MovieChat Forums > World War Z (2013) Discussion > Low threshhold for American dignity

Low threshhold for American dignity

posted 9 years ago by Simonorman13
11 replies | jump to latest

10 mins into the panic and they make an emergency stop at a grocery store pharmacy where there's already rioting and looting and, of course, a near-rape. Really? Is American society so depraved that the filmmakers think this is likely? I mean, if it had been a Wal-Mart, maybe, but in general I think the rape attempt was out of line.

[–] loki242 9 years ago

Typical of the offended generation. Newsflash, that's human nature, the facade of being civilized is a lot thinner than you might think. Want to test mankind's threshold for evil, turn the power off in any major city.

You hate Congress but every election you re-elect YOUR "guy" and wonder why things never change!

[–] Simonorman13 9 years ago

Yeah that was my fault. Criticize Hollywood for an unrealistic portrayal of society and do so on an internet message board freqented by antipathic daydreamers who name themselves after comic book characters.

[–] CynicalDremer 9 years ago

hahaha! Nice.

[–] xystophoros 9 years ago

Yeah that was my fault. Criticize Hollywood for an unrealistic portrayal of society and do so on an internet message board freqented by antipathic daydreamers who name themselves after comic book characters.

Loki made a salient point and you chose to ignore it.

The line between civilization and chaos is extremely thin -- by living in a civilized society, we "sign" a social contract, as George Costanza used to love reminding every one.

That contract is common sense. Respect other people, don't harm other people, don't destroy other peoples' property, deal with others in good faith.

When someone breaks that contract, they're punished. If the desire to live peacefully isn't enough to keep some people in line, the potential punishments are meant to dissuade anti-social behavior.

But when you see looting, police ignoring criminal behavior, the power's going out, and innumerable people have suddenly become mindless cannibals, etc., to some people that signals that there are no longer consequences for bad behavior. The social contract's been ripped up.

This has nothing to do with Americans, it's human nature.

[–] electrictroy 8 years ago

Look at the stampedes the day after Thanksgiving, and that's just so they can get toys for half price. That's reality.

[–] NOTACLERK1 9 years ago

I dont know about you...but I look elsewhere for information and education about pretty much everything ....not a freakin movie of any genre. .
Just sayin.

[–] MtnMan13 9 years ago

Is American society so depraved that the filmmakers think this is likely?

Look at the LA riots from 30-years ago, or more recently the Ferguson, MO riots after a thug got himself shot by police, or for that matter any city were the local team wins a major championship.

It apparently doesn't take much for some people to lose all sense of order and restraint.

[–] Augustus_Octavian 9 years ago

Riots are comparatively common for the US. It is not as if there is a custom of using the military to put down riots with lethal force. So, why is it so inaccurate?

[–] SpiltPersonality 9 years ago

I most DEFINTELY think civilisation is paper thin. No doubt in my mind.

[–] mvitale24 9 years ago

People in general are scum. People facing the end of the world, even more so. That's human nature. It can bring out the best and the worst of all kinds.

Witness the junkie who pulled a gun on Gerry as he was trying to find the asthma medicine for his daughter. He could have shot them both. Instead, he gave them what they needed. I think it's pretty clear he killed the pharmacist behind the counter yet he didn't kill Gerry or his daughter.

But those other two guys, they weren't content with robbing Gerry's wife. She's screaming that she doesn't have any more money so they've already taken what they could from her. What's left? It's the end of the world. Not like they'll get arrested and convicted if they go further. They don't care about anything at this point except doing whatever they want so they go for it.

That's reality. People loot in the middle of disasters. People kill. People rape. And others sacrifice themselves to save others.

[–] mariakelly-04164 8 years ago

When I worked at the LA County Jail during the 1992 riots, 90% of the people we booked in were looters. They were always so puzzled that the cops were able to catch them so easily. We would always have to tell them that just ran home with their ill gotten gains instead walking slowly past the TV cameras displaying it.