Mid-Apocalyptic Fiction

[Cramulus]

I can imagine a sci-fi genre (which probably already exists) in which the world is ending, but not uniformly, and not in a big dramatic crescendo. The world doesn't end due to wars or bombs or aliens or a big comet or anything... it's ending slowly, slowly being strangled by bureaucracy and reliance on systems that no longer function, or have long stoppages.

Like, picture Mad Max, but 7-11 is still open.

There's raiders and slavers... but also, there are still normal police...?

The Government is still there, it's just completely ineffective, if not actively malicious.

TV still exists, but no new shows are coming out, and nothing is filmed live anymore. All re-runs.

If you need medical attention, you have to barter with some shaman.. but you're at a mall kiosk.



One day, when I lived in Yonkers, a bunch of big-box stores in the same mall all went out of buisness in the same 4 months. The smaller businesses followed - it was like the mall was dying a slow death. I went to a bunch of GOING OUT OF BUISNESS  sales, and it eventually started to feel surreal... empty parking garages, dark store fronts, one lone light somewhere.



what are some other mid-apoc images?

[chaotic neutral observer]

There are no new cars on the streets.  Most vehicles have dents, broken bumpers, or cracked windshields, many with body parts that have mismatched paint jobs.  Sometimes the doors don't fit properly, or are missing altogether.

Used appliance and thrift stores begin to outnumber regular retail stores.  The manufacturing slump makes it hard to find new anything.  The barter system gradually overtakes the exchange of currency.

Streetlights begin to burn out, and are not replaced.  Cities become progressively darker at night.  Potholes go unrepaired.

Delivery service becomes unreliable.  If you want something to get somewhere, you need to hire a courier that you personally know and trust.

[Pergamos]

For context max (as in mad max) WAS a normal policeman.

[Doktor Howl]

Like, picture Mad Max, but 7-11 is still open.

South Tucson.

There's raiders and slavers... but also, there are still normal police...?

Human trafficking from pimping to outright chattel slavery.

The Government is still there, it's just completely ineffective, if not actively malicious.

HELLO?  IS THIS THING WORKING?

TV still exists, but no new shows are coming out, and nothing is filmed live anymore. All re-runs.

Reboots and we're doing the Batman origin story again.  Forever.

If you need medical attention, you have to barter with some shaman.. but you're at a mall kiosk.

Telemedicine as a non-emergency methodology.

I am not seeing the "fiction" part.  So far this looks more like a diagnosis.

[The Wizard Joseph]

The Government is still there, it's just completely ineffective, if not actively malicious.

HELLO?  IS THIS THING WORKING?



I had thought something along the lines of "do you know of The Reverend?" when I first read that earlier today.

[hooplala]

I can imagine a sci-fi genre (which probably already exists) in which the world is ending, but not uniformly, and not in a big dramatic crescendo. The world doesn't end due to wars or bombs or aliens or a big comet or anything... it's ending slowly, slowly being strangled by bureaucracy and reliance on systems that no longer function, or have long stoppages.

Like, picture Mad Max, but 7-11 is still open.

There's raiders and slavers... but also, there are still normal police...?

The Government is still there, it's just completely ineffective, if not actively malicious.

TV still exists, but no new shows are coming out, and nothing is filmed live anymore. All re-runs.

If you need medical attention, you have to barter with some shaman.. but you're at a mall kiosk.



One day, when I lived in Yonkers, a bunch of big-box stores in the same mall all went out of buisness in the same 4 months. The smaller businesses followed - it was like the mall was dying a slow death. I went to a bunch of GOING OUT OF BUISNESS  sales, and it eventually started to feel surreal... empty parking garages, dark store fronts, one lone light somewhere.



what are some other mid-apoc images?

The very first Mad Max movie seemed to exist within that world. It was post apocalyptic, sort of, but society still kind of existed.

[Cramulus]

you know, I haven't actually seen Road Warrior -- my impression is that it's set in contemporary Australia.

[Hagtard Celine Dion Mustard]

I can imagine a sci-fi genre (which probably already exists) in which the world is ending, but not uniformly, and not in a big dramatic crescendo. The world doesn't end due to wars or bombs or aliens or a big comet or anything... it's ending slowly, slowly being strangled by bureaucracy and reliance on systems that no longer function, or have long stoppages.

Like, picture Mad Max, but 7-11 is still open.

This is literally the very first mission in Shadowrun. It's called Food Fight, and it takes place as a random encounter with punks robbing a Stuffer Shack.

The Sixth World of Shadowrun is essentially what you describe. It's society still functioning in a quasi-post-apocalyptic dystopia. Corporations have become sovereign, and the story is about those who fall through the cracks of the system. Born without system identification numbers, they are the SINless. Desperate for work, they sometimes wind up becoming disposable errand-boys-and-girls for the very corps they can't otherwise be wage-slaves for.

It's one of my favorite things of ever.

[Hagtard Celine Dion Mustard]

you know, I haven't actually seen Road Warrior -- my impression is that it's set in contemporary Australia.

Mad Max is pre-apocalypse, when society is falling apart. The Road Warrior takes place after they finally drop the bombs. It's the best movie in the series, although I love Beyond Thunderdome almost as much (and in some ways maybe even a little more). But TRW is basically the perfect Mad Max film.

[Doktor Howl]

you know, I haven't actually seen Road Warrior -- my impression is that it's set in contemporary Australia.

It's misery porn that could have fit into 35 minutes as an action flick.

[Hagtard Celine Dion Mustard]

you know, I haven't actually seen Road Warrior -- my impression is that it's set in contemporary Australia.

It's misery porn that could have fit into 35 minutes as an action flick.

A almost admire how painfully deprived you must be as a human being to think this way.

[Doktor Howl]

you know, I haven't actually seen Road Warrior -- my impression is that it's set in contemporary Australia.

It's misery porn that could have fit into 35 minutes as an action flick.

A almost admire how painfully deprived you must be as a human being to think this way.

Yeah, I'm working on that.   

[Bruno]

Whichever Mad Max movie it was where they guy says "No matter where you go, there you are."

I hate that guy.


I still hate him even though I haven't seen whichever movie that was in probably 30 years.

Shut up and die, that guy.

[Hagtard Celine Dion Mustard]

Whichever Mad Max movie it was where they guy says "No matter where you go, there you are."

I hate that guy.


I still hate him even though I haven't seen whichever movie that was in probably 30 years.

Shut up and die, that guy.

Let's talk about your uncle.

[LMNO]

Whichever Mad Max movie it was where they guy says "No matter where you go, there you are."

I hate that guy.


I still hate him even though I haven't seen whichever movie that was in probably 30 years.

Shut up and die, that guy.

Dude, that was Robocop.