.  Well, when money means nothing and currency becomes food, water, gas and bullets then
we'll see how well that goes for them.  I plan to be able to function when the currency changes.  The other thing I'm worried about was mentioned in the other thread...probably in jest but it was said:
"I can kill you and take your stuff."  For those that can't survive on their own but have some motivation and some of that ingenuity from above, that will probably become thier chosen career path. 

I truly think we're a couple strokes of bad luck or a few consecutive really bad decisions away from something wicked this way coming. 

I see a lot of discussion/threads that deal with this topic. And it makes me wonder what and why. Religious apocalypse aside; what do you think the coming apocalypse will be and why do you think it's coming? Those 2 questions lead to the next question; what do you think the conditions will be after the apocalypse?

I'll admit, I'm either not reading y'all's sarcasm or y'all actually believe there is a coming apocalypse.


Zombies? REALLY?

If there's ever a biological "apocalypse", it will be some kind of highly communicable disease that's more pervasive than HIV and much faster acting, but just as difficult to eradicate. Like a virus version of a super rabies.

Personally, I doubt it'll come to that; I think we're just going to backslide, as a world population, into super rich city states and everyone else; akin more to a 30,000 foot view of the Hunger Games world (but without all the crazy story line) or Elysium without space.

or... most likely of all... People will continue on just as we know life to be... poor people not getting the education they need, the "middle class" working their asses off to keep 40% of their earnings and the super rich keeping everything actually running by throwing money at the problems and greasing the wheels.

$.02

It's like professional sports and tv shows.  Just another distraction to give the sheeple something to do instead of doing something about the real problems we face.

Okay, I see the picture now! Funny!  What's the problem though?  The OP asked for our opinions on the Apocalypse. My opinion is that it's silly, it makes me laugh that people take it so seriously, at least in this lifetime! I apologize if I offended anyone for not taking the time to make more of an educated response! Please proceed! Cheers

Quote from: misanthropist on January 29, 2014, 08:37:16 PM

I don't expect an apocalypse, but I do expect a slow grind down the ladder and for America to end up looking like Mexico, economically speaking, with higher crime, kidnappings and so on.

Nope I do not think there will be an apocalypse (barring a meteor strike, or nuke exchange) but I do believe the above scenario could play out.

This slow grind could certainly come to pass.

And I'm certainly that the "American Century" is drawing to a close. Policeman for the planet is expensive, makes few friends, and tiring.

But folks have been predicting the demise of this country for the better part of a century (if not longer) . . . .

I think it far more likely that we'll find a happy medium, and settle into a role as sort of an elder statesman of countries, like the UK, or perhaps define a quieter role on the world stage, like Canada.

Interesting timing... I'm currently reading Z-Burbia by Jake Bible (who I recently interviewed: http://chrishornberger.com/2014/01/i-interviewed-author-jake-bible/ ).

It's less about zombies and more about rebuilding and the strife and angst that power-hungry people can cause.

I'm liking it. 

I read one author who speculated that rising ocean levels would displace a large portion of the population of low-lying Bangladesh (150,000,000 people). This in turn would set off a global economic collapse. I forget how he predicted this.

Nah. They've moved the t-shirt manufacturing to Malayasia.