Zombie Apocalypse Reality?

[SpyderEdgeForever]

I was reading some interesting things about this...there were some professional scientists and medical people claiming that, aside from any known supernatural causes, a "zombie outbreak" in theory could happen. The victims would not be true "living dead", they would be people who had been infected by some mutated virus or engineered thing that would be like "super rabies": They would be in an animalistic state and would violently attack and murder any person who came in contact with them.

So, starting from there, I know this topic has been discussed elsewhere, I would like your feedback everyone. What would happen to human life and society? Would the existing armed forces be able to clamp it down quickly before it got out of control or not?

[TheRaven]

I'll throw in my 2 cents.

It's the nature of civilizations to rise and fall. A zombie apocalypse is up there with giant meteors crashing into the earth and exploding supervolcanos. Our civilization might not survive the aforesaid scenario. People might survive on some level though.

[Evil D]

I think 28 Day Later nailed it. That movie is so frighteningly realistic people just don't see it. It won't be a "walking dead" type of virus, it'll be something closer to rabies that turns people into murderous lunatics. I also think that if it ever really happened, the government would essentially nuke an entire city to contain it, which as horrible as it sounds, would probably be the only realistic way to stop it. Then we would all just hope and pray that it isn't the air born type of virus and/or that whatever started the spread died in the nuke.

[Pinetreebbs]

It's already upon us!

[eric m.]

Doesn't that picture say it all with the next generation coming up! The blind following the blind! There are numerous scenarios where you can have masses of roving bands of hungry, starving people all over the country concerned only about finding food anywhere, and by any means!(loss of the nation's power grid) :)

[Pinetreebbs]

Doesn't that picture say it all with the next generation coming up! The blind following the blind! There are numerous scenarios where you can have masses of roving bands of hungry, starving people all over the country concerned only about finding food anywhere, and by any means!(loss of the nation's power grid) :)

They will be looking for a cell signal too. :eek:

It is more universal to the younger generations, however all ages groups can be represented and are doing their best to catch up. :o

[Clip]

I think 28 Day Later nailed it. That movie is so frighteningly realistic people just don't see it. It won't be a "walking dead" type of virus, it'll be something closer to rabies that turns people into murderous lunatics. I also think that if it ever really happened, the government would essentially nuke an entire city to contain it, which as horrible as it sounds, would probably be the only realistic way to stop it. Then we would all just hope and pray that it isn't the air born type of virus and/or that whatever started the spread died in the nuke.

Nukes are too dirty, possibly conventionals or thermobarics though!

[Mike Blue]

Folks, you've had a very recent example: Hurricane Katrina.

The thin veneer of civilization lasted all of what...thirty minutes? Panic is an infectious disease and it will run through the herd (I don't need to look far for evidence of that in the human condition) like a wildfire.

Two factors seem to counteract that: food and water. Best example the response to Hurricane Sandy. People survived in deplorable or questionable circumstances but they had access to food and clean water and pretty much remained civilized.

[Evil D]

Folks, you've had a very recent example: Hurricane Katrina.

The thin veneer of civilization lasted all of what...thirty minutes? Panic is an infectious disease and it will run through the herd (I don't need to look far for evidence of that in the human condition) like a wildfire.

Two factors seem to counteract that: food and water. Best example the response to Hurricane Sandy. People survived in deplorable or questionable circumstances but they had access to food and clean water and pretty much remained civilized.

Those are likely the closest examples we can relate a true zombie outbreak to, but there is still one major difference...the idea that there is a constant, never ending, never relenting threat of death around every corner. When a natural disaster happens, it usually ends, and then people may struggle to survive due to the conditions, and supplies may be scarce, and living conditions rough, but when you add all that to having thousands of killers roaming around everywhere who never tire and never give up, I think the chances of remaining civilized would end quickly. Probably on a large scale I think most people would try to be civil, but there are a large amount of people out there who would take it to the extreme. If you think back to the LA riots back in the '90s, imagine a scene like that but with killer zombies mixed in.

[opusxpn]

We are our worst enemy! I believe it will happen with falling governments, the destruction of nature and the addiction people have to access anything any time they want. I don't think it will take a virus to end humanity. In the present we are seeing all this awful murders and destruction, there is no more sensitivity, compassion or feelings towards others, society is becoming numb to what really matters. And less and less people do the right thing when they get a chance, the mentality of selfishness and "its none of my business" grows faster everyday decaying whatever humanity is left inside society. Am I afraid of it? NO, I live by faith and whatever happens, its going to happen. But I do share my voice and do the right thing as many times as possible, respect others and love everyone around me. Is Zombie Apocalypse Reality? Yes, we are becoming slaves to our own destruction.

[Blerv]

I don't think the science makes sense, or is likely, but stranger things have happened.

More likely we will experience zombie-like behavior as Pine alluded to. Things like mob mentality, criminals, vandalizing nomads looking for resources if they become scarce, etc.

Basicially, civilization works as long as everyone follows the same rules. Once they decide these rules don't apply and can interject their own justified sense of survival it all goes out the window. Part of the reason predators are so difficult to fend off, they already decided to forgo the law and have the element of surprise. Plus, they have more experience at attacking than the prey does at defending.

Whether you are waiting for the dead or the living, if the guardian of your household I think it's responsible to have something of a plan. At the least you should consider what you would do and not do in an awful situation. If that action is on the lower side of aggression I would make dang sure your doors are locked and you don't submit yourself to that situation very often. Even so far as avoiding places where mob mentalities or non-citizen behavior can occur like downtown in strange places at night.

Eventually if careless, we all may be out in a situation that can't be talked-out of. :o

[Evil D]

Just to be fair, when this all goes down, I don't want any hard feelings from you guys, cause I'll be out on the highways in my Mustang, murdering and pillaging, raping your women and stealing your gas so I can continue to kill people and steal their gas, and so on and so forth. I plan on adopting a blue heeler because they're smart dogs, and dressing in all leather because it's durable. Feel free to hit me up if you see me out and about, as long as you don't have any gas/food/water/bullets, cause then I'll have to kill ya and take them

[defenestrate]

Prion diseases like CJD/Kuru could create some zombie-like symptoms, are transmitted by eating raw brains of one's own species, and if they were somehow cariied by a bloodborne pathogen, would look and act like a zombie virus.

Also, if civilization breaks down and meth/crack addicts/cooks can't get supplies, they could resemble zombies.

[Jeremy_A_Neel]

Prion diseases like CJD/Kuru could create some zombie-like symptoms, are transmitted by eating raw brains of one's own species, and if they were somehow cariied by a bloodborne pathogen, would look and act like a zombie virus.

Also, if civilization breaks down and meth/crack addicts/cooks can't get supplies, they could resemble zombies.

Man, Prions are scary though! They can't be eliminated from the body, and destruction via chemical and physical means is almost impossible. They just slowly accumulate in the brain as they're consumed from whatever animal had them last..

[Monocrom]

Zombies, stoners, teens addicted to their cellphones.... All stupid and very slow-moving. Hence, easy to deal with.

[Officer Gigglez]

I think quite a bit more people would live than the Zombie Fiction lets on. There would be a fairly large amount of casualties, sure. But not nearly as many as the Zombie flick would have you believe. If not by the military and LE, then by armed civilians.

[Evil D]

I think quite a bit more people would live than the Zombie Fiction lets on. There would be a fairly large amount of casualties, sure. But not nearly as many as the Zombie flick would have you believe. If not by the military and LE, then by armed civilians.

I think it really depends on how the virus is spread. If it's only person to person from a bite then I don't think it would spread as fast, but if it were airborne we are all screwed. I know of at least one zombie series where the infected bodies of zombies were cremated and the virus was transferred through the chimney and into the air which turned to rain and got pretty much everyone, including the recently buried dead...hence the classic zombie climbing out of a grave scene. It seems most zombie plots these days have gone away from the zombies out of graves thing and more into a virus that brings the recently dead back to life when bitten. Then again, on The Walking Dead even the living have the virus and only turn when they die or are bitten, but they haven't revealed where the virus came from yet.

[Pinetreebbs]

Given the growing frequency with which zombies appear in movies, TV shows, and your worst nightmares, it’s inevitable the zombie apocalypse will soon be upon us. When it comes to surviving this inevitable showdown with the undead, location is everything. Do you live in a state populated with zealous zombie fighters capable of beating back hordes of brain-hungry walking dead? Estately answered this question with its Zombie Apocalypse Preparedness Rankings, which were determined using the 11 metrics below that measure fighting ability, knowledge of zombies, physical fitness, and access to weapons…

More: http://blog.estately.com/2014/03/u-s-st ... pocalypse/

[eric m.]

Hey PineTreebbs, You obviously don't know Pa! We in Pa., being between the hammer and the anvil(Maryland and New York) so to speak, are armed to the teeth! :D

[Pinetreebbs]

I hear you, I just pasted it from the source. I also question their conclusions for South Carolina. :)