Zombies and Conformity
By Nick “Novel” Gabanski
We are a fickle people in a fickle society. For the better part of my life, conformity seems to be the name of the game (which I’ve rarely participated in) and yet, pop-culture manages to pump out movies, books, and shows that emphasize the non-conformist. The individual who goes against the crowd, is usually the underdog, and is all-around likeable.
But what could I possibly mean by this? Don’t believe me? Then tell me why zombie apocalypse stories are so popular. The entire concept of zombies is about nonconformity. Still confused? Horde of undead, flesh-eating zombies vs. a handful of survivors who have maintained their individuality and humanity. These few ragged people have only one objective in these zombie stories: do everything in their power to not become infected and turn into a zombie. Or get eaten alive. Either/or.
So really, with zombie apocalypse stories, the horde of the undead are really the mass population and all that they conform to. The survivors are the nonconformists who go against the crowd. This also seems to imply that the individuals have to endure great suffering and even pain to keep their individuality, which if you think about it, is quite accurate to how society works. I was once asked what I thought of “Star Wars VII: The Force Awakens”. My honest answer was, “I thought it was boring and it killed my interest in the franchise.” (If you, the reader, just gasped and disagreed with my statement, how does it feel to be part of the crowd?) See what I mean? The people who asked the question stared at me as if I’d just turned into the Antichrist or something. The masses can be rather merciless when a nonconformist is discovered. Typically, that person is ousted if they remain adamant in being true to themselves instead of bending to the will of the crowd. Let’s be honest here, going with the crowd isn’t always the smart or right thing to do.
Maybe it has something to do with this strange thing called “thinking”. I can’t be certain, but from what I’ve experienced, most people do seem to act like zombies and do only what everyone else does. So, in lieu of that note, I’ll keep on surviving in this zombie apocalypse called American Society, and I’ll continue to do so unto my last defiant breath.
Edited by Blair Hill
By Nick “Novel” Gabanski
We are a fickle people in a fickle society. For the better part of my life, conformity seems to be the name of the game (which I’ve rarely participated in) and yet, pop-culture manages to pump out movies, books, and shows that emphasize the non-conformist. The individual who goes against the crowd, is usually the underdog, and is all-around likeable.
But what could I possibly mean by this? Don’t believe me? Then tell me why zombie apocalypse stories are so popular. The entire concept of zombies is about nonconformity. Still confused? Horde of undead, flesh-eating zombies vs. a handful of survivors who have maintained their individuality and humanity. These few ragged people have only one objective in these zombie stories: do everything in their power to not become infected and turn into a zombie. Or get eaten alive. Either/or.
So really, with zombie apocalypse stories, the horde of the undead are really the mass population and all that they conform to. The survivors are the nonconformists who go against the crowd. This also seems to imply that the individuals have to endure great suffering and even pain to keep their individuality, which if you think about it, is quite accurate to how society works. I was once asked what I thought of “Star Wars VII: The Force Awakens”. My honest answer was, “I thought it was boring and it killed my interest in the franchise.” (If you, the reader, just gasped and disagreed with my statement, how does it feel to be part of the crowd?) See what I mean? The people who asked the question stared at me as if I’d just turned into the Antichrist or something. The masses can be rather merciless when a nonconformist is discovered. Typically, that person is ousted if they remain adamant in being true to themselves instead of bending to the will of the crowd. Let’s be honest here, going with the crowd isn’t always the smart or right thing to do.
Maybe it has something to do with this strange thing called “thinking”. I can’t be certain, but from what I’ve experienced, most people do seem to act like zombies and do only what everyone else does. So, in lieu of that note, I’ll keep on surviving in this zombie apocalypse called American Society, and I’ll continue to do so unto my last defiant breath.
Edited by Blair Hill
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