The Thin Line Between Humans and Zombies

Every so often, something happens that reminds me why we have zombie movies.

One of the things I really like about zombie movies is how they make us question our humanity. There’s an us vs. them aspect, and that line between zombies and humans is really thin. Most films show humans acting just as deplorable as the zombies. They deceive and kill almost as relentlessly as the zombies devour. The only difference between the two groups is that the motives of the zombies are known: they just want to eat.

It seems like the news stories lately are all about humans attacking humans because they are different or don’t believe the same things.  I can’t help but think of zombie films and the selfishness and depravity that exist within both the humans and the zombies.

Zombies are only concerned with one thing: feeding. They are focused and determined to make sure that basic need is fulfilled, to whatever end. They will climb over their own kind to consume a human, they will injure themselves in the pursuit. There isn’t much that stops a zombie when they have a victim in their sights.

Zombies may be aware of other zombies around them, but they don’t work together. They may all be going after the same target, but they don’t incorporate teamwork to achieve their goals.

It seems like the people who attack others portray this same sense of brutality. They attack relentlessly and mercilessly in the hope of intimidating others to follow their rules and ideals

Learning how to work together is what most characters in zombie movies have to do to survive. This, of course, happens only after the world has come to the brink of destruction, and they often fail at the task. I always attempt to think the best of my fellow human beings, but every so often, when seeing news stories like these, it’s really hard.

I see where ideas for zombie films come from. Humans have a hard time getting along with one another, especially when they have differing viewpoints. They become monsters and attack the person who thinks differently than they do. There’s no room for understanding, no way to change the person’s mind. They become focused, relentless, and they won’t stop until their victim has been subdued. Just because we aren’t eating each other at the moment doesn’t mean we aren’t tearing each other down.