Zombie Apocalypse: Could We Save Ourselves?

We’ve all heard about the trending TV show ‘The Walking Dead,’ and how some unidentified plague or virus caused the collapse of modern society as we know it. The series is an example of how we humans survive the world is something we do on a daily basis, only are learning how to do so in a small group being hunted by ravenous zombies lurking around the corner.

The show became instantly popular because anyone watching is instantly going to think, “what would I do I this situation?’ It is so easily believable and realistic because the idea that a plague wiping out part of the human race as happened before and what’s to say it couldn’t happen again.

I went online and typed in some key words and phrases having to do with zombie apocalypse and stumbled upon an article CNN wrote about their interview with the executive producer, Glen Mazzara, of ‘The Walking Dead,’ and it was interesting to read what he says about issues he would see playing out in his second season. He talks about the “post-apocalyptic zombie wasteland,” and I felt it related to our class when we watched the TED episode over how gaming could save us.

Mazzara says the characters “step back from the horror and realize everything. How things have changed, they question if there is any hope, is it even real, is it the real world, where they are just in the doorway between life and death.” And in the TED episode, Jane McGonigal talks about how playing games about survival and starting civilizations such as WOW will be what saves us from the world ending. Suggesting that taking these skills these players learn in the game world can be translated into real life situations.

There have been games created dealing with the Zombie Apocalypse and how to survive it, TV shows, even movies such as Zombieland, giving survival tips. Many people, such as my roommate believe something like a virus outbreak, where people become diseased and possessed, could actually happen; and she says she has a plan.

If someone had told me just a week ago that playing video games or watching things like these TV shows/movies could actually help you survive a potential ‘world ending’ situation, I would not have believed them. But after watching McGonigal and reading how Mazzara talks so realistically about the emotions these characters feel in the “post-apocalyptic zombie wasteland,” it’s way more believable.