Teh Zombies!

[Steezie]

I've always been fascinated with the idea of zombies as a cultural centerpiece because it's such an odd idea.

Zombies are the modern day monster, before zombies it was Martians, and before that it was vampires, and before that it was dragons.

But why are we so fixated, culturally, on the idea of zombies and that scary sounding yet with a slight streak of extreme fun concept of the zombie apocalypse?

Personally I'd put most of my money on it appealing to our cultural values. Our movies tend to be of one lone guy mowing down a horde of enemies with a machete and a steak knife or a shotgun. Zombies and a subsequent zombie apocalypse offers the average person a chance to do that because zombies, as scary as they can be, are not difficult targets. We all tend to have that little side thought when watching a zombie movie of "If that were me..."

What do you think?

 

[Autumnleaf]

Its interesting. Maybe people could become zombies and then what would I do? Could I survive? Would I want to? Its like watching those disaster movies where earthquakes or civil unrest happens. The same type of quesitons come up.

 

[BigBadWlf]

I've always been fascinated with the idea of zombies as a cultural centerpiece because it's such an odd idea.

Zombies are the modern day monster, before zombies it was Martians, and before that it was vampires, and before that it was dragons.

I read an interesting theory that vampires and aliens are one and the same thing in that the sleep disorder that produces the experience of alien abduction parallels the bite of the vampire.

Consider the similarities.
Both have gray skin and large eyes (sexy teen age vampires with loads of angst is a relatively new concept)
Both are indifferent to the feelings of their victims
The encounters happen during the middle of the night
The victims are paralyzed
There is a sexual component to the experience
The next day the victims feel weakened and possibly marked

But why are we so fixated, culturally, on the idea of zombies and that scary sounding yet with a slight streak of extreme fun concept of the zombie apocalypse?

I think the modern obsession with zombies stems from our collective fear of depersonalization, of ourselves being absorbed into mindless conformity with lass of individuality.
Similarly I think the modern obsession with vampires stems from our cultures worship of and obsession with youth

 

[CoderHead]

I think the modern obsession with zombies stems from our collective fear of depersonalization, of ourselves being absorbed into mindless conformity with lass of individuality.

Fascinating insight! I can see how the concept of becoming a zombie would terrify us. Everything that makes you who you are is stripped away, yet you still walk and become something you'd never consciously allow yourself to become.

I can also see how the concept of becoming a "survivor" would terrify us. You're faced with the dilemma of protecting your own life by killing other humans, some of which may even be those you love. Your life is threatened, your resolve is pushed to the limit, and again you've become something you never would have consciously allowed yourself to become.

For the record, the Left 4 Dead franchise rocks!