Would you?

jameverywhere

I speak as someone who regularly goes out touring on a bike and has no problem camping out in nothing but a bivvy bag, eating trail mix and tinned fish and cycling 50 miles a day just 'cause I like it. I would qualify under my definition of "crazy" above except that I can only last for so long doing that before I want to check my email, talk to my mother on the phone, hang out with my friends, and sleep in a real bed for a while...



If you really wanted a cool life, you'd go out and DO something rather than sit around on the internet fantasizing about it. Okay, if you're completely ready for a zombie apocalypse, why not just quit your job, do something like hitchhike across Europe or kayak to New York or something crazy, death-defying... something that reorganises your priorities and makes you appreciate life more. If you really would unleash the Z virus to make your life what most would describe a living hell, surely you can find some other kind of sport or activity you seriously enjoy, and give up everything for that.


If you think an apocalypse would be a good life, how are you so sure that you'd survive? Are you physically fit? Do you have contingency plans? Do you have emergency supplies? If not, you might want to work on that first otherwise the experience for you would be very short.



Also, if you have a bit of money kicking around you could try the zombie shopping mall or manor house over in the UK. I'm actually signed up to do the shopping mall one on 15th June.


I totally get where you're coming from, wanting a life that comes from a completely different perspective, wanting to live in a video gam--as in just have cool stuff happen all the time. Which is why I'm training myself for physical fitness, going out camping and stuff, and am planning a cycle tour of Ireland in July and to cycle across America with my mates in summer 2013. Sure a zombie apocalypse won't happen so you won't get to experience that (except for a single day if you sign up for something like I mentioned above), but I'm sure you can find a kind of life that really is possible on this Earth, in this reality, and live the **** out of it and be happy and fulfilled, y'know?

I hope you find that, anyway.

Crooked Jack

Cant really shoot people in the head hitch hiking across Europe. Plus all that stuff costs money, of which I quite literally have minus amount, whereas Im pretty sure World War Z would be a freebie

jameverywhere

your desire to shoot people in the head is really alarming as well... but maybe you could take up archery or something? just throwin' ideas out there. Shooting guns at a range is fun but a lot more expensive... there's also hunting, and you get free meals out of that.

Crooked Jack

zombies arent people. See, this is why I'll survive the apocalypse and you wont. You'll run up to hug your zombified former wife whereas I'll shoot anything that moans

jameverywhere

you're the one who said "shoot people in the head", not me, dude. I was just quoting you.

Freudian slip?

ChaseThisLight

Crooked Jack wrote: »

There is a fairly significant part of me drawn to the apocalyptic. I think it would put a lot of stuff in perspective.

It's the apocalyptic nature of the ZA that draws me to all things zombie, just as much as the zombies do. I am really intrigued by the survival aspect of it. It's why I watch movies that deal with this, read books about it, research and plan what I will need to do, etc. I would love to go to the events jameverywhere mentioned (and is going to - I'm SO jealous!), I would even do as he suggested and go out and experience what he outlined - those are perfect examples of ways to experience the feel of a world where you have to survive without your daily comforts and/or your problems. As interested as I am in all of that though, I'd never wish any scenario that would make it happen, be it a virus or nuclear weapons, to come true just so I could experience it for real.

Also, since it's been brought up, for me, it's not about how many zombies I can kill, or about killing in general. I honestly don't want to have to kill anyone/anything; it's not something I would ever look forward to. The fact is, most people will probably find that actually killing someone/something is going to be a lot harder than you think.

Tzar Chasm

YES, yes I would

Some days I despair for this world, most days its just contempt and
very ocasionaly its merely apathy.

unleashing a Z apocalypse would be signifiantly easier than the current plan, which is to ignite the atmosphere and rid the planet of all Life, this would be species specific and would allow the rest of planet to live.

People are idiots and they need to go, granted this includes me, but what the hell, the day I finally commit to the suicide urge I'm takingh you ALL with me.

jameverywhere

ChaseThisLight wrote: »

Also, since it's been brought up, for me, it's not about how many zombies I can kill, or about killing in general. I honestly don't want to have to kill anyone/anything; it's not something I would ever look forward to. The fact is, most people will probably find that actually killing someone/something is going to be a lot harder than you think.

She


also, +1 to this. I've gutted and cleaned fish, dissected worms, frogs, and pigs. . . I eat meat and have no problem with the death of animals. However, killing a mouse in a trap was kinda hard for me! Killing something human-shaped will surely be difficult, not something you get used to quickly...

ChaseThisLight

jameverywhere wrote: »

She

You know, even as I typed "he", there was this part of me that thought I should be vague and not use he or she, just so I'd not be assuming. My apologies, especially since I've been called "he" before, too.

also, +1 to this. I've gutted and cleaned fish, dissected worms, frogs, and pigs. . . I eat meat and have no problem with the death of animals. However, killing a mouse in a trap was kinda hard for me! Killing something human-shaped will surely be difficult, not something you get used to quickly...

Exactly. I imagine that's why some people, even people in law enforcement, hesitate at times when having to shoot someone. It's one thing to shoot at targets, or to shoot zombies/people in video games - and even to shoot animals (I know someone who went hunting, shot one deer, and decided it wasn't something they could ever do again). But to shoot a person - or an undead person - is a whole other thing.

Crooked Jack

jameverywhere wrote: »

you're the one who said "shoot people in the head", not me, dude. I was just quoting you.

Freudian slip?

I think you'll find i said you cant shoot people in the head. Im all for shooting zombies.

Daisy M

ChaseThisLight wrote: »

You know, even as I typed "he", there was this part of me that thought I should be vague and not use he or she, just so I'd not be assuming. My apologies, especially since I've been called "he" before, too.
.

By me . Us ladies are guilty of been a bit sexist in this forum, I can honestly say I have only ever met one other woman who has confessed to been a zombie fan, its great to see its more common than I realised.


Crooked Jack your ignorance on what the reality of a zombie apocalypse would be like would mean you would be among the first to be a snack. This is meant in the nicest possible way of course:). If your jaded by things like the government and money, you will be crying like a baby from hunger and fear.

Zomg Okay

ChaseThisLight wrote: »

But to shoot a person - or an undead person - is a whole other thing.

You have to take survival instinct into as well. You'd be surprised what you can do when it's "him or me".

Crooked Jack

Daisy M wrote: »

By me . Us ladies are guilty of been a bit sexist in this forum, I can honestly say I have only ever met one other woman who has confessed to been a zombie fan, its great to see its more common than I realised.


Crooked Jack your ignorance on what the reality of a zombie apocalypse would be like would mean you would be among the first to be a snack. This is meant in the nicest possible way of course:). If your jaded by things like the government and money, you will be crying like a baby from hunger and fear.

Im fully aware of what the reality of it would be and yet I still find myself drawn to it. I have no doubt hunger and fear would play a huge part in it, wouldnt be much of a zombie apocalypse without them, but still it calls to me.
Im not claiming I'd be some all conquering hero of the ZA, Im just saying there's a big part of me would like to be there

Crooked Jack

Zomg Okay wrote: »

You have to take survival instinct into as well. You'd be surprised what you can do when it's "him or me".

Yeah. you also have to take into account some other little minute details like 'they're already dead' and 'they're trying to eat me.'

ChaseThisLight

Zomg Okay wrote: »

You have to take survival instinct into as well. You'd be surprised what you can do when it's "him or me".

I can't find a direct link to the chapter in the book I read, but Matt Mogk, head of the Zombie Research Society, talks about this very thing, saying that when push comes to shove, we're not all natural born killers. He quotes Dave Grossman, the author of On Killing, a book about the psychological cost of taking a life:

More than 75% of us wouldn't fire a fatal shot at our enemy if our own lives depended upon it.

He states that it's not cowardice that stops you, it's your subconscious.

So I suppose, until you're in a situation of "him or me", you won't know until then if you could really do it. That said, I'd like to believe I'm not in that 75% when the ZA comes.

Crooked Jack

ChaseThisLight wrote: »

I can't find a direct link to the chapter in the book I read, but Matt Mogk, head of the Zombie Research Society, talks about this very thing, saying that when push comes to shove, we're not all natural born killers. He quotes Dave Grossman, the author of On Killing, a book about the psychological cost of taking a life:



He states that it's not cowardice that stops you, it's your subconscious.

So I suppose, until you're in a situation of "him or me", you won't know until then if you could really do it. That said, I'd like to believe I'm not in that 75% when the ZA comes.

Is this a human enemy though? because people really seem to be missing the fact that they're dead. If nothing else you'd be helping them out, putting them out of their misery. i mean if it was a virus and there was some kind of cure on the horizon I'd be less inclined to pull the trigger, but the walking dead, sure that's a...ahem...no brainer.

Daisy M

Crooked Jack wrote: »

Is this a human enemy though? because people really seem to be missing the fact that they're dead. If nothing else you'd be helping them out, putting them out of their misery. i mean if it was a virus and there was some kind of cure on the horizon I'd be less inclined to pull the trigger, but the walking dead, sure that's a...ahem...no brainer.

I believe it would take time to stop seeing them as humans and as zombies. They would see them walking and moving around and believe them to be alive but very very sick and wouldnt question their humanity. It would take most people quiet sometime to accept that such a thing as zombies was possible. There would be strong denial from the outset, scientists and medics would be adamant that it wasnt possible and would be trying to figure out exactly what virus would cause zombie like behaviour and looking for a cure.


In answer to your opening question, would I unlease a zombie virus if I could? No absolutly no way. You say you are jaded by life, but there are 7 billion people on this plane,t in the grand scheme of things you dont really matter. Your mind is working in a strange way if you think it would be ok to sacrafice humanity because your fed up!!

ThunderApple

hahaha, no. not with my lack of luck. I mean, come on, how stupid, sociopath and freaky one should be to do something like that?

ChaseThisLight

Crooked Jack wrote: »

Is this a human enemy though? because people really seem to be missing the fact that they're dead. If nothing else you'd be helping them out, putting them out of their misery. i mean if it was a virus and there was some kind of cure on the horizon I'd be less inclined to pull the trigger, but the walking dead, sure that's a...ahem...no brainer.

You seem to be missing the point that they are/were human, undead, yes, but resembling a human nonetheless. It won't be a video game, it won't be a movie or a TV show, it will be real life and I think it will be shocking for the majority of people.

Daisy M wrote: »

I believe it would take time to stop seeing them as humans and as zombies. They would see them walking and moving around and believe them to be alive but very very sick and wouldnt question their humanity. It would take most people quiet sometime to accept that such a thing as zombies was possible. There would be strong denial from the outset, scientists and medics would be adamant that it wasnt possible and would be trying to figure out exactly what virus would cause zombie like behaviour and looking for a cure.

You just described

Herschel from The Walking Dead.

But I completely agree. There are those out there - and I believe even those that think themselves to be experts on this - that when it comes down to it, will have a hard time transitioning.

Daisy M

ChaseThisLight wrote: »

You just described

Herschel from The Walking Dead.

But I completely agree. There are those out there - and I believe even those that think themselves to be experts on this - that when it comes down to it, will have a hard time transitioning.

Ha I did didnt I? There is another thread in this forum of a crazed man biting the face off another person and there have been a couple of links posted to one or two other zombie like attacks, and yet here on the zombie forum we are talking about it in a tongue and cheek manner because logic tells us its impossible. I wonder how long it would take the average person to accept/realise that the impossible happened? I think most of us would react too late:eek:

ChaseThisLight

Daisy M wrote: »

Ha I did didnt I? There is another thread in this forum of a crazed man biting the face off another person and there have been a couple of links posted to one or two other zombie like attacks, and yet here on the zombie forum we are talking about it in a tongue and cheek manner because logic tells us its impossible. I wonder how long it would take the average person to accept/realise that the impossible happened? I think most of us would react too late:eek:

Right? I keep getting messages from friends and family saying "Ha ha, I thought of you when I saw this on the news." And I'm thinking, you all think it's a joke, but it's serious! (Bar one friend, who told me she went out and bought a machete after seeing it.)

Crooked Jack

Daisy M wrote: »

I believe it would take time to stop seeing them as humans and as zombies. They would see them walking and moving around and believe them to be alive but very very sick and wouldnt question their humanity. It would take most people quiet sometime to accept that such a thing as zombies was possible. There would be strong denial from the outset, scientists and medics would be adamant that it wasnt possible and would be trying to figure out exactly what virus would cause zombie like behaviour and looking for a cure.


In answer to your opening question, would I unlease a zombie virus if I could? No absolutly no way. You say you are jaded by life, but there are 7 billion people on this plane,t in the grand scheme of things you dont really matter. Your mind is working in a strange way if you think it would be ok to sacrafice humanity because your fed up!!

Why is everyone ignoring my alternate reality option and trying to paint me as some sort of psycho?
Regarding wether or not people would hesitate to cap these undead motherfuckers people are clearly not reading the scenario in the first post. Either you have started the apocalypse or have travelled to a reality in which it has already happened. Either way you know they are zombies. why would you hesitate to shoot.
Finally, I'm beginning to resent patronising references to computer games and movies. I've done the research, I've read genuine and published academic reports and thesis on what a zombified world might look like (I can PM them to you if you like) this is not (entirely) some angry juvenile fantasy, Im fully aware of how awful it would be but i cant help the fact that for whatever reason I'm still drawn to it.

ChaseThisLight

Crooked Jack wrote: »

Why is everyone ignoring my alternate reality option and trying to paint me as some sort of psycho?
Regarding wether or not people would hesitate to cap these undead motherfuckers people are clearly not reading the scenario in the first post. Either you have started the apocalypse or have travelled to a reality in which it has already happened. Either way you know they are zombies. why would you hesitate to shoot.
Finally, I'm beginning to resent patronising references to computer games and movies. I've done the research, I've read genuine and published academic reports and thesis on what a zombified world might look like (I can PM them to you if you like) this is not (entirely) some angry juvenile fantasy, Im fully aware of how awful it would be but i cant help the fact that for whatever reason I'm still drawn to it.

I think it's a safe bet to say that all or most of us here have done research and read reports, etc on what it would be like. And I also think it's safe to say that we're all drawn to zombies/apocalyptic scenarios, or none of us would be here.

I did read the scenario in the first post, and everything I've said has been said in explaining why I wouldn't do it, or why I don't believe it's a good idea for anyone to purposefully do it. You have my apologies if anything I said came across as patronising to you, though I feel I should point out that just because someone doesn't agree with you and explains why they don't, doesn't mean they are being patronising, it just means you have differing opinions.

Zomg Okay

Crooked Jack wrote: »

I've read genuine and published academic reports and thesis on what a zombified world might look like (I can PM them to you if you like)

Please do.

Crooked Jack

ChaseThisLight wrote: »

I think it's a safe bet to say that all or most of us here have done research and read reports, etc on what it would be like. And I also think it's safe to say that we're all drawn to zombies/apocalyptic scenarios, or none of us would be here.

I did read the scenario in the first post, and everything I've said has been said in explaining why I wouldn't do it, or why I don't believe it's a good idea for anyone to purposefully do it. You have my apologies if anything I said came across as patronising to you, though I feel I should point out that just because someone doesn't agree with you and explains why they don't, doesn't mean they are being patronising, it just means you have differing opinions.

yeah what i wrote came across a bit more angrily than i had intended. Hard to convey tone over the internet.

Crooked Jack

Zomg Okay wrote: »

Please do.

Theyre on my work computer. Send them to ya first thing ion the morning.

Crooked Jack

Ok, alot of people seem to be worried about their families and the handful or so of non-zombie enthusiasts on the planet. What about this then. Would you participate in a life or death game. A huge enclosure that is infested with zombies and the only other people in it are zombie enthusiasts who have agreed to do it. Family etc... safe outside it. After you've signed all the documentation and legal waivers you're given a pill that knocks you out and wipes your memory so you forget its a game. As far as you know one day you just woke up and zombies had taken over. Would ya go for it?
I think the point of these questions is I'm trying to find out how many people see their zombie fascination as a purely academic thing and how many of you would go for it given the chance.

Zomg Okay

Crooked Jack wrote: »

Ok, alot of people seem to be worried about their families and the handful or so of non-zombie enthusiasts on the planet. What about this then. Would you participate in a life or death game. A huge enclosure that is infested with zombies and the only other people in it are zombie enthusiasts who have agreed to do it. Family etc... safe outside it. After you've signed all the documentation and legal waivers you're given a pill that knocks you out and wipes your memory so you forget its a game. As far as you know one day you just woke up and zombies had taken over. Would ya go for it?
I think the point of these questions is I'm trying to find out how many people see their zombie fascination as a purely academic thing and how many of you would go for it given the chance.

As interesting as the Hunger Games with Zombies would be, I wouldn't go for it. It would be cruel to abandon friends and family with the intention of committing suicide (let's face it, it wouldn't be much else).

Being an enthusiast is all well and good. The idea of living in a post-Z Day world is an interesting one. But whenever I seriously think of what it would be really like, I get the disconcerting realisation that I would almost certainly become paralysed with fear when I see a zed and starve/freeze to death cowering in a hiding place.

I think it's fine to prepare yourself and imagine what it would be like but I would never willingly throw myself into it.

degrassinoel

Crooked Jack wrote: »

Theyre on my work computer. Send them to ya first thing ion the morning.

If it's not breaking any publishing or legal restrictions, could you post a new topic with them in pasted into it, or links if they are online?
I'm pretty sure the entire community would enjoy reading those

Crooked Jack

No bodger