After reading The Stand by Steven King I often fantasize about living in a post apocalyptic world. A world with very few humans left, where nature speedily takes back what belongs to her. I have an idea of what that world looks like since there are some places that had this happen in small scale. I think most infamous example is Tjernobil in Russia. We’ve all seen the pictures and videos about the area. I think more and more people are visiting the site over the last few years. And I’ve seen many other places in pictures or videos that have been abandoned for one reason or another.
I’m not the only one who enjoys looking at these images. But why?
Why are we intrigued so much by places where nature takes over once again? While in our day to day life we try to fully control our surroundings. Are we all longing for the life we once lived, or actually our ancestors did. Do we like the idea of not being incontrol all the time? Or maybe we like to be in awe of things that are stronger than us? I’m not sure, I’m not a scientist or sociologist.
But it still leaves me curious about a life I can only fantasize about. Come to think about it, it’s a very weird fantasy. Or weird, erm, I mean a socially unacceptable fantasy. I’m hoping for lots of people to die. Alright in films, not so much in real life.
To answer the question why, I can only try to look at where my fascination comes from. I once studied and worked as a gardener and landscape designer. I learned to bend nature to my will. Is this the reason I enjoy the idea for the opposite? I’m not so sure.
I feel trapped in a world that is made by others. A world I don’t agree with. If I could create a world from scratch it wouldn’t look anything like this. On top of that, my imagination is not sufficient for creating my ideal world. Getting to see how this world changes into a complete different world seems to be the thing I’m looking for.
Anyway, that post apocalyptic world isn’t that far away. The climate crisis is well underway. But I think this apocalypse will be nothing like any of the books or movies. Life will slowly become unbearable for more and more people. The ones with money can afford expensive things to make their life sort of bearable. I think that’s why I hope for some crazy disease that spreads around the planet incredibly fast. The disease can’t see if you’re rich or poor, good or bad. It takes what it can take. In that one moment we’re all equal.
Moves by Nature 
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