Why Fallout’s society is doomed

Overview

This video originally published by The Game Theorists’ channel in March 16, 2017 explore why the Fallout’s society is doomed. Well, it’s a post-apocalyptical world, but the answer might be not that simple.

According to the video, in the world of Fallout, humanity struggles to rebuild itself even 200 years after the devastating Great War. Despite having access to advanced technology like power armor and robots, the societal collapse still seems irreversible.

Let’s dive into this logic and see if it makes any sense, shall we?

200 years of Fallout: why no progress?

At first glance, it’s puzzling why society in Fallout hasn’t recovered after two centuries. Historically, human civilization has achieved monumental progress within shorter periods. For example, it took humanity about 200 years to go from the steam engine to space travel. Yet, in Fallout, with access to advanced robots and military tech, civilization remains stuck in a state of chaos and decay.

There are functioning robots and remnants of a highly advanced pre-war society, so why isn’t this technology being used to rebuild? And with groups like the Enclave and the New California Republic (NCR) still around, why is society failing to flourish? The key to this problem lies within the people themselves and the deep psychological scars left by the nuclear fallout.

The psychological fallout

While most discussions of Fallout focus on the physical effects of radiation, the video explores the mental health impact of living in a post-apocalyptic wasteland. Radiation exposure can cause more than just physical deformities—it can lead to severe cognitive issues, including memory loss and schizophrenia. This could explain the behavior of many of the Wasteland’s inhabitants, from conspiracy theorists to violent raiders.

For instance, Tinker Tom from Fallout 4 is convinced that the Institute is responsible for poisoning the air, a clear sign of delusional thinking often linked to radiation-induced conditions like schizophrenia. Characters across the game display symptoms of paranoid delusions, such as the fear that loved ones are being replaced by synthetic humans—a manifestation of the Capgras delusion, a condition associated with radiation poisoning.

The lingering radiation isn’t the only factor affecting the mental health of the Wasteland’s survivors. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is rampant in this world, with survivors constantly witnessing extreme violence, losing loved ones, and facing daily threats to their lives. Without proper treatment, PTSD leads to reckless behavior, addiction, and even more societal breakdown.

The failure of Fallout’s governments

Throughout Fallout, we encounter various factions trying to restore order, from the Brotherhood of Steel to the Institute. However, as the video explains, these attempts to rebuild society focus on power and control rather than healing the broken psyche of the population. Each faction seeks technological superiority, ignoring the root cause of societal collapse—the psychological trauma of the survivors.

Even the most functional government in the Wasteland, the New California Republic, fails to maintain control over raiders and criminal gangs. This underscores the fact that external governance alone cannot save a society whose people are mentally and emotionally damaged.

The short answer that is not explored in the video, which applies also to the real world, is that governments are useless and composed of worthless scum, but that’s another subject.

Can society be saved?

According to The Game Theorists, the real solution isn’t a new leader or government—it’s mental health treatment. The Wasteland’s survivors need access to antidepressants, antipsychotics, and other forms of psychological care. Without addressing the widespread trauma and mental illness, no amount of clean water or new infrastructure will bring true recovery to the Wasteland.

The video also highlights the importance of rebuilding trust within the community. In Fallout, society lacks a basic social contract—the implicit agreement that people will act in a law-abiding and rational manner. In a world where everyone is constantly on edge, afraid of betrayal or violence, rebuilding civilization becomes an impossible task.

Well some of these points are stupid. Social contract is pure fantasy, and popping pills is not a viable long-term solution, since they may cause dependency and generate a whole new set of problems. The truth is that any society that won’t be doomed is the one that observes centuries-old, time-tested concepts.

Conclusion

Ultimately, the reason why Fallout’s society is doomed is not just due to the physical devastation of the nuclear war, but the mental health crisis that permeates the Wasteland. While factions battle for power, the true key to rebuilding society lies in treating the psychological scars of its citizens. Until that happens, Fallout‘s world will remain a Wasteland, trapped in a cycle of fear and destruction.

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