MovieChat Forums > The Leftovers (2014) Discussion > Really 2%?

Really 2%?

posted 8 years ago by Kajohns49
27 replies | jump to latest

Have not started this yet but looked at it here due to an HBO commercial. Is it really 2% of the population that disappears? Two people out of every one hundred? Would that have even been felt/noticed by most of those remaining? I thought it was a typo but it is written twice. I don't even know 100 people, at least not so that I would be aware that two were missing. I think I am having trouble investing time to watch this if the plot summary makes me question the whole premise. Can someone explain?

[–] ckanelevy 8 years ago

There were said to be about 130 million people world wide that disappeared. In the small town were the first season takes place, a couple hundred disappeared including 3 from one woman's family alone. This doesn't even include the possible hundreds of thousands of people killed because pilots, drivers, surgeons, etc. suddenly departed. Yes, many people might not have been directly affected by the departures but 130 million people disappear all at once for no reason and you can bet your bottom dollar that it would have a profound affect on the rest of us, especially with the anticipation that it might happen again.

[–] StaunchWoman 8 years ago

This doesn't even include the possible hundreds of thousands of people killed because pilots, drivers, surgeons, etc. suddenly departed.

THIS!!! Why doesn't this ever cross people's minds? "2% is nothing!"/"I only know x amount of people." Put a little thought into the event and you'll see, it's much more than that.

We've met before, haven't we?

[–] FuriousGeorge47 8 years ago

9/11 changed the world, and that was 3000 people dying with a rational explanation for how it happened. 130 million people, in an instant, disappearing from the face of the Earth with no rational explanation, would in comparison be an apocalypse. And it is.

[–] Outstandingness 8 years ago

that's the worst comparison ever lol. 9/11 wasn't about the number of casualties, it was about who did it and what it meant for the US and the world. 130 million out of 7 billion people disappearing would suck but without someone or something to blame, the world would just move on. That's only apocalyptic to the terminally melodramatic.

[–] tb-sch 8 years ago

Actually 9/11 is a good example. There is an incident nobody can make sense of and so people try a range of futile answers just to do anything.
With nobody to blame it just would get worse, as people always seek out someone to blame. Ironically usually by picking someone who is not to blame. In the case of 9/11 this was Iraq and everybody was cheering that more people will get killed. This would not be different if the incident had an even bigger scale.

[–] shogunreaper 8 years ago

Nobody can make sense of?

We know exactly why it happened.

The who might be a mystery to some, but the reason behind it was never in question.

[–] tb-sch 8 years ago

What do you think was the reason?

[–] shogunreaper 8 years ago

because they hate the U.S and what it stands for.

[–] tb-sch 8 years ago

Invading foreign countries without reason? Disposing of democratically elected leaders? Actually that is what they love about the USA as it makes them more powerful.
They really don't care about the US. They just need them to get things going. And it worked well: the answer to the attacks lead to a world-wide destabilization and allowed ISIS to come into existence.

But that it just a political dimension, it is still completely weird that they did it. Even more than a decade later, the plane crashing into the tower is unbelievable, as overused as the image might be. It still triggers something. The show masterfully captures that something.

[–] shogunreaper 8 years ago

No its more like our way of life is completely incompatible with sharia law.

[–] tb-sch 8 years ago

Yep, but very compatible with christian extremism, which is pretty much the same. But this whole "being the same" thing is something they want to hide. They succeded, 9-11 worked like a charm and the US (as well as most of the west) reacted like a trained doggy on command. It will work even better with the orange man-child in that position.

But whatever way it is a futile attempt to rationalise something one cannot rationalise, as it was as an action totally pointless and indifferent violence. It was a mass murder and yet considering the factors each murder was accidental without taking any interest in any of the victims. Forgetting one's lunch and coming in ten minutes later might have saved someone's life. Which is the unfathomable randomness shown in The Leftovers.

[–] Snaggelpuss 8 years ago

because they hate the U.S and what it stands for.

If a country did the crap to my country that it does to other countries, I would absolutely hate the usa aswell, not surprising what the terrorists did.

My pea tastes like toast

[–] steiner444 8 years ago

What a stupid post. If 130 million people just vanished into thin air, the world would not just move on.

[–] Outstandingness 8 years ago

130 million vanished from one country people would freak. 130 spread out all over the world. Not so much.

[–] steiner444 8 years ago

People freak out over the silliest things already, if something serious and unexplainable happened like 130 million people vanishing in thin air with no explanation, there would be panic all over. Nearly every single person remaining in the world would be affected in some way, some facing real problems (losing a family member) and some trivial (owner of your favorite pizza store vanished, and now you can't have your favorite pizza anymore. That would suck.).

[–] Outstandingness 8 years ago

owner of your favorite pizza store vanished, and now you can't have your favorite pizza anymore. That would suck

lol high drama indeed. someone saw a leaked script for next season I see.

seriously tho not really

[–] Snaggelpuss 8 years ago

After it happened, everyone would be worried it would happen again. There would be riots crime thru the roof, suicides every where. But the movie is after it calms down?

My pea tastes like toast

[–] d_a_m_8 8 years ago

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2jE2ZlPnJD8

first 2 mins

[–] Kajohns49 8 years ago

I started it and understand now, this looks like it will be a good series to watch. Thanks for replying!

[–] ExcellentBulletproofVest 8 years ago

I think that's the point of it. It's a small enough number that it's not going to destroy society, but big enough that it can't possibly be ignored or dismissed.

-
What started out as a joke has turned out to be a disaster

[–] basilmorrar 8 years ago

Well guys you are forgetting how many people died in addition to the departed: drivers, pilots, suicides, crashes, etc.

[–] bill_kilgore 8 years ago

Perhaps what you need to ask yourself is, When was the last time 2% of the world's population died/vanished on one day?

[–] EvieLee-NBH 8 years ago

Not so much the amount but the why more than anything. You're looking at the wrong way.

I am you and what I see is me.

[–] Crankitup_86 8 years ago

EvieLee-NBH Damn ur fine!!! ;)

[–] Newton820 8 years ago

Forget about numbers or percentages and think about the event itself and what it signifies.

A proven, bona-fide miracle.

Imagine if an undeniable miracle happened today that no scientist could explain away, but no-one died or disappeared?

The significance of it would have far reaching effects on peoples beliefs and even their very approach to life. Everything you thought you knew depending on your point of view, is either wrong, or proven right

Then after the event sinks in, realisation dawns, and with it comes not answers, but more questions.

Who? How? Why?

Now add the disappearance of 130 million people world-wide to that. It would change things forever.

I'm Brian and so is my wife!