Are we already living in the Post-Apocalypse?

The concept of an apocalypse has been redefined in contemporary society. Rather than the cataclysmic events traditionally associated with the term nuclear warfare, divine intervention, or a pandemic of catastrophic proportions; the ‘apocalypse’ has manifested through a gradual erosion of tangible reality, supplanted by an increasingly simulated existence. We find ourselves navigating the consequences of this paradigm shift.

Consider the pervasive nostalgia for the 1980s and 1990s, a period marking the inception of society’s transition from authentic experiences to a spectacle-dominated culture, a process exponentially accelerated by the advent of the internet. This transformation has been characterized by the proliferation of disinformation, the normalization of ‘fake news,’ and the advent of artificial intelligence, all contributing to a layered simulation that blurs the lines between reality and artifice. The distinction between genuine human interaction and interactions with programmed entities is becoming ever more elusive.

Moreover, certain elements of our lived reality appear irrevocably altered. Daily routines now mirror those one might expect in a post-apocalyptic scenario. The quest for unadulterated food and water has become a Sisyphean task, with processes like reverse osmosis resembling measures necessitated by a ravaged world. The resurgence of interest in self-sustenance and homesteading can be interpreted as responses to these conditions. The act of speaking one’s truth has become fraught with peril.

While it is acknowledged that we are traversing a dystopian epoch, marked by a hesitancy to articulate truths and observations, the term ‘dystopia’ may not fully encapsulate our current state. Unlike the clear-cut societal issues depicted in Orwell’s “1984,” the problems we face are shrouded in ambiguity, rendering the very fabric of reality opaque and elusive.

Contrary to expectations, our ‘post-apocalyptic’ world is densely populated, challenging the media-propagated myth of a sparsely inhabited landscape post-catastrophe—a myth that promised liberation from societal constraints, the ability to cultivate one’s sustenance, access to untainted water, and a return to fundamental human connections.

There are myriad indicators that we are living in a post-apocalyptic reality, too numerous to exhaustively enumerate here. One need only watch a film from the genre to appreciate the innocence of earlier portrayals, such as “The Hunger Games,” where characters navigate a world that still retains vestiges of reality, in stark contrast to the present-day phenomena of platforms like OnlyFans and the emergence of AI companions. The demand for such virtual interactions is indicative of a society that has moved beyond traditional coupling, creating an illusion of scarcity amidst abundance.