Monster Culture really shed light on my thoughts about The Walking Dead and zombies in general. Zombies don't really seem to be the scariest part of the show or any show having to do with zombies but rather how monstrous the humans become in trying to survive. Throughout the show it becomes easier and easier for Rick to kill humans in his efforts to protect the group but you can see that as he continues to make excuses for why killing someone was okay, he starts to lose his humanity. I agree with the fact that zombies represent our fears and doubts. Although it may not be killing someone, our fears and doubts make us do crazy or unhealthy things. Even something as simple our fear of not doing well on an exam will force us to stay up all night or drink two or three energy drinks despite the fact that both aren't good for your health.
In any zombie situation, humans are the true monsters because we "become chaotic creatures if selfishness, violence, and unchecked aggression." But one of the quotes that really stood out to me was, "Whoever battles with monsters had better see that it does not turn him into a monster." this quote reminds me of Star Wars in that those who continue to give in to the dark side becomes apart of the dark side. The fear of being bitten by a zombie but also the fear of losing your family would definitely drive any human to be monstrous because in reality we are selfish.
One of the things that I didn't understand the most about The Walking Dead was how many humans were killing each other. I thought that every time a human group would encounter another they would join forces and work together to survive but that wasn't the case. I feel like I would be so accepting and loving towards other people I came across because we are all fighting for the same thing. But behind the scenes, all the groups were plotting against each other which was really sad to see and understand. To what point does something that is "necessary" trumps something that is "right?"
The zombie doesn't seem to be the biggest problem like I expected because it reveals and warns us of something else which is humanity within humans slowly being destroyed as surviving becomes harder. Humans are unique in that their emotions get the best of us and are not always "composed, unflappable, and focused" like zombies are. Similar to Buffy the Vampire Slayer, zombies can be related to terrorism. As a country we seem to take more "dramatic actions" and become more savage in our fear of the unknown rather than coming together. Overall this book opened my eyes to some of the incomplete thoughts I had when watching The Walking Dead and I'm looking forward to see what else happens in the show that make these thoughts even clearer.
Sources:
1. Levina, Marina, and Diem-My T. Bui. Monster Culture in the 21st Century: A Reader. New York: Bloomsbury Academic, an Imprint of Bloomsbury Plc, 2013. Print.
2. http://theplaylist.net/zombies-keep-moving-amc-renews-walking-dead-season-8-20161017/
Andrea, I think that you raise an interesting question with the statement, "To what point does something that is 'necessary' trumps something that is 'right?'" With The Walking Dead, both Rick Grimes and the other bands of humans are willing to act upon any means in order to ensure their survival. The unique aspect of the graphic novel series and the show is that the audience is able to see the dramatic change of Rick from a police officer to a ruthless individual without any sense of humanity. To answer your question, though, I do not see a distinction where the line between "necessary" and "right" exists in the world of The Walking Dead. All sense of morals and ethics are removed when individuals are forced into a primitive setting. Therefore, to each person, everything that is necessary for survival is correct in this context. For most people, this primitive concept is difficult to formulate when attempting to feel empathy for the situation. Understandably, though, Rick would do anything to ensure the safety of his family as well as himself. Until society can reform again, survival instincts call for the necessity of all actions and endeavors which would be justified.
ReplyDelete"Whoever battles with monsters had better see that it does not turn him into a monster." Amazing quote. Terrifying actually because its so true. Look at the majority of the hero vs. monsters we've looked at in this class. Magneto: good guy fighting to protect his way of life turns monster who wants to kill all of humankind to protect his way of life. Beowulf: basically a hero-for-hire who kills monsters only to become a selfish martyr who ruins the future of his kingdom. Frankenstein: curious scientist who fears his creation that ends up murdering his whole family and spends his life chasing him only to die alone in the frozen tundra. Do you have to become a monster to kill a monster? Thats something I've been wondering for most of this class. How do you keep your humanity while trying to fight something not technically human? The whole concept of good vs bad is askew because monsters don't have the same set of basic morals, they're not fighting for the same things. War between man is rather simple: money, power, land. Not saying thats right but its much simpler. With a monster its unclear. And it usually ends badly for both hero and monster.
ReplyDeleteI'd like to tackle the issue of "necessary" versus "right" from my perspective. I don't think that morals disappear in a zombie apocalypse, but I do think that people tend to prioritize things more personal to them over others - therein lies the issue.
ReplyDeleteIn an apocalyptic scenario, supply caches are rare commodities. As such, only a certain number of people can be supported, and fewer still can be supported comfortably. Furthermore, I think it's a human quality to want to provide those closest to you - even if that just means yourself - with the best possible quality of life. So, it's not necessarily that morals disappear, but that they become more limited in scope - the audience they apply to shrinks rapidly as social groups splinter - and I think we can see that in how Rick prioritizes his family's well-being over anything else.