Thoughts on the Popularity of Post-Apocalyptic Fiction

My book choice followed a similar path as my music choice. I would get caught in a fad of a certain genre, and then somehow get swept into another genre. The catalyst for change was either a concert I stumbled upon, the luck of hearing the artist on a radio station, but mostly came from suggestions from friends.

I am not sure if it is new, but there seems to be such a draw to post-apocalyptic fiction. This type of work is fairly new to me. The closest I came to this fad was year's ago when I read the Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood. Recently, I have read the The Postman, Hunger Games, and The Maze Runner series. I wrote a short story myself entitled Tunnel W that takes place in a post-apocalyptic society.

Author Lexi Revellian had an insightful view on the Appeal of post-apocalyptic fiction here.
Her theories ranged from escaping everyday monotony, having more control over your own life, everyone has a looter inside them, immediate justice, etc.

I agree with a lot of her theories about the draw to post-apocalyptic fiction.
Here are some additional theories of mine:

• Being able to explore or have access to places where you never have been able.
• Breaking petty barriers. Class, race, sex, gender, etc.
• Getting back to nature. Getting to a life of simplicity.
• Making life more exciting. Go from a life of finishing a big paper was the highlight of you day to building a boat or a shelter was the highlight.
• A sense of starting over and being part of that start. That rings of some hope.
• Chance to be a Bad-Ass.

It is interesting how we in our Western Society have things so easy, and somewhat safer than hundreds of years before, but we want to go back to basics.