The Hobbesian Dilemma in Attack on Titan
Five years ago, I would not be caught dead watching anime. Subtitles, extensive soliloquies and dramatic facial expressions never aligned with my interests. Cartoons, I previously thought, were for children and held no resonating message for its viewers. But, on the contrary, I couldn’t have been more wrong. Last time I checked, Attack on Titan’s premise of gigantic mindless titans that consume humans is not considered appropriate for children.
Image Courtesy: Crunchyroll
During the thralls of the coronavirus pandemic, I turned on Attack on Titan in an effort to understand my brother’s obsession with Japanese shows. Within ten minutes, I was covering my eyes in horror as a monstrous humanoid ripped the legs off a man screaming for help. The sheer gore the show depicted should have sent me running back to the American television I knew and loved. But there was no turning back. I was enthralled.
My admiration for Attack on Titan was not based on the horror, but on the strong political theory that ran deep into the roots of the storyline. In a future where the remnants of humanity are protected from man-eating giants by massive walls, I quickly drew parallels between the dystopian society’s government and Thomas Hobbes’ theory on humanity.
Image Courtesy: Popverse
Inside the towering walls of the society, a monarch rules over the people. These people live within the confines of three distinct layers of walls, each one marking a boundary of their world. The social hierarchy and military organization are far from equal as each wall boundary serves as a physical manifestation of a caste system and certain sects of the military run rampant with corruption. Despite these societal flaws, order is preserved due to the citizens’ belief that without the government, the titans living outside the walls will devour them. In essence, the population sacrifices the potential of a progressive society for the sake of survival. The attitude of the general population draws comparisons to Hobbes’ belief that to maintain humanity, humans must establish a ‘social contract’ with an absolute government.
One might question why resigning individual rights to freedom is essential for the preservation of society. Hobbes’ response to this question is that humans are selfish and in a constant state of war. Therefore, the people within the walls abandon their free will for the sake of surviving in a world that is on the brink of extinction.
While eradicating freedom is not ideal, humanity survives within the cramped walls. The mindless titans hold no responsibilities and follow no government. The titans essentially symbolize the purest form of free will. However, the titans’ freedom is characterized by their desire to eliminate humanity, evident in their consumption of humans and abandonment of morality. The titans serve as an example of Hobbes’ belief that society will fall without an absolute government.
Outlandish and graphic in content, Attack on Titan’s message of free will holds a strong contemporary relevance to the highly debated topic of governmental power. Whether or not Thomas Hobbes would enjoy a course that compares his philosophy to man-eating giants, the importance of understanding various perspectives on political theory—pessimistic or optimistic—remains more relevant than ever.
Strike Out,
Writer: Allie Sinkovich
Editor: Olivia Hansen
