Comments on: Recurring Themes, Part Five: The End of Humanity http://roychristopher.com/recurring-themes-part-five-the-end-of-humanity I marshal the middle between Mathers and McLuhan. Fri, 11 May 2012 20:31:18 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Guy Debord: When Poetry Ruled the Streets | Roy Christopher http://roychristopher.com/recurring-themes-part-five-the-end-of-humanity/comment-page-1#comment-7460 Guy Debord: When Poetry Ruled the Streets | Roy Christopher Wed, 13 Apr 2011 22:39:40 +0000 http://roychristopher.com/recurring-themes-part-five-the-end-of-humanity#comment-7460 [...] “Perhaps it is only by boat that we can really lose ourselves,” he writes, recalling Slavoj Zizek’s metaphor for postmodern rootlessness, and Debord’s persistent pursuit of authentic experience. Of the numerous biographies of [...] [...] “Perhaps it is only by boat that we can really lose ourselves,” he writes, recalling Slavoj Zizek’s metaphor for postmodern rootlessness, and Debord’s persistent pursuit of authentic experience. Of the numerous biographies of [...]

]]> By: Scatological Eschatologies: The End is Nigh | Roy Christopher http://roychristopher.com/recurring-themes-part-five-the-end-of-humanity/comment-page-1#comment-6535 Scatological Eschatologies: The End is Nigh | Roy Christopher Thu, 11 Feb 2010 01:06:29 +0000 http://roychristopher.com/recurring-themes-part-five-the-end-of-humanity#comment-6535 [...] I’ve never really considered myself that concerned with the end of the world, but it’s clearly hanging heavy in the mass-mind. Brummett (1991) writes that the strategy of [...] [...] I’ve never really considered myself that concerned with the end of the world, but it’s clearly hanging heavy in the mass-mind. Brummett (1991) writes that the strategy of [...]

]]> By: Moon: Duncan Jones’ Great Gig in the Sky | Roy Christopher http://roychristopher.com/recurring-themes-part-five-the-end-of-humanity/comment-page-1#comment-6281 Moon: Duncan Jones’ Great Gig in the Sky | Roy Christopher Thu, 20 Aug 2009 20:52:26 +0000 http://roychristopher.com/recurring-themes-part-five-the-end-of-humanity#comment-6281 [...] age,” and in many ways, it’s the polar opposite of modern-day action sci-fi like I Am Legend (2007) or District 9 (2009). As Jones put it, “there were quite a few personal things I [...] [...] age,” and in many ways, it’s the polar opposite of modern-day action sci-fi like I Am Legend (2007) or District 9 (2009). As Jones put it, “there were quite a few personal things I [...]

]]> By: WALL-E: Here to Save You All | Roy Christopher http://roychristopher.com/recurring-themes-part-five-the-end-of-humanity/comment-page-1#comment-5664 WALL-E: Here to Save You All | Roy Christopher Thu, 10 Jul 2008 16:50:01 +0000 http://roychristopher.com/recurring-themes-part-five-the-end-of-humanity#comment-5664 [...] path.” Dave Allen calls WALL-E, “a parable for our eventual extinction,” and while eschatological themes are disturbingly rampant lately (Children of Men, I Am Legend, Cloverfield, Southland Tales, and M. Night Shyamalan’s The [...] [...] path.” Dave Allen calls WALL-E, “a parable for our eventual extinction,” and while eschatological themes are disturbingly rampant lately (Children of Men, I Am Legend, Cloverfield, Southland Tales, and M. Night Shyamalan’s The [...]

]]> By: Summer Reading List, 2008 | Roy Christopher http://roychristopher.com/recurring-themes-part-five-the-end-of-humanity/comment-page-1#comment-5556 Summer Reading List, 2008 | Roy Christopher Fri, 20 Jun 2008 21:18:07 +0000 http://roychristopher.com/recurring-themes-part-five-the-end-of-humanity#comment-5556 [...] simply nature’s reclamation might be, I’ve been plagued by a bigger question. Why the sudden rush of apocalypse theorization in the past year? Does humanity, or better yet science, know something big is going to happen soon? Is this in [...] [...] simply nature’s reclamation might be, I’ve been plagued by a bigger question. Why the sudden rush of apocalypse theorization in the past year? Does humanity, or better yet science, know something big is going to happen soon? Is this in [...]

]]> By: Southland Tales | Roy Christopher http://roychristopher.com/recurring-themes-part-five-the-end-of-humanity/comment-page-1#comment-5043 Southland Tales | Roy Christopher Fri, 21 Mar 2008 15:24:34 +0000 http://roychristopher.com/recurring-themes-part-five-the-end-of-humanity#comment-5043 [...] pushes that much further, reveling in its own chaos and spectacle. It’s a carnival, a war, an end to humanity, a social comment, a political satire, a science fiction romp, and a laugh-out-loud comedy. Not [...] [...] pushes that much further, reveling in its own chaos and spectacle. It’s a carnival, a war, an end to humanity, a social comment, a political satire, a science fiction romp, and a laugh-out-loud comedy. Not [...]

]]> By: Roy Christopher » Blade Runner Redux http://roychristopher.com/recurring-themes-part-five-the-end-of-humanity/comment-page-1#comment-4436 Roy Christopher » Blade Runner Redux Tue, 29 Jan 2008 22:53:55 +0000 http://roychristopher.com/recurring-themes-part-five-the-end-of-humanity#comment-4436 [...] place (The recent release of Alfonso Cuarón’s so-called “anti-Blade Runner,” Children of Men, only highlights this). Scott is not Kubrick, nor is he Spielberg, but his aesthetic is somewhere [...] [...] place (The recent release of Alfonso Cuarón’s so-called “anti-Blade Runner,” Children of Men, only highlights this). Scott is not Kubrick, nor is he Spielberg, but his aesthetic is somewhere [...]

]]> By: Antonio http://roychristopher.com/recurring-themes-part-five-the-end-of-humanity/comment-page-1#comment-4195 Antonio Sun, 20 Jan 2008 20:18:03 +0000 http://roychristopher.com/recurring-themes-part-five-the-end-of-humanity#comment-4195 <i>The Twilight Zone</i> episode was called "Time Enough At Last," starring the late Burgess Meredith. The Twilight Zone episode was called “Time Enough At Last,” starring the late Burgess Meredith.

]]> By: Roy Christopher http://roychristopher.com/recurring-themes-part-five-the-end-of-humanity/comment-page-1#comment-3773 Roy Christopher Sun, 16 Dec 2007 17:17:32 +0000 http://roychristopher.com/recurring-themes-part-five-the-end-of-humanity#comment-3773 Well, <i>I Am Legend</i> certainly fits in this cadre of eschatological stories, but it is not among the best of them. Initially Dr. Robert Neville and his dog Sam are the lone main characters roaming a New York devoid of any non-zombied human life, but then, as Neville reaches the end of his wits, the <i>deus ex machina</i>, Anna, appears, and the plot quickly sputters to an end. Unlike <i>28 Days Later</i>, its closest recent analog, and <i>30 Days of Night</i>, perhaps a cousin of sorts, <i>I Am Legend</i>'s last half fails to deliver on the promise of its first. Yet another of these stories I've come across since writing this post is <i>The Wanting Seed</i> by Anthony Burgess. England's future government in the book attempts to slow (and nearly end) humanity systematically due to overpopulation. Births are limited to one (dead or alive) per married couple, homosexual behavior is rewarded (with gays the most likely to receive promotions), and food is unnatural and rationed. This system quickly implodes as cannibalism and free love spread throughout England, and the central government is dismantled. The backlash is bound to fit the suppression. Well, I Am Legend certainly fits in this cadre of eschatological stories, but it is not among the best of them. Initially Dr. Robert Neville and his dog Sam are the lone main characters roaming a New York devoid of any non-zombied human life, but then, as Neville reaches the end of his wits, the deus ex machina, Anna, appears, and the plot quickly sputters to an end. Unlike 28 Days Later, its closest recent analog, and 30 Days of Night, perhaps a cousin of sorts, I Am Legend‘s last half fails to deliver on the promise of its first.

Yet another of these stories I’ve come across since writing this post is The Wanting Seed by Anthony Burgess. England’s future government in the book attempts to slow (and nearly end) humanity systematically due to overpopulation. Births are limited to one (dead or alive) per married couple, homosexual behavior is rewarded (with gays the most likely to receive promotions), and food is unnatural and rationed. This system quickly implodes as cannibalism and free love spread throughout England, and the central government is dismantled. The backlash is bound to fit the suppression.

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