Zombie Apocalypse: The Night Of The Living Dead
One may freak out if she woke up in the morning being bitten by a random person with blood dripping from his mouth, black teeth, dragging a broken leg, scratching at her with yellowed finger nails. That is one way that could be the start of someone’s life in the event of a zombie apocalypse. Blood, guts, and disfigurement is basically what defines a zombie. Most of today’s generation has seen The Night of the Living Dead, The Walking Dead, Zombieland, Shaun of the Dead, and many more. One topic that is discussed most is “what would someone do?” The topic of zombies ending the world has become so popular there are underground bunkers, survival guides, and storage containers full of food. So, why do people believe there will be a zombie apocalypse? A few reasons why someone would believe a zombie apocalypse would happen are African rituals, Science, and movies. One way science can play a role in deciding if there will be a future zombie apocalypse, Wheeler states “there was a bad time coming, possibly a terminally bad time. All of which at least goes to show that the apocalypse can flourish on its own, quite independently of millennia. In some form or another terrors and apprehensions can threaten us at any time. The possibility
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of personal disaster is, after all never quite absent from our lives and if anything is needed to give additional substance to our anxieties, the world, at whatever period, will surely provide it. (Wheeler 7) However, the belief that the zombie apocalypse could manifest on its own is an impending doom for the entire population. This theory can easily happen as rabies and zombies have similarities to each other; fever, nausea, and fatigue being a few. Some may not think that this can be present in zombies but with the recent popular spin on zombies from Hollywood, this seems to be the start of a human turning into a zombie. Ganeri agrees with wheeler that when something is present the human body that it could make the person look like a zombie. Only disagreeing on the subject that can be present to turn the body into a zombie like state. “Going into a zombielike trance has been linked to a neurotoxin (a poison that affects the nervous system) found in puffer fish.” (Ganeri 25) Also stated by Ganeri is the popular zombie we know today was all made up by Hollywood. “The zombie is a favorite subject of popular entertainment, appearing in horror films, books, and computer games. The popular image of the zombie is different from the original voodoo idea. Hollywood has added the stumbling walk, the open wounds, the shredded clothing, the hunger for flesh, and the idea that people bitten by zombies also become zombies. People could think the apocalypse has already started upon learning the definition of Kafkatization. “Kafkatization is a term that has grown out of a lot of other less worthy classifications employed to describe the change and all its manifestations.”(Ferrell 39) So, in other words the person would become like a zombie, but not to its entirety. “Kafkatization is a disease in which stops all memory functions from happening. Even though the diseased person maybe very much alive they can’t distinguish pleasure from pain, only survival instincts are present (Ferrell 39) Ferrell has also stated that a person with this recorded illness, Mr. Hall-miles was seen and heard singing the star spangled banner outside a library in front of a union soldier statue, after being forced by local police, Mr. Hall miles lost his arm. (Ferrell 40) Even though these infected people do not prefer the taste of human brains, they do tend to go after other “bodily foodstuffs”. Coincidently, people infected with Katkatization don’t eat brains they are not classified as zombies. Though that is so far a condition that sets into human bodies as an illness, there is still a possibility it could manifest into a zombie. Isn’t that how the movies depicted the human body transitioning into a zombie; first the illness sets in, then it gets so bad, it kills, which turns the infected into a zombie. Another way it could manifest itself Suzanne Stratford describes in an article “they won’t reanimate the dead but illnesses like rabies can produce extreme hallucinations and violent behavior. Currently the virus is under control in most developed countries and it’s treatable, but if that virus were to suddenly change and become a pandemic it could be catastrophic for mankind.”(fox8.com) With the recent popularity of zombie entertainment one may think that something of that nature could actually happen.
It was first started in 1932 with the movie called White Zombie. “Popularized by Hollywood, the legend of zombies was boosted by the 1932 movie White Zombie, starring Bela Lugosi.”(Nickel 151)The human population has come crazed about the possibility of a zombie apocalypse because there has been awareness by movies, T.V shows, now they have toys, music, and clothes. Most people enjoy these types of shows because it shows what could happen and the unknown. Whatever reason a person has for his belief in a zombie apocalypse whether or not it’s providing evidence the future existence of an apocalypse, or African ritual
history. Laennec argues that African Scholars who’s deign to seriously discuss such topic as the zombie, say the word comes from the Kongo word for “soul”, Nzambi. When slaves were brought to Haiti and the vodou religion grew amidst old African traditions and the harsh conditions of slavery, the idea of the zonbi was born. (Laennec 1) This argument is saying the ritual is performed by a bokor, or sorcerer to reanimate the dead to act as a slave. Joe Nickel agrees with Laennec stating “An element of the Haitian cult of vodou, or voodoo, zonbi is a word loaded with numerous meanings and implications. Technically, a zonbi is a portion of the human soul that is stolen and forced to work.” (Nickel 151) Some rituals are acted upon to prevent the soul being forced to work as a slave. Some people may be looking at zombies the wrong way, Bishop argues that zombies can actually tell their own story, have feelings or not have that craze hunger that we all think zombies may have. “Every apocalypse has its own story to tell, and those stories shouldn’t always be told from the point of view of survivalist in the United States. Every zombie has its own story to tell as well, and sometimes the zombie itself can best tell that story.”(Bishop 190)
If zombies actually happened but co-existed with the human race, like in the movie Warm Bodies, people would have a difficult time co-existing with zombies because of their differences with the human race. Which in that case a Zombie Survival Guide would be helpful. Max Brooks, author of Zombie Survival Guide, argues that “recent archaeological expeditions discovered a cave on the banks of the upper Semliki River, which contain thirteen homosapien skulls, all have received fatal head trauma to the brain. Above them was discovered a painting that many believe to be a warning of what maybe humanity’s first (recorded) encounter with the living dead.” (Brooks 9). Brooks also believes that all the zombie apocalypse is made up imagination. Though it’s nice to have an imagination with how the world may end, people also have to take into consideration that no one knows what can or will happen and that anything can happen to the human body. One example is every year people get vaccinated for the yearly flu, doctors tell people to get vaccinated because every year there is a newly developed strain of flu, which has manifested on its own. The possibility the flu and rabies merged into one could be deadly to us all. Wheeler agrees with brooks with zombies being imaginary stating “The destructive apocalypse has become part of the mythology and the imagery of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, while the city of London as we know it is a symbol of human culture and civilization. These London based, apocalyptic narratives, therefore, crystallize a range of contemporary historical, social, and political anxieties, and they speculatively explore way in which the humanity might negotiate its ultimate challenge.(wheeler 69) The upshot of all this is that some people may believe the African rituals while others may believe the manifestation of illnesses merging overtime. In other words kafkatization could possibly be the start of a zombie apocalypse, but maybe it could take 100 of evolution for it to be human brain cravings for the infected. On the other hand some people may believe such thing could happen because they enjoy the thrill and the possibility of such event.
of personal disaster is, after all never quite absent from our lives and if anything is needed to give additional substance to our anxieties, the world, at whatever period, will surely provide it. (Wheeler 7) However, the belief that the zombie apocalypse could manifest on its own is an impending doom for the entire population. This theory can easily happen as rabies and zombies have similarities to each other; fever, nausea, and fatigue being a few. Some may not think that this can be present in zombies but with the recent popular spin on zombies from Hollywood, this seems to be the start of a human turning into a zombie. Ganeri agrees with wheeler that when something is present the human body that it could make the person look like a zombie. Only disagreeing on the subject that can be present to turn the body into a zombie like state. “Going into a zombielike trance has been linked to a neurotoxin (a poison that affects the nervous system) found in puffer fish.” (Ganeri 25) Also stated by Ganeri is the popular zombie we know today was all made up by Hollywood. “The zombie is a favorite subject of popular entertainment, appearing in horror films, books, and computer games. The popular image of the zombie is different from the original voodoo idea. Hollywood has added the stumbling walk, the open wounds, the shredded clothing, the hunger for flesh, and the idea that people bitten by zombies also become zombies. People could think the apocalypse has already started upon learning the definition of Kafkatization. “Kafkatization is a term that has grown out of a lot of other less worthy classifications employed to describe the change and all its manifestations.”(Ferrell 39) So, in other words the person would become like a zombie, but not to its entirety. “Kafkatization is a disease in which stops all memory functions from happening. Even though the diseased person maybe very much alive they can’t distinguish pleasure from pain, only survival instincts are present (Ferrell 39) Ferrell has also stated that a person with this recorded illness, Mr. Hall-miles was seen and heard singing the star spangled banner outside a library in front of a union soldier statue, after being forced by local police, Mr. Hall miles lost his arm. (Ferrell 40) Even though these infected people do not prefer the taste of human brains, they do tend to go after other “bodily foodstuffs”. Coincidently, people infected with Katkatization don’t eat brains they are not classified as zombies. Though that is so far a condition that sets into human bodies as an illness, there is still a possibility it could manifest into a zombie. Isn’t that how the movies depicted the human body transitioning into a zombie; first the illness sets in, then it gets so bad, it kills, which turns the infected into a zombie. Another way it could manifest itself Suzanne Stratford describes in an article “they won’t reanimate the dead but illnesses like rabies can produce extreme hallucinations and violent behavior. Currently the virus is under control in most developed countries and it’s treatable, but if that virus were to suddenly change and become a pandemic it could be catastrophic for mankind.”(fox8.com) With the recent popularity of zombie entertainment one may think that something of that nature could actually happen.
It was first started in 1932 with the movie called White Zombie. “Popularized by Hollywood, the legend of zombies was boosted by the 1932 movie White Zombie, starring Bela Lugosi.”(Nickel 151)The human population has come crazed about the possibility of a zombie apocalypse because there has been awareness by movies, T.V shows, now they have toys, music, and clothes. Most people enjoy these types of shows because it shows what could happen and the unknown. Whatever reason a person has for his belief in a zombie apocalypse whether or not it’s providing evidence the future existence of an apocalypse, or African ritual
history. Laennec argues that African Scholars who’s deign to seriously discuss such topic as the zombie, say the word comes from the Kongo word for “soul”, Nzambi. When slaves were brought to Haiti and the vodou religion grew amidst old African traditions and the harsh conditions of slavery, the idea of the zonbi was born. (Laennec 1) This argument is saying the ritual is performed by a bokor, or sorcerer to reanimate the dead to act as a slave. Joe Nickel agrees with Laennec stating “An element of the Haitian cult of vodou, or voodoo, zonbi is a word loaded with numerous meanings and implications. Technically, a zonbi is a portion of the human soul that is stolen and forced to work.” (Nickel 151) Some rituals are acted upon to prevent the soul being forced to work as a slave. Some people may be looking at zombies the wrong way, Bishop argues that zombies can actually tell their own story, have feelings or not have that craze hunger that we all think zombies may have. “Every apocalypse has its own story to tell, and those stories shouldn’t always be told from the point of view of survivalist in the United States. Every zombie has its own story to tell as well, and sometimes the zombie itself can best tell that story.”(Bishop 190)
If zombies actually happened but co-existed with the human race, like in the movie Warm Bodies, people would have a difficult time co-existing with zombies because of their differences with the human race. Which in that case a Zombie Survival Guide would be helpful. Max Brooks, author of Zombie Survival Guide, argues that “recent archaeological expeditions discovered a cave on the banks of the upper Semliki River, which contain thirteen homosapien skulls, all have received fatal head trauma to the brain. Above them was discovered a painting that many believe to be a warning of what maybe humanity’s first (recorded) encounter with the living dead.” (Brooks 9). Brooks also believes that all the zombie apocalypse is made up imagination. Though it’s nice to have an imagination with how the world may end, people also have to take into consideration that no one knows what can or will happen and that anything can happen to the human body. One example is every year people get vaccinated for the yearly flu, doctors tell people to get vaccinated because every year there is a newly developed strain of flu, which has manifested on its own. The possibility the flu and rabies merged into one could be deadly to us all. Wheeler agrees with brooks with zombies being imaginary stating “The destructive apocalypse has become part of the mythology and the imagery of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, while the city of London as we know it is a symbol of human culture and civilization. These London based, apocalyptic narratives, therefore, crystallize a range of contemporary historical, social, and political anxieties, and they speculatively explore way in which the humanity might negotiate its ultimate challenge.(wheeler 69) The upshot of all this is that some people may believe the African rituals while others may believe the manifestation of illnesses merging overtime. In other words kafkatization could possibly be the start of a zombie apocalypse, but maybe it could take 100 of evolution for it to be human brain cravings for the infected. On the other hand some people may believe such thing could happen because they enjoy the thrill and the possibility of such event.