Tuesday, February 24, 2015
Preppy to Prepper
According to National Geographic Channels quiz, "How Prepped Are You?" the answer in my situation is not at all. This quiz is based off the popular reality show "Doomsday Preppers", which centers on different people across the U.S. who all share in an obsession of being prepared for when the apocalypse arrives. I scored a mere 11 on the quiz, estimating my survival time to be about 1-2 weeks, and meanwhile the top scorer featured on the show received a 95 with an estimated survival time of 24 months. This quiz brought to light many factors of survival that never even crossed my mind, such as what kind of items I have available to barter, but also made me realize how paranoid some people are to actually obtain some of the items mentioned in the quiz, such as stocked bunkers, or getaway cars. Most importantly, I have learned that being a prepare is not for me, and I would prefer to live out the remainder of my days in the case of an apocalypse by mooching off the supplies of others.
Thursday, February 12, 2015
"The 100" Reasons Why Post-Apocolyptic Television is Awesome
So the title may have been a bit of an over exaggeration. Though I can't list 100 reasons, I can list a solid three:
1. As interesting as the end of the world is, seeing how people rebuild society in the aftermath is even more interesting.
2. Even creepier than bad things happening is what the silent world looks like after it has already happened, and seeing the product of disaster.
3. It encompasses both hope and inspiration, as well as eeriness and suspense, the former of which is not usually found in other forms of dystopia.
After watching just the first episode of "The 100" I can already tell it contains all of my favorite elements of post-apolocolyptic TV. The show opens with the brief explanation that a nuclear war destroyed Earth' s surface and made the air toxic with radiation, supposedly killing all life forms. There used to be twelve nations with spaceships full of survivors, but now only one, a presumably American ship called "The Ark" remains. The journey that ensues begins by following 100 juveniles who are sent back to the Earth 97 years after the destruction, to see if the Earth is livable. The story centers around a 17-year-old girl sent to the "Ground" named Clarke, who's mother is a prominent doctor and engineer in space. She and four others embark on a quest to reach Mount Weather, a place believed to contain food and supplies. "The 100" is a great example for teens of post-apocolyptic society on television, and how this specific group of youth chooses to build their own society without the influence of law, but more importantly, adults.
1. As interesting as the end of the world is, seeing how people rebuild society in the aftermath is even more interesting.
2. Even creepier than bad things happening is what the silent world looks like after it has already happened, and seeing the product of disaster.
3. It encompasses both hope and inspiration, as well as eeriness and suspense, the former of which is not usually found in other forms of dystopia.
After watching just the first episode of "The 100" I can already tell it contains all of my favorite elements of post-apolocolyptic TV. The show opens with the brief explanation that a nuclear war destroyed Earth' s surface and made the air toxic with radiation, supposedly killing all life forms. There used to be twelve nations with spaceships full of survivors, but now only one, a presumably American ship called "The Ark" remains. The journey that ensues begins by following 100 juveniles who are sent back to the Earth 97 years after the destruction, to see if the Earth is livable. The story centers around a 17-year-old girl sent to the "Ground" named Clarke, who's mother is a prominent doctor and engineer in space. She and four others embark on a quest to reach Mount Weather, a place believed to contain food and supplies. "The 100" is a great example for teens of post-apocolyptic society on television, and how this specific group of youth chooses to build their own society without the influence of law, but more importantly, adults.
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