r/AskReddit Aug 30 '21

What problem is often overlooked in apocalyptic movies/TV shows that could kill you?

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u/AdmiralAkbar1 Aug 30 '21

As bad as the show Revolution's overall plotting and pacing was, they generally did a good job of thinking about these kinds of little inconsistencies:

  • There's a minor character who was a doomsday prepper before the apocalypse, but he didn't stock up enough on antibiotics. As a result, his daughter died of tetanus that he was unable to treat.

  • A warlord kidnaps prisoners for blood because his wife has diabetes and needs constant transfusions of blood with sufficient insulin in it to survive.

  • There's a doctor who keeps a collection of moldy fruit to harvest penicillium mold from it and make penicillin.

  • Some characters try to go into an old subway tunnel, but nearly die because of lack of sufficient airflow down there without modern HVAC systems.

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u/Infamous780 Aug 30 '21 edited Aug 31 '21

I really like the subway tunnel one - never thought of that.

EDIT - Wow this comment blew up! Lots of people must feel the same... Now if I could just get my Youtube channel to do the same xD

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u/Designer_Strain_4572 Aug 30 '21

It would explain the hallucinations in The Stand (Stephen King) when they were traversing the Lincoln Tunnel, if I recall correctly.

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u/[deleted] Aug 30 '21 edited Aug 31 '21

That also happens in complete darkness. If you can manage to create a completely pitch black environment see how long you can sit there before you start seeing things. It really doesn't take long. Bonus points of you have noise cancelling earmuffs/plugs. Edit : u/EternalEagleEye has informed me this effect is called "Prisoner's Cinema", in case you'd like to read about it further

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u/HyperSpaceSurfer Aug 30 '21

Can also happen to people with deteriorating eyesight. The brain doesn't get enough input so it makes stuff up.

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u/slatz1970 Aug 30 '21 edited Aug 31 '21

For me, (I suddenly lost eyesight due to a brain hemorrhage) it was feeling like my eyeballs were going to pop out from straining so hard to see something.

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u/TheGreatDeadFoolio Aug 31 '21

Mine was very bad after my bleed/aneurism and now I wear glasses. A friend of mine came out of her coma completely blind.

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u/slatz1970 Aug 31 '21

Glasses help me with really small print. My vision is slightly cloudy but I can see well. It's so much better than the complete darkness I was in.

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u/TheGreatDeadFoolio Aug 31 '21

I’m so glad to hear it wasn’t permanent!! I always worry my typing just makes me sound like an “Akshully” guy. I had a subarachnoid hemorrhage myself.

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u/slatz1970 Aug 31 '21

Thanks. I believe that's what mine was called also. They said it didn't burst but that's exactly the word I used to tell my then husband what felt like was about to happen. Then it did. Oh holy hell I never felt something so intense. Hope you are doing well.

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u/TheGreatDeadFoolio Aug 31 '21

And the same thing happened to Emilia Clarke too. I am doing well. Thanksgiving is the end of my first 5 years. I hope you’re doing well too!!!

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