I recently saw a video on youtube presenting the argument that the Enclave could be viewed to as the good guys. The argument seems to go that in the hellish anarchy of the wastes, The Enclave seems to be the only ones with the technology, firepower and ethic flexibility to do what's necessary in order to bring civilization back to the wasteland.
I respectfully disagree. Not because I want to defend the wasteland anarchy. But because it seems pretty evident that the “civilization” The Enclave would bring about would be doomed to self destruction like the civilization that brought about the great war in the first place.
This is not just based on the fact that The Enclave seems willing to commit atrocities on a horrific scale and would therefore have no moral or ethical hesitation in using weapons of mass destruction to achieve their goals (as evident from the story of Fallout 2 and 3). It’s because of what they are and represent in the context of the Fallout overarching setting and narrative.
The end of the world as we know it
The great war in the Fallout Universe is more than an excuse to make everything mutated and dusty. It represents the end of human civilization as we know it. Everything humanity has built, learned and accomplished the last 10.000 years has been obliterated in a two hour long nuclear exchange. This apocalypse doesn’t only represent the end of billions of human lives. It’s the end of culture, social order, history and knowledge.
So the people inhabiting the wasteland of the Fallout universe are not only coping with the everyday hazards of dying to radiation or getting eaten by the odd giant mutant or lizard. They are coping with the ultimate proof that their civilization has ultimately failed.
The Fallout factions as social experiments
All the memorable religions, factions, towns and settlements in the Fallout universe represents a different way of coping with this ultimate failure of their civilization. The brotherhood believes in honor and keeping technology out of the hands of regular people will prevent the war from happening. The Followers of the Apocalypse believe in enlightenment and charity will create a better world. Even Caesars Legion are looking to history trying to revive another failed civilization.
Everyone in the wasteland are searching for some new way to rebuild society. To have a meaningful social contract between people again. Some are experimenting with old one. Some are trying out new ways. But all are basically searching for something else than what failed. Everyone except the Enclave.
Condemned to repeat it
The Enclave is set apart by the fact they are the only faction in the entire wasteland that seem hell bent on recreating the exact same society that brought about the great war in the first place. Their eye-bots spamming propaganda about the American dream. Their belief in a militarized American patriotism. Their president stating that once The Enclave gets their way “USA will once again be the policeman of the world!”(in Fallout 2).
If fallout story about what comes after the ultimate failure of human civilization The Enclave is the most evil antagonists imaginable. They are the only faction refusing to even acknowledge what the apocalypse happened. They refused to learn from the mistakes of human civilization and are therefore condemned to repeat it.
I respectfully disagree. Not because I want to defend the wasteland anarchy. But because it seems pretty evident that the “civilization” The Enclave would bring about would be doomed to self destruction like the civilization that brought about the great war in the first place.
This is not just based on the fact that The Enclave seems willing to commit atrocities on a horrific scale and would therefore have no moral or ethical hesitation in using weapons of mass destruction to achieve their goals (as evident from the story of Fallout 2 and 3). It’s because of what they are and represent in the context of the Fallout overarching setting and narrative.
The end of the world as we know it
The great war in the Fallout Universe is more than an excuse to make everything mutated and dusty. It represents the end of human civilization as we know it. Everything humanity has built, learned and accomplished the last 10.000 years has been obliterated in a two hour long nuclear exchange. This apocalypse doesn’t only represent the end of billions of human lives. It’s the end of culture, social order, history and knowledge.
So the people inhabiting the wasteland of the Fallout universe are not only coping with the everyday hazards of dying to radiation or getting eaten by the odd giant mutant or lizard. They are coping with the ultimate proof that their civilization has ultimately failed.
The Fallout factions as social experiments
All the memorable religions, factions, towns and settlements in the Fallout universe represents a different way of coping with this ultimate failure of their civilization. The brotherhood believes in honor and keeping technology out of the hands of regular people will prevent the war from happening. The Followers of the Apocalypse believe in enlightenment and charity will create a better world. Even Caesars Legion are looking to history trying to revive another failed civilization.
Everyone in the wasteland are searching for some new way to rebuild society. To have a meaningful social contract between people again. Some are experimenting with old one. Some are trying out new ways. But all are basically searching for something else than what failed. Everyone except the Enclave.
Condemned to repeat it
The Enclave is set apart by the fact they are the only faction in the entire wasteland that seem hell bent on recreating the exact same society that brought about the great war in the first place. Their eye-bots spamming propaganda about the American dream. Their belief in a militarized American patriotism. Their president stating that once The Enclave gets their way “USA will once again be the policeman of the world!”(in Fallout 2).
If fallout story about what comes after the ultimate failure of human civilization The Enclave is the most evil antagonists imaginable. They are the only faction refusing to even acknowledge what the apocalypse happened. They refused to learn from the mistakes of human civilization and are therefore condemned to repeat it.
