9/11 and the apocalypse
From time to time, I appreciate reflecting on why I love apocalyptic films so much. Indeed, why would a person get so much pleasure from watching the world burn, like the Joker in The Dark Knight? Arguably a movie with apocalyptic overtones if ever there was one, take a look at these posters for The Dark Knight and tell me they don’t have stark 9/11-influenced imagery:
The gash in the skyscraper is eerily reminiscent of the gaping hole in one of the twin towers:
Here’s the Joker, reveling in a shower of broken glass and steel:
The rain of debris is absolutely borrowed from that fateful day when our world began to end:
So my question again, why do I return to entertainment that seems to celebrate the end? I believe that it’s a type of coping mechanism. I believe that a fascination with fictionalized events that can only be described as apocalyptic helps me fathom how such events could be non-fictional. I, and millions of Americans, all have the countless images and videos of the WTC and Pentagon attacks seared into our collective minds. I cannot forget them. Worse, I return to them, even now ten years later. It’s like a strange, secret compulsion, to watch those grainy videos again and again, still shocked by their power and sorrow.
How could that happen? Were we being judged by a malevolent, vengeful God? Was it Satan, raining down jet fuel fire from the sky? Or was this the brand of apocalypse that is man-made? Have we wrought this ourselves by our own neglect and complacency?
I don’t know any of these answers. I’m as dumbfounded today as I was last decade. But I do know this: we are never safe from the end of days. The apocalypse is coming in one form or another, as we have seen with our eyes. Let us be ready, let us be watching. I know I will.
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The current economic situation also plays a role. People feel insecure, uncertain, just as 9/11 made us feel and cope by watching something worse.
I dont belive there will be an apocalypse anytime soon. Maybe in the far far future when the earth expires. But Im sure that when it happens mankind will find a solution to stop it or to survive.
Eventho I dont expect there to be an apocalypse I love the (movie) genre. I think I do because its so mysterious. I started to like it after playing fallout 3. All apocalypse fans would love to play it I guess.
Anyway I dont think its weird to like this genre. There are also many people who like war movies. We also dont want there to be a war near us. So I think thats pretty much the same.
Greetings from Holland,
@mike, you make a great point that I overlooked. At the risk of falling into conspiracy theory, it’s very true that 9/11 gave us a bigger “threat” to worry and obsess about.
@Almelozuid, I appreciate your optimistic attitude. I’m not sure just how *literally* I believe in some sort of Apocalypse (with a capital, religious “A”). To me, an apocalypse is really just a symbol for future dread, for events or consequences that are out of our control. And so in that sense, I do believe in the apocalypse.
Hi great article and great site. I found you through your youtube channel which I was sad to see neglected but happy to be led here.
I made a response to the comments here but it got a bit long so I decided it might make for a good page on my Blog. I’ve always been a huge fan of the Post-Apocalyptic genre for many reasons which I won’t go into right now. But what I mostly wrote about in my new blog page is the fact that my Bible based beliefs play absolutely zero role in my interest in post-apocalyptic stuff. Read on to find out why.
http://hbnnetwork.com/in-response-to-a-blog-post-about-apocalypse/
Kenneth, interesting read. Thanks for the link back and your studied replies. I’ve always been fascinated by Preterism. Hope you return to comment more about Apocalyptic Movies!
Umm.. No, was not any of these reasons:
“Were we being judged by a malevolent, vengeful God? Was it Satan, raining down jet fuel fire from the sky? Or was this the brand of apocalypse that is man-made? Have we wrought this ourselves by our own neglect and complacency?”
But when you said “Where we being judged by a malevolent, vengful God?”, you came close, but not by a god, but by humans.
It was a defencive blow from people you have been invading their country for years before 9/11.
Where soldiers bearing the words “U.S.A” or “America” have the final say. for women and girls to be taken (raped) For fathers and sons to be accused of being “enemies” or “insurgents” without even a trial only to be executed (shot dead) there and then in front of their families, to which, even in some cases, families where shot dead there-and-then.
for human rights to be pissed on.
you just ignore it becuase you dont like the sound of it.
The american public is one of the most guilable people i’v even seen. Most of you still think “America” is yours, and not for immigrants, yet your immigrants yourselves.
You still think you won all world wars on your own.
You still think you libirated Greece from Nazi reign.
You forgot Bush AND Obama lied to get voted and to stay in power.
You forgot Bush AND Obama did not do as they promised to get your vote.
You forget for you to live the way you do, other countries must be kept down.
You stopped Iran from having power in fear of them using it to make WMDs, but you yourself have nuclear missles.
Your people brought about the stock market crash by being too greedy.
you still think your untouchable.
And you call every other country in the world racist, nationalist, communist, sickening, poverty-stricken, un-human, scum. The rest of the world knows who is scum.