I am rapidly running out of things to talk about in our blogs, so I am going to venture into new territory with today's post. In high school, I taught a course on how to survive the zombie apocalypse (I am being completely serious) in which I demonstrated the do's and don'ts of surviving when the dead rise from their graves. Another part of the class was examining how "zombie culture" affects the world today, and the different ways in which the concept of the living dead could be applied to not only the literal sense of the term, but also how people conduct their lives on a daily basis. The mission was to show that the living dead are not only found in the form of brain-eating zombies, but in everyday life. For example, in one of the older zombie movies from the 1970s (I believe it was Dawn of the Dead but I may be wrong) the main characters enter a shopping mall infested with zombies. As they observe the brainless automatons shuffle about through the stores, the main characters comment about why the zombies chose the mall to reside in. One character suggests that the environment was familiar; that the zombies, when they were human, went there every week in life and thus returned in death. There was a lot of symbolism in that scene, much of which I have forgotten, but I remember one key thought I had at the time: what defines the living dead?
I suppose I was trying to link the concept of the living dead who aimlessly wander around shopping malls to society today. As I watch people fight over the best holiday deals (such as that Nike store in Washington that got trashed) I often wonder if the living dead already exist within us, in our innate nature to put self above others or aimlessly wander around shopping malls. Sure, we're not yet reduced to eating each other's brains like real zombies, but if the fear irradiated by the concept of the zombie is the loss of consciousness to animalistic nature, what separates the characters in The Walking Dead, who are trying only to survive (and end up harming each other in the process) from the zombies? In order to separate ourselves from the zombies, it would be wise for individuals to focus on what makes us human in times of crisis, such as helping others in need or being creative. Yet, it always boils down to people just trying to survive another day in the zombie-world, which brings up the question: if the zombies rise from the grave, will it not drag down society's humanity with it?
We spent part of the class talking about how the zombies from The Walking Dead are doing a better job than the humans. The zombies do not hurt their own kind, they just eat brains to survive. Meanwhile the humans are killing each other and becoming monsters instead of uniting against the real enemy: the zombies. You brought up a good point when you state: “in order to separate ourselves from the zombies, it would be wise for individuals to focus on what makes us human in times of crisis, such as helping others in need or being creative.” Why is it so difficult to do that? Why do they see each other as obstacles to survival? At the beginning of Days Gone Bye everyone seemed to get along. Everyone was working together and willing to help each other. Towards the end, it seemed like everyone was turning on each other and just not caring about anyone but themselves. After reading the two chapters, we find out that Rick does not care that he has become a “lawless savage.” Why are we so unwilling to help each other in times of crisis? Maybe what makes us human isn’t helping one another, maybe being human means surviving at all cost.
ReplyDeleteWhen I initially read your statement, "I often wonder if the living dead already exist within us," it felt rather blunt, but I quickly realized that it is often true. The living dead represent a sort of mindlessness - zombies act on instinct, lack the ability to plan, and do not interact with their environment on a higher level. That this may be the case for us is somewhat disturbing. Instead of living by the motto "carpe diem," how often do we just follow the flow of things, or take the easier path? The term living dead (which can be taken to mean the "reanimated") can be flipped to "the dead living." In other words, by acting in ways similar to zombies, we have voluntarily abandoned our individuality and our sense of purpose.
ReplyDeleteI really like your final question, "if the zombies rise from the grave, will it not drag down society's humanity with it?" In attempt to answer this I would have to say that it would drag down society's humanity with it. After reading the Walking Dead comic book and watching a few episodes of the first season I do not think it's possible to keep living a normal life in the middle of a zombie apocalypse. As far as the readings go and your connect to the decrease of individualization in society and shopping malls, I think a zombie is a great metaphor for what humans in society might inevitably become. As humans, we have reached a stage in which we are just simply living... or as you have mentioned "wandering aimlessly".
ReplyDeleteI would argue that the living dead definitely exist within us. However, I would also say that - in a modern context - it has less to do with putting self above others, and more to do with coping with everyday life. Mind you, I associate "living dead" with a kind of mindless homogeneity typical of celebrity sycophants.
ReplyDeleteOf course, my intent is not to brook insult, as I think we all indulge in this behavior. However, my point is that living in death allows us to let go of our day-to-day worries for a time, and seek catharsis in horde behaviors. Too much of this is probably a bad thing, but I think it's mostly beneficial to society. Not only does this behavior provide us with an outlet for stressors, but it also creates industry.
I think any problems that stem from this behavior have to do with the nature of the particular outlet, and how - to some - it has become always preferable to "actually living."