Why Zombies Will Never Stop Coming
Welcome to Part 2 of my Halloween blog, where we've been dissecting everyone's favorite ghouls and ghosts. In part 1, we talked about vampires and their relationship with our history. In part 2, we're unearthing a different eerie nemesis- One that just refuses to go away. Yes, it's time to dig up old skeletons and investigate Why Zombies Will Never Stop Coming.
When I was a boy, my mom introduced me to George Romero's Night of the Living Dead, and my world changed. The entire movie, from Johnny's "There coming to get you Barbara" speech to the undead's attack on the quiet little farmhouse terrified the hell out of me. To this day I have no idea why my mom showed me that movie at such a young age (although it's probably why I am the horror-nerd I am today). Regardless, from that night, and many years after, I'd suffer through the same reoccurring nightmare. Shambling zombies were at my door, ready to eat me alive if I didn't escape. Little did I know that my zombie problem wouldn't go away anytime soon. Yes, it seems that every few years, an entire slew of zombie movies and books spread through the media, giving life to the dead once more.
So, why do zombies keep clawing their way out from the grave? Just when you think the horror fad has come and gone, a new wave of novels, television series and movies surface. In their very short time, zombies have gone from dormant sub-genre to commercial monstrosity. But why? Does society secretly like blood and guts or is it just that we feel as if we're on the edge of the apocalypse already? Well, I think it's time that we bite into the matter.
First, let's look the current affairs of the day. It's no secret that conflicts in the Middle-East, Ebola in Africa and other global catastrophes have stirred up peoples' anxieties. With record breaking travel nowadays, it's easy to imagine these issues landing at your doorstep. Zombies embody our contemporary concerns. Globally, millions of people are fearful that one day they'll wake up to an incurable epidemic in their neighborhood or an unwinnable war on the streets. What better analogy than a zombie infestation to help construe our angst? Zombies spread their contagion quickly and are unbeatable in great numbers. They're the perfect metaphor.
Another reason why we love to fantasize about the undead is because of what they mean to us subliminally. Ever feel like you're overwhelmed with problems at work? Do you constantly feel like you're fighting a battle that you just can't win at home? Well my friend, sounds like you're describing a great zombie plot. Zombies are the ultimate depiction of our ordinary struggles. They're vicious, unrelenting and put us on edge at every turn.
Yet another reason why zombies have surged in popularity comes from increased coverage of vague present-day issues. Problems such as global warming and financial meltdowns can sometimes be hard to imagine. Zombies are a perfect way to put these matters into perspective.
Concerned Daydreamer: "Hey dude, isn't it creepy to think that the icecaps may completely melt in fifteen years?"
Close-minded Bro: "Honestly, I can't even really imagine it."
It's hard to decapitate melting ice. Shooting a recession in the head isn't easy. But an ominous undead infestation, now that's something conceivable.
Finally, while it may be hard to believe, death itself is a perfect reason why zombies have become so popular. It's unavoidable. We see death everyday on the television, hear it on the radio and read about it online. We sit back and wonder "When do I go?" Sometimes it comes in the form or a distant relative, other times it's someone very close, but death is always lurking. The zombie is the embodiment of this. It's not prejudice or picky. It will destroy whatever is in front of it, brutally and without mercy.
And those are the facts. Zombies will never stop coming. Why? Because they're metaphors for global tension. They depict daily life. They help us understand subliminal issues and they're a constant reminder that none of us are getting out of this alive. We love zombies because they help us make sense of our own existence. In essence, we are zombies. Now…who wants brains?
