Leave the World Behind

It was a movie that came out in 2023, so I was late to this. So the description on Wikipedia:

“Leave the World Behind" is an American apocalyptic psychological thriller film written and directed by Sam Esmail. It is based on the 2020 novel of the same name by Rumaan Alam. The film stars Julia Roberts, Mahershala Ali, Ethan Hawke, Myha'la, and Kevin Bacon as they attempt to make sense of the gradual breakdown in phones, television, and other regularly used technology which points to a potential cataclysm.”

It starts off very innocuously, a family out on a well deserved holiday outside the city. Then everything starts to break down. But having watched this, it’s terrifying. If this movie does not turn you into a prepper, not sure what will. It shows how fragile civilization is due to our interconnectedness and dependence on technology. Maybe even worse, our deep division in our now low trust society. Obviously not as bad as in many countries in the world but I can definitely say things have degraded over the last 2 decades here in America. 

It all starts to come together near the end as one of the main characters explains. 

"I had a sneaking suspicion, but I wanted more information first.

All signs were there, sure, but I… I didn’t want to scare anyone.

You’d have called me crazy because it is crazy.

It would have made more sense if we were on the brink of an all-out invasion, but this… I didn’t think we’d actually let something like this happen.

I thought we were smarter than that.

Because my primary client works in the defense sector, I spend a lot of time studying the cost-benefit analysis of military campaigns.

There was one program in particular that terrified my client the most.

A simple three-stage maneuver that could topple a country’s government from within.

The first stage is isolation.

Disable their communication and transportation.

Make the target as deaf, dumb and paralyzed as possible, setting them up for the second stage.

Synchronized chaos.

Terrorize them with covert attacks and misinformation, overwhelming their defense capabilities leaving their weapon systems vulnerable to extremists and their own military.

Without a clear enemy or motive, people would start turning on each other.

If done successfully, the third stage would happen on its own.

What’s the third stage?

Coup d’état.

Civil war.

Collapse.

This program was considered the most cost-effective way to destabilize a country.

Because if the target nation was dysfunctional enough, it would, in essence, do the work for you.

Whoever started this wants us to finish it."

It ends with a horrifying scene: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UHqRYAI72uM. Basically New York City being bombed and the sound of gunfire. 

So yes, this is fiction, near fiction. But considering the direction America is moving, not totally out of the realm of possibility. A divided society both politically and socio-economically, lots of guns, incompetent elites plus plenty of powerful and crafty enemies out there like China, Russia or Iran who would benefit from our collapse. 

It’s a reminder that charity starts at home. Fixing all this starts with your: getting your Sh-t together and making sure you make a strong family. Helping your friends and business partners & customers. Then followed by helping and backing your neighbors. Extending your network and building real relationships. Being smarter, richer, healthier, kinder & better armed. These little ripples matter. If enough people do this, we will ensure that “Leave the world behind” stays a fictional, entertaining movie and NOT become reality.