Community, Privilege, and the ‘Other’: How ‘The Last of Us’ Connects These Concepts to Inverted Quarantine through Doomsday ‘Preppers’

Written by: Abby Jones

How Doomsday Prepping Reflects Inverted Quarantine

In the Last of Us, a post-apocalyptic drama set in 2023, themes of survival, privilege, and

the community can be seen combating one another through its characters. In Episode 3, Bill, a doomsday prepper, highlights the concepts of inverted quarantine, privilege, and the ‘other’. 

Privilege and Prepping

Bill’s character epitomizes the privilege inherent in the prepper lifestyle. Living in rural America during the Cold War, Bill’s upbringing reflects a culture shaped by anti-communist propaganda and fear of the H-bomb. This paranoia, compounded by modern fears amplified through technology and 24-hour news cycles, has led to the rise of survivalists who hoard resources and erect barriers between themselves and perceived threats. In the show, Bill’s financial means allow him to build a bunker, hoard weapons, and prepare for societal collapse—a luxury unaffordable to most Americans. A contrast is drawn between Bill and an African American woman with a baby, who is seen boarding a military truck to a quarantine zone. The woman’s fate underscores how privilege determines survival. She ultimately dies on the way to the Quarantine Zone, while Bill thrives due to his resources and preparedness. This disparity mirrors global inequalities today: billionaires who exacerbate climate change remain shielded from its impacts, while vulnerable communities suffer the consequences. Wealthy individuals and corporations generate enormous carbon footprints, yet it is low-income countries and marginalized communities that bear the brunt of climate-related disasters, such as droughts, floods, and fires.

Prepping vs. Community

The survivalist mindset often fosters isolation and erodes community ties. Preppers prioritize self-preservation over collective resilience. Bill’s isolationist tendencies; his absence unnoticed by his town, highlight the lack of community that defines the prepper lifestyle. This is further implied in The Last of Us when Bill’s neighbors fail to acknowledge his existence during the evacuation. His solitary life and lack of relationships within the town underline the individualistic nature of prepping. Rebuilding community connections could mitigate current crises by fostering cooperation and shared responsibility. Perhaps if society had never lost its communal focus, the climate crisis and other systemic challenges might not have reached their current severity.

Ethnocentrism and the ‘Other’

Doomsday preppers often view others as threats, reinforcing ethnocentric and exclusionary attitudes. This ‘us vs. them’ mentality alienates preppers from their neighbours and fuels mistrust. While preppers arm themselves against perceived intruders, the likelihood of these “intruders” being foreign is often a projection of ethnocentric fears rather than reality. The survivalist mindset turns neighbours and potential allies into the ‘other,’ increasing division.

This phenomenon is tied to the concept of inverted quarantine, where people erect barriers between themselves and perceived threats. Preppers embody this idea to the extreme, viewing danger as omnipresent and isolating themselves further. By categorizing those outside their group as threats, preppers perpetuate cycles of exclusion and privilege. This also reinforces systems of inequality, as the barriers erected are often financial, social, or cultural.

Final Thoughts

The Last of Us uses Bill’s story to examine how fear and privilege shape survivalist mindsets, revealing the social and ethical costs of isolationism. Prepping reflects broader societal trends of individualism and inequality, challenging us to reconsider the value of community. By reconnecting with others and fostering equity, society can move toward a more resilient and just future.