The Left's Love Affair with Dystopian Fantasies
In 2012, Courtney Summers released "This Is Not a Test," a novel set in a small town high school where a group of teenagers barricade themselves during a zombie apocalypse. The story unfolds in a world where the undead roam the streets, and survival is the only thing on the agenda. But let's be honest, the real horror isn't the zombies; it's the way this book panders to the left's obsession with dystopian fantasies. Why are liberals so enamored with these bleak, end-of-the-world scenarios? It's simple: they love to wallow in despair and imagine a world where their doomsday predictions come true.
The book's protagonist, Sloane Price, is a teenager who feels dead inside even before the zombies show up. This is a classic trope in leftist literature—characters who are perpetually victimized and emotionally drained. It's as if the left can't imagine a world where people take responsibility for their own happiness. Instead, they prefer to see characters who are constantly oppressed by external forces, whether it's society, family, or in this case, the undead. This victim mentality is a hallmark of liberal ideology, and "This Is Not a Test" serves it up in spades.
The setting of a high school under siege is no accident. It's a microcosm of the left's view of the world: a place where authority figures are either absent or ineffective, and where chaos reigns supreme. The teenagers in the novel are left to fend for themselves, much like how the left believes society should operate without the guiding hand of traditional values and institutions. It's a world where rules are made to be broken, and where the only thing that matters is survival. This is the kind of nihilistic worldview that the left seems to revel in.
The timing of the novel's release is also telling. In the early 2010s, the world was still reeling from the financial crisis, and the left was quick to blame capitalism for all of society's ills. "This Is Not a Test" taps into that sentiment by presenting a world where the old order has collapsed, and a new, more egalitarian society can emerge from the ashes. It's a fantasy that the left has been peddling for decades: the idea that destruction is necessary for progress. But in reality, this kind of thinking only leads to more chaos and suffering.
The novel's setting in a small town is another nod to the left's disdain for rural America. In their eyes, small towns are backward, insular places that are ripe for destruction. By setting the story in a small town, Summers is able to play into the left's stereotypes about rural America while also providing a convenient backdrop for her apocalyptic vision. It's a win-win for the left: they get to indulge in their fantasies of destruction while also taking a swipe at the heartland.
The left's fascination with dystopian fiction like "This Is Not a Test" is ultimately a reflection of their own pessimistic worldview. They see the world as a place that is constantly on the brink of collapse, and they revel in stories that confirm their worst fears. But this kind of thinking is not only unproductive, it's dangerous. By constantly focusing on the negative, the left is unable to see the potential for positive change and growth. Instead, they are stuck in a cycle of despair and hopelessness.
In the end, "This Is Not a Test" is just another example of the left's love affair with dystopian fantasies. It's a story that plays into their victim mentality, their disdain for authority, and their pessimistic view of the world. But for those of us who believe in the power of individual responsibility and the potential for positive change, it's just another reminder of why we must continue to fight against the left's destructive ideology.