- Ordu Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Enstitüsü Araştırmaları Dergisi
- Cilt: 15 Sayı: 4
- Landscapes of ruins: Cultural atrophy and environmental collapse in The Road and WALL-E
Landscapes of ruins: Cultural atrophy and environmental collapse in The Road and WALL-E
Authors : Kevser Ateş
Pages : 2476-2489
Doi:10.48146/odusobiad.1730110
View : 39 | Download : 136
Publication Date : 2025-12-28
Article Type : Review Paper
Abstract :Modern societies are aggravating environmental damage and depleting Earth’s finite resources by prioritizing immediate human needs over long-term environmental sustainability. This study provides a critical analysis of these ecological effects within the framework of the Anthropocene, contending that humanity may continue to undermine the planet’s ability to support life unless there is a fundamental shift in societal values and collective responsibility. The Road and WALL-E depict worlds in which memory, language, human connection, and the natural environment have all started to deteriorate, reflecting cultural atrophy caused by ecological and technological excess. They both employ speculative fiction to make visible the long-term effects of anthropocentric approaches, unsustainable consumption, ecological destruction, and the use of technology to serve economic interests; this not only presents catastrophic scenarios but also provides a ground for thinking about the meaning of life after the destruction. The struggle for survival of a father and son among post-apocalyptic ruins in The Road and the life of an old robot in WALL-E, depicting a world covered in waste and trash allow for the questioning of the relationship with nature, cultural memory and meaning after the collapse of human civilization. By comparing the two works, this study aims to explore the irreversible environmental destruction caused by anthropocentric thinking in the Anthropocene era and theKeywords : Antroposen, kıyamet sonrası, Yol, WALL-E, post-Antroposen
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