I've always and have been a fan of horror films. Growing up, my mom would rent those old VHS tapes and we would binge-watch these zombies, monsters, pretty much any type of horror films, almost every night.
But what fascinates me the most, is the thought of a certain possibility of experiencing a "zombie apocalypse".
First what exactly is the definition of "zombie?" A Zombie can be defined as the reanimated corpse of a human being or animal that has returned to life to consume live flesh or brains as sustenance. (Wikipedia) The word "zombie" originates from Haitian folklore. The belief that corpses could return to life was associated with the religion practiced by slaves from West Africa who were brought to Haiti by European traders.
The Haitian zombie beliefs were brought to the Americas. In 1802, United States General Toussaint L'Ouverture, who was a slave leader in the Haitian Revolution, was buried in an unmarked grave, but his corpse was exhumed and found to have been dusted by powdered charcoal and resin which gave him the appearance of a living person who had not died. (L'Ouverture, p. 626)
Is there any reason as to why a zombie apocalypse could occur?
Zombies are simply re-animated corpses, the body is still decomposing and the flesh missing. A zombie will eat dead flesh and brains as a source of sustenance, just like any other animal. Or in some cases a person might be infected with the virus that creates a zombie; in order for this virus to be transmitted it needs to infect a human being who has already died. All it takes is one person who's "alive" and is eating flesh or brain matter, but once eaten they can then become re-animated.
The zombie apocalypse can also occur due to a pandemic, which is basically an epidemic that spreads over a large area. The virus making people sick with the symptoms of high fevers, severe aches, and pains, vomiting, etc., and once you die from it you are then re-animated. The immune system stops working and then this virus attacks the neurological system.
Zombies have been a popular theme in mass media since the early 1960s. George A Romero's Night of the Living Dead is the parent of all modern zombie films (One of my all-time favorites). Romero completed it in December 1968 as his thesis film for his graduation from Carnegie Mellon University.
A typical zombie, Romero's 1968 Night of the Living Dead, shows an unkempt and slow-moving figure in shabby clothing with a vacant stare, grey skin, and frequently bloodied arms and face. Zombies are typically depicted as feeding on human flesh, brains, or blood; they are immune to pain but can be killed if struck in the head with a hard object.
The spread of zombies has been linked to viruses that infect humans who have been bitten by other zombies, or via an as-yet-unknown mechanism whereby those already dead rises again. The causes of zombification include disease such as rabies or influenza, radiation exposure/nuclear fallout (as in George A. Romero's "Day of the Dead" series), chemical exposure (as in the 1932 film The Man Who Knew Too Much), and parasitic infection (as in George A. Romero's Living Dead series).
WARNING!!!
This is a major global concern that we all need to put on our radar and take into consideration. Not only is it a possible threat, but also can affect different countries around the world, making it not just an apocalypse or world problem, but an international one as well. Yes, this could happen. Even though it isn't real, we have to prepare for it.
What I find interesting is that the military is preparing for a zombie apocalypse, and they call it ZombieOps. They talk about creating a "zombie survival kit." One scenario involves an attack on civilians by an evil bio-engineer who's run amok with a deadly virus. This scenario calls for hundreds of thousands of military personnel to prepare for the undead.
But what about the ordinary civilians? Are we ready? How do we prepare ourselves during these possible times?
First, you have to make sure that you are physically prepared; you need to maintain good health and be in top physical condition. A good workout routine will do wonders. But then, you have to think about what it is that you will be doing during the day. And if something happens during the day, it could become a matter of life and death.
Now, this is where I think we need to get ready for Zombie Apocalypse. What if a zombie outbreak happens and that "zombie virus" then spreads, what's the best way to survive? Well, I would first suggest staying away from human contact at all times. Keep your windows covered at night, put up tuna cans (why tuna? Because I love tuna) or other small objects in your windows so that you don't have to be exposed to sunlight every day. If you're a person who doesn't want to spend your life in a bunker, then you have to be prepared for the zombie apocalypse.
Again, the best weapon that can protect you from these zombies is knowledge. You need to know how they think and act, and what makes them tick. But make sure that your weapons are easy to carry around in case you need to move somewhere else at any time. The best thing is to find an isolated place where there is little or no human contact; the deeper into the wilderness the better off you'll be when it all goes down.
Remember, you cannot stop this from happening. If mankind is to survive this catastrophe, we have to prepare ourselves for the zombie apocalypse.
Will it be like the zombie games we played?
As a gamer myself, I couldn't help myself to be that excited for something like this. I've always fantasized about doing the things that I have done in the games I played in the real world. But as much as I wanted to simulate everything and dream of doing the same things, me as a hardcore gamer would know better that things would be totally different.
Basic factors such as supplies or resources won't be that "bountiful" or lying on the ground just like in-game. Scarcity of different supplies such as the basic ones, food, water, and any form of replenishments, to the most critical ones like medicines, armaments, etc. What I could think of, would be the same as the gaming world could offer, of course, would be the experience itself.
Yes, these games only happen based on a world created by different developers and brainchildren of different story makers but think about it. If people nowadays could fix a car, cook an exquisite cuisine and create something out of nothing just by looking or watching different tutorial videos online, then what more can we formulate when the perfect time comes that our inner "military tactics" and "survival experts" would awaken because of what we have observed, and played, through infinite hours of game time. I could only imagine, the puzzle-solving, high intellect strategies that one "high leveled zombie apocalypse warrior" could come up with, don't you think?
But regardless of it, no matter what would happen, I, personally believe that such a thing has its possibilities. And it should always have a special place on our conscience, wherever we may be to always be concerned about it and to always, be prepared about it. Because we'll never know, at some parts of the globe, viruses that could start this outbreak could probably be in the works, and yet here you are, still reading this article right? Just kidding!
Don't worry, you are now at the end of this whole experience, if you reach this part, you are very lucky (And very interested I would say), because you have gained self-awareness. That at the outermost part of the world, zombies will soon walk this land, hungry and craving for existence, where they don't plan on sharing with others. Me and you, and a selected few, will see each other when the right time comes... I wish you well, I wish you survival.
