If you found your way to this site, you know we're an unusual bunch. We don't just watch the odd horror movie - we strategize, dream of, and evaluate other zombie survivors as a kind of macabre hobby.

Moderator Blayde suggested this new topic and it seems appropriate as this site grows.


EvacMedic: Here's a question you can sink your teeth into. I personally have always feared zombies. I have felt that in an Apocalypse situation, I would either live or die by my own hand. I dreamt of this since I was a very young boy. I imagined zombies before I saw a movie, read a book, or heard music pertaining to them. I'm also a firm believer in survival of the fittest, which a world ruled by zombies could facilitate. There's, as you can see, a fundamental fear I've had. And also, the personal views I've shared for only half as long.

McSkullcracken: My personal fascination with zombies comes from the idea that a zombie outbreak tests society, both individually and as a whole.
This menace demands of an individual the utmost in ability; physically, mentally, and even emotionally. A person unprepared in any one of those ways is significantly less likely to survive. Physically, thats obvious, a person needs to be in shape. Mentally is obvious as well, and if you do not believe so you are lacking in this category. Emotionally, thats the way most people neglect. One must be prepared to leave loved ones behind, or work with despised enemies.
Society is tested the same way an individual is, as well as in it's ability to recognize a threat, band together, make difficult and intelligent decisions collectively, and survive while combating the threat.
Anything that challenges people in such a way must be interesting, at least to me.

Wookiejuice: For me personally, I'm so fascinated with zombies because of the whole concept. Death is eventual, and it means the end of life. It's so final. But the undead break this rule, and that's what's so horrifying about them. Once you're dead, that's supposed to be it, but these guys defy that, which leads me to thoughts of, "How can you kill something that's already dead?". Now, obviously, the undead can be "killed" again, but I'm focusing on the concept. To me, that's terribly frightening...especially if one is faced with undead relatives.

CokeAColeA: I think its the thought of fighting off the dead to live and not to become one. Most people who are fascinated with them have normal lives and wish that something unusual would happen. Zombies would provide that. Just think of how fun it would be to shoot zombies brains out with your 50 cal if you happened to have one. Or at least it would be until you or someone you know gets hurt or zombified. As soon as your life becomes in danger, it stops getting fun for most of us.

Jukiness: Personally, I like the idea of Zombies because it is the all out disease ridden disaster...that I have a chance of surviving. The ability to fight back is what lures me to my Zombie love. Ever seen the movie Outbreak? (Morgan Freeman, Kevin Spacey, Dustin Hoffman) Motaba starts just ravaging everybody...how do you fight that? You can't. You stay AWAY. When push comes to shove, I'd feel a lot more productive getting to high ground and chopping up the occasional undead than I would locking myself in a bubble and hiding from the Bird Flu or SARS.

Kenny24: For me, my fascination started when I played Dead Rising and did some research on zombies and came to realize that it is scientifically possible for re-animation of corpses.I have then dedicated my life to educating myself and others about the undead and preparing for if and when it happens.

Sphike92: What brings me to loving zombies is the idea that something that can totally decimate an area can come about so fast from a simple infection, and that shows that disease can really destroy the world. Also I love the entire fact that you can have a chance to and may actually survive (counting on there's anyone to go to) also that this is logically possible and we should prepare now before Z-DAY.

roxas33:What brings me to loving zombies is the challenge they can provide in a fight. I'm Irish and I'm always spoiling for a good fight.

Blayde: I'm going to go on a limb here, and I may get shouted down, but that's okay. I'm going to suggest that in most cases, our fascination is not necessarily with the undead, per say, but that of an apocalyptic event changing the very foundation of our world. I do believe, however, that zombies may be the easiest method of communicating this idea, and arguably, the easiest enemy to put a face on. Someone mentioned Outbreak in a previous post, which is a very interesting and, I daresay, important point. Let's look at works such as The Stand and I Am Legend. In these scenarios, there is absolutely nothing that a "survivor" can do to combat the encroaching tide of death, short of natural immunity such as in The Stand and the Vincent Price movie version of I Am Legend, The Last Man on Earth. This scenario was changed somewhat in Omega Man, but I digress. I think all of us at some point have imagined what it would be like to have 99.9% of the populace eradicated, leaving only ourselves and a choice few individuals. Let's dig even deeper into this idea and presuppose that a great many "zombie enthusiasts" such as ourselves feel somewhat out of place in our modern day society. Speaking personally, I'm no great friend of Corporate America, and the infrastructure our country is built on therein. A rapid and irreconcilable shift in social standing leaves those of us who spend our time thinking about these things in a position of relative importance and necessity. That's not to say that we desire importance or fame. Rather, we desire a definitive place in which to fit and utilize skills which don't have much "practical" use in the current state of affairs.



Pfc.Nevarez: I think some of it is how your raised, and the idea of the dead coming back to life and eating your insides. Plus learning how people deal with a zombie outbreak


JoeZombie: I've had a life-long obsession with zombies


Monkeyfacedzombie: I would relish the chance of a zombie outbreak; as it would be more interesting than the mind-crushing boredom of everyday existence.

DarkStorm89: Since, like forever, we've always asked ourselves "What is the meaning of life?" And with a zombie outbreak, it gives us meaning. It gives us all a purpose, a common goal. It makes even more sense when you think of it as a situation that cannot be rectified; as though zombies have taken over and humans will never ever be the dominant species again. It means that we are faced with an eventual goal, an eventual MEANING:

TO SURVIVE...

This, coupled with the fact that we are the few that really understand and have the key to the war against the undead makes us superior to others. It means that should the Zombie Apocalypse ever occur (as slight as the chance may be) WE will be the ones that will teach and we will be the ones that have the key to the scenario: knowledge.

I've noticed this with certain things, and you probably have too. Think about a time when you have found knowledge or have studied excessively in a certain subject. Others might see this subject as useless or inferior, but yet there was a time in your life when that knowledge was put to use, when on that very odd occasion, you could impress others and lead by example in this uncommon field, and people had an undeniable respect for you at this moment.

Now apply this to zombies: Should an outbreak occur, people will look to us as examples. We will be the experts in this certain field, and it just so happens that this field suddenly becomes very, very important, because zombie knowledge rules in a zombie world. Like they say "Knowledge is power", and in a zombie infested world, that knowledge is the power that is keeping us all alive...

Subsistoncycles
The end of the human race, at the hand of what used to be human fascinates me. The most tempting scenario for me is one which results in 100% annihilation of human populations. Humans/humanoids have been around for about 1 1/2 million years, compared to earth's 4 1/2 billion. I like the idea that in spite of all the positive aspects of human beings, the rest of the world goes on without us, and does so more successfully.

Cipher234: To tell the truth, I don't know. One day my friend was telling me about the zombie survival guide and I just picked it up and started to read I read and reread the book about a thousand times; and now zombies are on my list of top 5 coolest things (1.Chuck Norris 2.Cthulhu 3.vikings 4.ninjas 5. zombies)


Pilib: Actually, I very much go with Blayde's analysis - an apocalyptic event turning the social order on its head. All my friends know my fascination for zombie protection. However, the knowledge that comes with this does not limit itself only to zombie situations. Zombies are just a convenient manifestation for the collapse of the current social order bringing us back to a state of anarchy and survival based on one's own skills, fitness, intelligence, etc.

Perhaps it's a reaction to the ennui of modern day city life which, for the most of us, is totally divorced from the actually mechanics of raising animals, crop tending, food/water gathering, finding shelter and ekeing out a non mass-produced living.

For me, this is well-highlighted in 28 Days later. Although this is categorized as a zombie flick, they are not "Undead" zombies. These are people infected with a virus and who die, just like you and I can die. There is no coming back after a head-shot here. This film is about surviving a pandemic and the ensuing lawlessness. This scenario, given the current bird flu alerts and the progress of GMOs, is all too easy to envisage. That 7 foot wall, metal grilled windows and shotgun will deter any would-be ransacker of your stockpile of provisions just as much as it will keep a deadhead at bay.

Fawksy: In the case of Romero's zombies, they are often a reflection of humanity, which instantly makes them interesting in a similar way that reality television does.

Another thing I've noticed is that because these are not (usually) the kind of creatures you see in slasher flicks (the kind that jump out and give you a heart-racing scare) they are scarier. To me it is the fact that they not only can be recognizable friends and family back from the dead (which plays with our fears of death), but also their relentless approaching that makes these scary creatures. Like the Chinese Water Torture (I don't know if it has a different name), the insessent scratching, banging and moaning of zombies outside your safe area could drive us all mad.

The final fascinating bit is the fact that we know little about zombies. Some films have offered explanations, but we rarely really know how "Zombieism" is put into effect, and other than what we're told in movies, we don't always know how to destroy them. Suppose a zombie apocalypse happened, and destroying their brain DIDN'T work...then what would we do?

But, like most horror, it offers us a chance to think about what we would do in the situation presented, or what we would do differently.

Kyusuke: Let's face it. As Sigmund Freud put it, our mind is divided into three portions. The id, the ego, and the superego. Since the first roots of writing took place, one topic that teased the human mind is the idea of death and motifs that pertain to death. Freud believed, however, that the center of the mind demands that we fulfill the need for sexual gratification. Though I believe that is a major part of our humanity, it can only be half of what we desire. The other half would be the idea of death, and all things associated with it.

Cultures all about the world have their fair share of scary stories. What better way to feed our curiosity and calm the
raging beast within? From tales of horrific demons eating humans to the army of the living dead, the macabre rears its head in many flavors. These tales serve as a perfect foundation for more specific and precise creations. As many may know, the zombie was first recognized in Haiti. Through the use of toxins found in the fugu, human beings could enter a zombie-like state, mostly caused by the subduing of the brain through the fugu's toxin. Even when broken down scientifically, this practice quickly gave birth to what we know and love as the modern zombie. Whether fast or slow, both have an incredible lust for flesh and can pursue it for eternity.

With this image clear in our mind, we all have different reasons why our love for zombies is so strong. For me, personally, I first fell in love with zombies after watching Night of the Living Dead. It quickly spread from the Romero Trilogies to all aspects where I could learn more about our rotting idol. From Resident Evil to the wonderful works of Max Brook, I continued to sate my hunger for all things zombie. In the end, the sole reason for my attraction is very complex. Zombies are a defiance of everything we have come to know and shape into a tedious routine. Humans fear change; it makes their behavior erratic and unpredictable. If a zombie were added to a metropolis, it would be no wonder that it would escalate into a Class 4 Outbreak within a span of three to four days. As part of our coping mechanism for the unknown, we attempt to apply reasoning and abilities that would work in normal cases. Since a zombie is an abnormal case, these methods would prove to be very, very fatal. It should also be noted that Freud stated that the ego suppresses the carnal desires of our id. But the id is actually quite useful. The ego is fragile and quite prone to being shattered. As reinforcement, the superego provides protection against that shattering and employs the use of denial and ignorance to keep our sanity perfectly intact. Therefore, we can assume that the id is the only part of the mind that can truly adapt to variables within our normal lives and see the crisis for what it really is. However, as much as the id struggles and attempts to alert us of an alteration in the tedium of our lives, the superego completely subdues this impulse. The id is not one to be silenced so easily, however. I believe that "struggling" of the id causes us to have that "sixth sense" that we witness so frequently not only acted out in movies but experienced firsthand. The id cannot gain full control of the body, therefore it can only send messages telling the ego that something is seriously out of hand. Though this is all really a hypothesis on my part, I believe this disturbance of the balance in our mind is what causes us to be so fascinated with topics such as reanimation.

EvilRedGrin: I think the reason why most are obsessed by zombies is because we do not fit in the world. We are the outcasts, The kids that sit in the back of class. The Mere thought of having a job, paying bills, watching t.v. makes us gag at times. In this Post Apocalyptic Scenario. You write your own rules. You dictate your life. Some people just thrive in chaos.

Cylon1994
I believe it is the socialism of this place. The ability to create something related to zombies and then show our buddies. Anyone can do it and this is a high-praise community filled with good people. The zombies are more of a sub-text that brings us together. I love to talk about zombies and I'm fascinated with them and how people talk about them. I think it is fun to think about something with so much media but so little actual talk about the theme. I mean you don't see people on the street talking about zombies but you see movies and videos and links and forums for them. I wonder how cool it would be if there was a Z-Convention. Maybe it's because it's one of the few things us Humans could survive against in this world. We are so fragile and breakable and against Zombies it appears we ahve a chance so why not take it. Zombies may never come but at least we feel ready against the one thing we have a chance on.

Irishflyboy254: For me, its just the simple fact that they are undead, yet somehow come back to life. Since everything has to end in the natural order of things, where do zombies come in? Do they die naturally? Are they still somehow human? What about humanity? Would it band together and stand? Or would we fall to our base instincts? Who would be right and wrong?



Finnbar:

I am fascinated by the idea of hordes of mindless zombies because I want to test my physical and mental power in more than just talking and reading, I want to be there rather than talk about it. And I want to prove myself to a certain some one that I will not say.

emergencyman

it gives us a reason to survive
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Thrawn5:
I am fascinated by zombie because it is another situation that I should be prepared for, If there is something threatening mankind I want to be able to help with the extermination of that threat.


Mehillus: some find order in chaos, some have the knowledge and will to survive, but do i?
possibly. it is the fact that i could live in a world where i write my own rules, survive on the land that i free from the skin jobs, and help a fellow member of the human race that attracts me to the prospect of humanity's social order being flipped upside down, where money meant nothing, and every one was equal. every one, from the farmer, who grows the crops for the settlement, to the grunt, who protects everyone, and the mother, who brings hope to her children that a better world will be theirs for the taking, that they would have to work for it, but the price they paid in blood would compensate for the change in social order

Kuthiani: I think the reasoning behind the obsession/fascination is similar to playing the protagonist in a video game. If you ever stop and ask yourself, "Why do I enjoy controlling this fictional character in this virtual world?" You might come to the conclusion that you like the idea of being a hero. I know that sounds really corny, but think about it. I'm sure a lot of us have played games/watched movies/read books and felt a similar sense of "heroism". Its human nature to want to make something of ourselves and go beyond the norm. Its the reason we all speculate on the topic and tell about our survival plans and such. You might have found yourself saying, "I would kind of like an apocalyptic situation like that to happen." Theres a sense of accomplishment for our preparedness, and a sense of accomplishment to come when the time is at hand. So as cheesy as it sounds, I think everyone (maybe even subconsciously) wants to feel like a hero.

jordan9014
my personal belief of why were so fascinated by zombies is that the total ideaology behind them is plausible. wheather you look at it from theological or scientific stand point. in most religons there is some type of apcolypse and scientifically we can probley reanimate corpses. also i belive as some have stated that some of us want to be a hero and whens a better time to be one than in a time of chaos. also the thought of having every day life totally up rooted and the thought of surviving useing only your basic instincts and intuition and stuff you had to get yourself appels to some of us that are bored by every day life and want something more. i pesonally belive that most the people on here are very alike, it seems as if we all want a zombie apcolyse to challenge ourselves to be the best we can, to escape the normal routine of every day life, to be right.


TWOTONMAXX:
Some of my fascination comes from the idea that when everything you know and relate to is threatened, you have to cut the chaff away and decide with finality what it is that you are living for and focus on strengthening and protecting that element. For me, it's the cliche of family. Being able to walk away from the rest of the world's troubles and social expectations and to be rewarded for taking care of what you love is a great opportunity. The loss of the modern comforts is the challenge that comes with this opportunity, and witnessing the death and suffering all around you crystallizes the importance of your purpose.
Also, although I realize that there will be raiders and horrible untrustworthy people, I believe that in order to have the drive to keep fighting, the other survivors would all have found some purpose worth fighting for as well. I'm not saying I have faith in the goodness of people, but I am saying that in the face of such a struggle and so much pain, the idea of killing people just to steal their food seems like it would give the raiders little to no motivation to keep fighting as time marches on. Eventually, I think that those who survive will be the best that humanity has to offer, physically, mentally, and spiritually.

addendum:
I have thought further on this topic and come up with an additional consideration:

Zombies are a metaphoric reversal of medicine.
While medicine has shifted from once being the defense against death to now being the local tough telling us that death is out there, and that they can keep it away for a price.
Now we are fascinated by the idea of a medical condition that lets death in, then forces us to become a part of its spread through one of our most primal fears: creatures biting us.




Nosfera2
my fascination stems from the thought that it is almost gaurenteed to happen eventually and if my family and freinds refuse to beleive in and prepare for it than i have to i base myself on my ability to survive i might not the most fit but i am the most armed and and the most zombie aware person in my family and i pride myself on it cuz i know im gunna live when z-day happens and so are my freinds and family im still trying to develop a fail safe plan that is very complicated because i move alot and my family lives all over the place but i will continue to learn and sculpt myself into a zombie hunter and survivor


Neenight: My fascination with zombies comes from the combination of my fascination of science fiction, my fascination with firearms and other weapons, and my fascination with survival. zombies combine all of these things. Plus I really don't like the idea of killing people, but zombies are already dead (in my favorite zombie definition, the Max Brooks zombie).

13th.Casualty:
Me? It's just the thrill of being able to test myself, to mow down all those who defy me and feel like a god, to feel special. It's like that sink or swim moment that everyone has sometime in their lives. Am I really special or will I just become another faceless creature (literally) among the seas of faceles creatures? I want to feel as if I am the saviour of the world, pretty much. You know how movies go? Where you have the action scenes with the dramatic background music? I want to do whatever it is I want without the consequences that normal society does. Hell, what is even "normal" society? Plus, as Monkeyfacedzombie puts it, "it would be more interesting that the mind-crushing boredome of everyday existance." Is it neccessary for there to be a zombie apocalypse for these things to happen? No. Do I want them to happen anyway? Yes. Now hand me shell. *Pumps shotgun and brandishes crowbar.* So, where was I?

El Spazo Diablo:
With all the really deep thought that you guys put into your responses, your making me feel like a fucking idiot because my fascination with zombies is really simple. I always thought it would be really fun to have a zombie apocalypse happen. I know that eventually it would be a really bad thing but just the concept of it sounds cool. On a lesser note, it always seemed to me like the only monster that seemed logical.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Lucifer'sHammer

I believe that zombies and the undead, as most monsters do, represent fears that all humans that have ever lived have had. I going a little off track here but just stick with me. I read an article that took monsters and analyzed the fears that were behind them. Take IT for example. No, it doesn't deal with the fear of clowns. It deals with the fear of pedophilia. Pre-teens running around trying to avoid some guy that, except for the teeth, looks really nice. No adults believe them. They get tortured for the rest of their lives by it. So then, lets look at zombies and how the things they do really make us scared, or fascinates us.

1. Their freaking dead. They have no heart beat. They rot. But they move and want to eat you. It's completely against what should happen in nature. This reaches deeper into the human psyche because we have been raised since birth to know that when something is dead it doesn't move and certainly doesn't try to eat people. Its not normal and its never been documented. So if it did happen, it would be a shock to what every human excepts as normal.

2. Fear of loved ones. This might be disagreed with, but has anyone ever considered what it would be like to be murdered or hurt by someone you love? Not emotionally but physically? That would be some scary shit right? Since a zombie doesn't remember their loved ones and only wants to devour them, it takes it to a whole new level. Not only that but, this also includes having to hurt your loved ones. If your father or mother turned and you had to kill them, would you hesitate at all? Most would say that they aren't afraid to take down an infected loved one, and it should be done, but imagine yourself standing in your living room, a gun pointed at your zombiefied wife or girlfriend or mom or pop and you had to pull the trigger. All your memories of their living self would flash though your mind as you shot them. Would you regret it?

3. Cannibals. The zombies eat human flesh, even if they aren't technically human any more, they once were. Imagine that you were ripping open the abdomen of a fellow human being, pulling that persons intestines out and eating them right in front of the screaming victim. Makes you feel a little bad right? "That's not a good idea" you might think. Humans are hard wired to not eat other people. Kill them yes, but then we bury them. Only under extreme circumstances ( the Donner party is one famous example ) or extreme cultures ( a few native American cultures, Aztecs ) will a person consider eating the flesh of another human being. Oh... forgot to mention those crazy fucks like Jeffery Dahmur and others.

4. Revolutions. Every once in awhile, a society will under go a massive and usually violent change in the way it works. America has been around for almost three hundred years and its starting to get a little boring around here. I believe that a zombie invasion would be the greatest of Revolutions. After all, the American and French Revolutions didn't have any zombies and look how crazy things got!!!!!

5. Thier numbers. Anyone ever seen the Alfred Hichcock classic "Birds"? Of course you have!!!! One bird attacking you isn't very scary and pretty easy to take care of. A whole flock... thats another story. One zombie isn't really that scary... but five or ten are, let alone a hundred or a thousand. Its thier numbers that probably scare me the most. Even if you have a gun, it can't kill a hundred zombies charging or shambling towards you.

DeathHead02 : Zombies are just the only monster in movies that scare me (other than ghosts), I mean sure some movies and games make me jump but..... zombies are just so more terrifying for some reason. Just how they dont come freaking out and running at mach speed.... its slow... and the tension builds and when they get up to you they number in hundreds and thousands and youre devoured slowly if youre caught by them. I just like them, theyre my favourite creature... plus killing zombies is fun.
And what is the usual situation the world is in with zombies? The world ends and things like that are always interesting and scary no matter the cause. There is just nothing like them.

unholyjester: it triggers another side of the ones personality that isnt used everyday. when thinking about zombies with the whole "what if?" is interesting.

OnyxD: For me its a matter of the what-if, and i'm a little paranoid... i'd like to think that i would try to be ready for any situation that affects the world around me... from Anarchy to Foriegn Invasion to Zombie-Pocalypse... because i want to be able to protect the people i care about no matter what. a drive to survive so to speak, and being a firm believer in the saying that "knowledge is power" i find myself planning for them all...