I keep thinking about nuclear disaster. Or some other apocalyptic thing. Tsunami, mega-earthquake, plague– something. As long as you made it through, as long as you were not burned by radiation or given giant infectious pustules– as long as you made it through, and weren’t somehow trapped caring for the millions of others who did have radiation burns and giant pustules– the end of the world world be fucking great.
And this is why there are so many movies about it, books about it– it’s not out of fear. It’s out of wish fulfillment. Just like Harry Potter, Luke Skywalker, Frodo Baggins and etc . etc. etc.–aren’t orphans in their stories because of fear of losing your parents, but because kids wish their parents were dead. That the bumbling, irritating schlumps constantly pestering you with questions that are like cigarette burns on the back of your neck– they wish these people had never existed for them, and that their real mommy were a princess who owned a huge magical castle that you could live in, and would have plenty of space to keep the two of you apart.
But anyway, if the world ended, it would be great. Or at least, if civilization ended. Loot the grocery store for a bunch of food and go up to the mountains and camp. Shoot a deer once in a while. Nice quiet nights by the fire. Find a young woman of breeding age who needs you for protection and couldn’t leave you or she would die. Take over some abandoned cabin and raise a modest amount of livestock and just rawdog her for the rest of your life. Continue reading →