Apocalypse

[Rezcore]

Due the insanity that is the life of a political journalist, especially in this day, I've not been able to actually write any fiction. As such I have forced myself to actually attempt to sit and write some.

Unfortunately, all my older story ideas aren't holding a spark for me. What to do? I made a list of genres, and realized something... I will NEVER write a post-apocalyptic story.

But why? Because I've become very aware of the darkness of humanity, and if I wrote one, it'd end up an allegory of a monument to mankind's sins.

You see, in the post apocalypse, the crimes we currently struggle with (murder, rape, theft) would be multiplied my massive magnitudes. I often find myself shocked at how bizarre the human condition is, that we actively create fictional scenarios in which we try to insert modern morals, and they are successful. Maybe I've been in DC too long and I've become a pessimistic fool.

 

[Sergeandgreen]

Due the insanity that is the life of a political journalist, especially in this day, I've not been able to actually write any fiction. As such I have forced myself to actually attempt to sit and write some.

Unfortunately, all my older story ideas aren't holding a spark for me. What to do? I made a list of genres, and realized something... I will NEVER write a post-apocalyptic story.

But why? Because I've become very aware of the darkness of humanity, and if I wrote one, it'd end up an allegory of a monument to mankind's sins.

You see, in the post apocalypse, the crimes we currently struggle with (murder, rape, theft) would be multiplied my massive magnitudes. I often find myself shocked at how bizarre the human condition is, that we actively create fictional scenarios in which we try to insert modern morals, and they are successful. Maybe I've been in DC too long and I've become a pessimistic fool.

There are many philosophers, like Kant, who would agree with you. One of society's duties is to tame the inherent nature of humans. In a postapocalyptical scenario, a society that is able to fulfill this duty needs to redevelop. This can take generations.
Maybe, if you want a less depressing story, write a romance story. Or use a non-distopian futuristic setting.

 

[RepresentingWrath]

Bruh.

 

[Lloyd]

Due the insanity that is the life of a political journalist, especially in this day, I've not been able to actually write any fiction. As such I have forced myself to actually attempt to sit and write some.

Unfortunately, all my older story ideas aren't holding a spark for me. What to do? I made a list of genres, and realized something... I will NEVER write a post-apocalyptic story.

But why? Because I've become very aware of the darkness of humanity, and if I wrote one, it'd end up an allegory of a monument to mankind's sins.

You see, in the post apocalypse, the crimes we currently struggle with (murder, rape, theft) would be multiplied my massive magnitudes. I often find myself shocked at how bizarre the human condition is, that we actively create fictional scenarios in which we try to insert modern morals, and they are successful. Maybe I've been in DC too long and I've become a pessimistic fool.

Modern morals? I think you mean Christian morals. The modern age has no morals. I was watching on the news and Israel is having riots over the right to rape male prisoners of war anally.

 

[TheEldritchGod]

Due the insanity that is the life of a political journalist, especially in this day, I've not been able to actually write any fiction.

Hold it. You're a political journalist. Everything you write is fiction.

As such I have forced myself to actually attempt to sit and write some.

You shouldn't force yourself. It won't turn out well/

Unfortunately, all my older story ideas aren't holding a spark for me. What to do?

Find something you like. Pick something you day dream about.

I made a list of genres, and realized something... I will NEVER write a post-apocalyptic story.

Okay... I'll never write a medical drama ala House. Yer point?

But why?

Why you asking me what YOU like to write about?

Because I've become very aware of the darkness of humanity,

How old are you?

and if I wrote one, it'd end up an allegory of a monument to mankind's sins.

And there's your problem, right there. You assume humanity has sins.

You see, in the post apocalypse, the crimes we currently struggle with (murder, rape, theft) would be multiplied my massive magnitudes.

Why? Where's your proof? Show me examples. YOU assume everyone would just run around and be evil, when most of the time the answer is often, they will try to survive and if they feel like they will, they try to help others survive.

Except in China. That place, its every man for himself.

I often find myself shocked at how bizarre the human condition is,

I'm doubting your first-hand experience. I've rarely met true evil and I've got nightmares from the shit my clients have talked about.

Maybe I've been in DC too long and I've become a pessimistic fool.

Yes.

 

[CharlesEBrown]

Due the insanity that is the life of a political journalist, especially in this day, I've not been able to actually write any fiction. As such I have forced myself to actually attempt to sit and write some.

Unfortunately, all my older story ideas aren't holding a spark for me. What to do? I made a list of genres, and realized something... I will NEVER write a post-apocalyptic story.

But why? Because I've become very aware of the darkness of humanity, and if I wrote one, it'd end up an allegory of a monument to mankind's sins.

You see, in the post apocalypse, the crimes we currently struggle with (murder, rape, theft) would be multiplied my massive magnitudes. I often find myself shocked at how bizarre the human condition is, that we actively create fictional scenarios in which we try to insert modern morals, and they are successful. Maybe I've been in DC too long and I've become a pessimistic fool.

IME, most post apocalyptic stories are either some other genre pretending to be science fiction. allegories of mankind's sins, or a mix; at least the ones I've seen. For example, there is "Ariel: A Book of the Change" which seems a standard fantasy adventure novel (the apocalypse is the sudden failure of all technology above the "lever" and "wheel" coupled with the sudden advent of magic) but is pretty bleak and kind of mixes allegory with "fantasy pretending to be sci fi"; most zombie apocalypse stories are kind of a mix as well, especially the ones that try to emulate George Romero's movies).

I think, in a sense, the "Purge" franchise is also post apocalyptic and exactly what you are talking about.

 

[Chaos_Sinner777]

You could write a post apocalypse where humans are already extinct and it focuses on some other emerging sapience trying to build a civilization of their own from the remnants of humanity.

 

[Succubiome]

I think there's too big of a trend in post-apocalyptic fiction to be incredibly pessimistic. Things could be really bad after the current systems fall, certainly-- but that's not the only possibility.

There's ways a new world could be kinder than the current one, too.

Current society enforces cruelty just as often, if not more often, than kindness.

 

[Rezcore]

Hold it. You're a political journalist. Everything you write is fiction.


You shouldn't force yourself. It won't turn out well/


Find something you like. Pick something you day dream about.


Okay... I'll never write a medical drama ala House. Yer point?


Why you asking me what YOU like to write about?


How old are you?


And there's your problem, right there. You assume humanity has sins.


Why? Where's your proof? Show me examples. YOU assume everyone would just run around and be evil, when most of the time the answer is often, they will try to survive and if they feel like they will, they try to help others survive.

Except in China. That place, its every man for himself.

I'm doubting your first-hand experience. I've rarely met true evil and I've got nightmares from the shit my clients have talked about.


Yes.

I'm not gonna answer everything you've mentioned. Nor in order. There have been test on humanity and its willingness to commit atrocities upon itself. I am 32, I've done political journalism and conflict journalism, during the second I witnessed the evils mankind has visited on itself. But I'm repeating myself. The "But why?" Was a rhetorical device.

Modern morals? I think you mean Christian morals. The modern age has no morals. I was watching on the news and Israel is having riots over the right to rape male prisoners of war anally.

Tbf that is a valid assumption. However as I've began to assess the moral belief of different cultures, a few are rather universal. I won't talk about Israel, as my beliefs aren't popular and rather not have an annoyance in my place of relaxation.

 

[Gray_Mann]

Hold it. You're a political journalist. Everything you write is fiction.

DAMMIT!!! You beat me to it. Curse you!!!

The modern age has no morals.

Idiots who can't figure out which bathroom to use, and professional victims too busy crying about a history they were never part of are the ones who set the West's moral standards nowadays. Sadly, your disgusting trash is leaking out to the rest of the world, my part of the world.

 

[Rezcore]

DAMMIT!!! You beat me to it. Curse you!!!

I'm tired of people talking shit about my career, look I report on the bullshit the government does everyday, no filter or editorializing. It's not my fault my company changes it to support the narrative, and put me in what are known as golden handcuffs making it impossible to leave until my contract is up. And most of my colleagues are scumbags

 

[Gray_Mann]

look I report on the bullshit the government does everyday, no filter or editorializing

No offense, as in I don't know you and its possible you COULD be telling the truth but.....

Okay, I acknowledge that saying no offense is mostly a lie. I despise most of you. Especially CNN/MSN types. Those two REALLY send some bullshit headed towards my country. BBC is amazingly awful too. I will accept that you MIGHT be different. But I'm mostly skeptical of that as well.

 

[Rezcore]

No offense, as in I don't know you and its possible you COULD be telling the truth but.....

Okay, I acknowledge that saying no offense is mostly a lie. I despise most of you. Especially CNN/MSN types. Those two REALLY send some bullshit headed towards my country. BBC is amazingly awful too. I will accept that you MIGHT be different. But I'm mostly skeptical of that as well.

I just ghost write. Everything I write gets given as someone else's byline with editing. I fucking hate all of the news groups, but I'm contracted for another year or so.

 

[Deleted member 166076]

Honestly, almost every zombie apocalypse system manga out there is already full of that nonsense. Women are always made out to be powerless damsels in distress, the MC is almost always a male who makes women into his s*x slaves and is otherwise a psychopath who kills people while being paranoid they'll do the same to him, and there is almost always cannibalism involved as well. Even without zombies, most apocalypse system manga follow these tropes. It's gotten boring, annoying, and almost feels as unrealistic as the same genre but with everything being sunshine and rainbows.

I actually really like apocalyptic chef awakening because the MC deals with threats with methods besides killing everything, has a craftsman class, and builds a large group of like-minded individuals to work together for their survival. It has zombies of sorts and monsters as well as everyone having a system. So, essentially, it's more in line with the system apocalypse than zombies specifically, but there is yet to be anything like a dungeon. I just feel like this story is more realistic since it shows people struggling with the mental effects of killing their acquaintances who turn into zombies, has women being treated as having similar potential to the men, and still has criminals who act out without it always being cannibalism / SA followed by the MC ruthlessly killing everyone. Most things in life tend to have a good bit of middle ground and grey area more than being black and white after all.

 

[TheEldritchGod]

I'm tired of people talking shit about my career, look I report on the bullshit the government does everyday, no filter or editorializing. It's not my fault my company changes it to support the narrative, and put me in what are known as golden handcuffs making it impossible to leave until my contract is up. And most of my colleagues are scumbags

Dude...

I hate to tell you this, but you guys started digging your own grave when you started picking sides. Did you? I dunno. I never heard of you, BUT WHAT DID YOU DO TO STOP THE REST OF YOUR INDUSTRY?

I work with the mentally and physically disabled for NYS. The STATE started abusing the clients. I took a stand. ALONE. It cost me FOUR YEARS OF HELL, I destroyed my career, but I did the right thing. Did I have any effect? For a few. Just a few. Not many, but you know something? I SLEEP JUST FINE AT NIGHT.

If you came up to me and said to my face, "Bob, your career is to wipe people's asses. You might do a lot of stuff, but in the end, the most important thing you do is clean up SHIT. ACTUAL. SHIT. You will NEVER go anywhere. You destroyed your future working for the state. You will never be promoted. You will be stuck on night shift, FOREVER, wiping ASSES of people who cannot wipe their own ass and you got about 14 years to go until retirement.

I'd look you in the eye and say, "Yup."

YOU PICKED A CAREER WHERE YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO BE NEUTRAL.

We were supposed to TRUST YOU.

And one by one, your Industry committed suicide. I'm sorry. You might be one of the good ones. You might be one of the guys who stood up and said, "WE ARE GOING THE WRONG WAY." and you paid a price for it. If so, power to you, brother.

But it doesn't change the fact your reputation is in the toilet.
Just like me standing up for what was right doesn't change the fact I wipe asses for a living and that's what I'll have to do for the next 14 years.

I'm HAPPY, BTW. I look in the mirror and go, "I stood up for those who couldn't and I did it the RIGHT WAY. I didn't cheat. I paid a price, but I made my choice and I sleep just fine."

I hope you can.

But the problem is, if you want me to, I will start showing you link after link of being lied to by reporters. Staged events. Fact-checking the fact checkers to find out they are lying. That's your industry. Not you. Your JOB. You work in a place where reputation means everything, and for some reason, I don't know why, your entire industry decided that you would sell your reputation for... whatever you got for it. Just, all at once, you all spent the past eight years jumping off a cliff.

Sorry, man.

I work at a place where the clients are treated like cattle. I work for a place where Willowbrook isn't dead, they are just waiting for the right climate to flourish. Every once in a while, someone like me has to stand up and go, "HEY! WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU TRYING TO PULL???" And then those people in charge try to get rid of you. Because it is easier to get rid of the one complaining then to fix the problem. You have to be BETTER. You have to know all the tricks, know all the rules, and never make a SINGLE MISTAKE or they will BURY you.

I had to allow a client to BEAT THE SHIT OUT OF ME and NOT DEFEND MYSELF because they PURPOSELY put me in a situation where I would be attacked and if I DID fight back, I would be fired.

BOY were they surprised when I took that beating with a smile!
They are NOWHERE NEAR AS CRAZY AS I AM.
Sure, had to go to the chiropractor for a year, but they never figured I'd play their game and win by walking into fire.

I have a bad reputation because of it.
I work at a job where I get actively mocked and harassed
I don't care.
I have SAVED LIVES and stood up for those who cannot speak.
The opinion of others means nothing. Mock me. Laugh at me.
I don't care.
History has shown me that I made the right choice.
I stand PROUD of the choices I have made to the point I don't need to brag about them.
I am explaining them to you, in hopes that it will put your own life into perspective.

I suppose that's the difference between you and me. Your industry requires you to have people's attention. Mine doesn't.
But I promise you this, you will not change my mind with words, just actions, and My opinion of your industry is BAD.

Will history show that your industry made the right choice? Was the sacrifice of the long term for short-term gain worth it?
And they have done just that.
Let's not pretend otherwise. Just like my industry does the same thing. I don't act surprised when people make fun of me being an ass-wiper. I heard every shit-related, smell-related joke known to man and have forgotten it a half dozen times over.

Don't act surprised that your industry has a bad rep.
You picked your job. I picked my job.
I have learned to live with my shit.
I suggest you learn to live with people talking shit.

 

[Rezcore]

Dude...

I hate to tell you this, but you guys started digging your own grave when you started picking sides. Did you? I dunno. I never heard of you, BUT WHAT DID YOU DO TO STOP THE REST OF YOUR INDUSTRY?

I work with the mentally and physically disabled for NYS. The STATE started abusing the clients. I took a stand. ALONE. It cost me FOUR YEARS OF HELL, I destroyed my career, but I did the right thing. Did I have any effect? For a few. Just a few. Not many, but you know something? I SLEEP JUST FINE AT NIGHT.

If you came up to me and said to my face, "Bob, your career is to wipe people's asses. You might do a lot of stuff, but in the end, the most important thing you do is clean up SHIT. ACTUAL. SHIT. You will NEVER go anywhere. You destroyed your future working for the state. You will never be promoted. You will be stuck on night shift, FOREVER, wiping ASSES of people who cannot wipe their own ass and you got about 14 years to go until retirement.

I'd look you in the eye and say, "Yup."

YOU PICKED A CAREER WHERE YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO BE NEUTRAL.

We were supposed to TRUST YOU.

And one by one, your Industry committed suicide. I'm sorry. You might be one of the good ones. You might be one of the guys who stood up and said, "WE ARE GOING THE WRONG WAY." and you paid a price for it. If so, power to you, brother.

But it doesn't change the fact your reputation is in the toilet.
Just like me standing up for what was right doesn't change the fact I wipe asses for a living and that's what I'll have to do for the next 14 years.

I'm HAPPY, BTW. I look in the mirror and go, "I stood up for those who couldn't and I did it the RIGHT WAY. I didn't cheat. I paid a price, but I made my choice and I sleep just fine."

I hope you can.

But the problem is, if you want me to, I will start showing you link after link of being lied to by reporters. Staged events. Fact-checking the fact checkers to find out they are lying. That's your industry. Not you. Your JOB. You work in a place where reputation means everything, and for some reason, I don't know why, your entire industry decided that you would sell your reputation for... whatever you got for it. Just, all at once, you all spent the past eight years jumping off a cliff.

Sorry, man.

I work at a place where the clients are treated like cattle. I work for a place where Willowbrook isn't dead, they are just waiting for the right climate to flourish. Every once in a while, someone like me has to stand up and go, "HEY! WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU TRYING TO PULL???" And then those people in charge try to get rid of you. Because it is easier to get rid of the one complaining then to fix the problem. You have to be BETTER. You have to know all the tricks, know all the rules, and never make a SINGLE MISTAKE or they will BURY you.

I had to allow a client to BEAT THE SHIT OUT OF ME and NOT DEFEND MYSELF because they PURPOSELY put me in a situation where I would be attacked and if I DID fight back, I would be fired.

BOY were they surprised when I took that beating with a smile!
They are NOWHERE NEAR AS CRAZY AS I AM.
Sure, had to go to the chiropractor for a year, but they never figured I'd play their game and win by walking into fire.

I have a bad reputation because of it.
I work at a job where I get actively mocked and harassed
I don't care.
I have SAVED LIVES and stood up for those who cannot speak.
The opinion of others means nothing. Mock me. Laugh at me.
I don't care.
History has shown me that I made the right choice.
I stand PROUD of the choices I have made to the point I don't need to brag about them.
I am explaining them to you, in hopes that it will put your own life into perspective.

I suppose that's the difference between you and me. Your industry requires you to have people's attention. Mine doesn't.
But I promise you this, you will not change my mind with words, just actions, and My opinion of your industry is BAD.

Will history show that your industry made the right choice? Was the sacrifice of the long term for short-term gain worth it?
And they have done just that.
Let's not pretend otherwise. Just like my industry does the same thing. I don't act surprised when people make fun of me being an ass-wiper. I heard every shit-related, smell-related joke known to man and have forgotten it a half dozen times over.

Don't act surprised that your industry has a bad rep.
You picked your job. I picked my job.
I have learned to live with my shit.
I suggest you learn to live with people talking shit.

Yeah, however that did nothing to change your industry. I know my colleagues are scum, thus I barely interact with them. I do however leak their misdeeds often, and ensured a few went to prison. And what'd that get me? Stuck in ghostwriting limbo. A journalist without a byline is powerless, and all of mine have be changed.

 

[BornInAbyss]

If post-apocalyptic tales feel too grim, maybe explore genres that let you play with hope or redemption. Fantasy, sci-fi with utopian elements, or even cozy mysteries could give you a fresh spark without diving into the abyss.

 

[ThrillingHuman]

I personally disagree. To survive, people'd have to run a tight ship and if they behaved like dicks to one another they'd soon go extinct. Of course in the beginning stages it'd be chaos but when things settle down (as much as it will be possible) they will likely behave like primitive tribal communities (not the racist ones you see on TV with cannibals and shit, actual rl communities)