# Passive Zombies **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 10, 2020, 11:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/passive-zombies/847727 "2020-02-10T11:03:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![bucketybuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/898d66/32.png) [@bucketybuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bucketybuck)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2020, 11:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/passive-zombies/847727/1 "2020-02-10T11:03:53Z")
I’m just looking some opinions on something that randomly popped into my head the other day. What would happen if the dead starting rising from the grave but it turned out that instead of craving brains, that they are just these passive zombies that don’t chase anybody, don’t hurt anybody, don’t do anything but wander around aimlessly. What would societies reaction be? Study them? Round them all up and burn them? Return each individual zombie to their families? Find some way to make use of them? ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2020, 11:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/passive-zombies/847727/2 "2020-02-10T11:19:53Z")
Study them to figure out what the hell is happening, them round them up and burn them. Nobody wants to see their dead loved ones walking around. I mean, nobody wants to see _anyone’s_ dead loved ones walking around, but especially not their own. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2020, 12:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/passive-zombies/847727/3 "2020-02-10T12:15:22Z")
Hook them up to giant hamster wheels for power? I mean, if they’re openly, supernaturally, defying the laws of nature, might as well use it. ---
**Author:** ![orcenio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/orcenio/32/1036_2.png) [@orcenio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/orcenio)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2020, 12:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/passive-zombies/847727/4 "2020-02-10T12:28:00Z")
No science. We should shoot and burn them [on principle](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W34iv8jkcGE) alone. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2020, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/passive-zombies/847727/5 "2020-02-10T12:49:59Z")
Yeah, kill them with fire. I wouldn’t want to get too passive with these things only to have some evil bastard pull an order 66 on their ass’. Although a pet zombie would be kind of cool. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2020, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/passive-zombies/847727/6 "2020-02-10T12:53:20Z")
Sure, they’re passive now but what about later? Can you really trust a zombie? ---
**Author:** ![Jasmine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jasmine/32/2964_2.png) [@Jasmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasmine)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2020, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/passive-zombies/847727/7 "2020-02-10T13:15:44Z")
Cremation would almost certainly become a national mandate within a very short time. However, before incinerating risen zombies out of hand, there would have to be a discussion and decision as to whether or not they are a new race of living creatures with the same right to live as, say, dogs or cats or deer or whatever. ---
**Author:** ![Oredigger77](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/oredigger77/32/3181_2.png) [@Oredigger77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oredigger77)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2020, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/passive-zombies/847727/8 "2020-02-10T13:43:51Z")
Slavery. They cannot be trusted to roam free so its best to confine them, guard them and if possible use them for the betterment of society. In the future people can decide to be buried whole and join the zombie underclass or be creamated. ---
**Author:** ![Jasmine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jasmine/32/2964_2.png) [@Jasmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasmine)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2020, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/passive-zombies/847727/9 "2020-02-10T13:47:34Z")
> [@Oredigger77](#): > > Slavery. They cannot be trusted to roam free so its best to confine them, guard them and if possible use them for the betterment of society. In the future people can decide to be buried whole and join the zombie underclass or be creamated. If, as the OP has mandated, all they can do is “roam aimlessly” about, could you actually make slaves out of them since the whole purpose of slavery is to have a group of subjugated people perform specific and organized tasks? Seems to me it would be like trying to herd cats. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2020, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/passive-zombies/847727/10 "2020-02-10T14:54:25Z")
I already have to drive with care to avoid hitting deer. Imaging if the occasional zombie wandered in front of your care? ---
**Author:** ![Oredigger77](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/oredigger77/32/3181_2.png) [@Oredigger77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oredigger77)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2020, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/passive-zombies/847727/11 "2020-02-10T16:00:06Z")
> [@Jasmine](#): > > If, as the OP has mandated, all they can do is “roam aimlessly” about, could you actually make slaves out of them since the whole purpose of slavery is to have a group of subjugated people perform specific and organized tasks? Seems to me it would be like trying to herd cats. Sure, the first thing that comes to mind is corral them with a single exit, the exit leads to a trough like an overshot water wheel. Zombie wanders aimlessly down the only available path then falls on the wheel driving it. Once at the bottom the zombies are given a single path back up to the top to repeat the process. As long as you have enough zombies their random wanderings will keep generating power. You could tie the zombies to large objects you want moved and give them a limited path in the direction you want it moved it. Say pulling a stump out. Drive in with truck of zombies set up the course for 1000 zombies to amble 100 yards back to truck. Attach harnesses to stump and then attach zombies. Some will stand there and other will move randomly left and right but with a limited path the majority action will be down the course you just need to figure out what the average pulling power of a zombie, is maybe 20 pounds. So 1000 zombies at 50% efficiency gives you 5 tons of pull on an object at no cost. Sure its not faster that a backhoe but there is no fuel cost to operate. ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2020, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/passive-zombies/847727/12 "2020-02-10T16:06:03Z")
Short term? Huge selfie competition. Zombie spotting. ---
**Author:** ![Kovitlac](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/2bfe46/32.png) [@Kovitlac](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kovitlac)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2020, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/passive-zombies/847727/13 "2020-02-10T16:10:33Z")
There’s a sci-fi short story where they are used for menial jobs like waitstaff and delivery men. Can’t remember what that specific story is called, but it’s part of a huge collection of best sci-fi short stories from the last 50 years, many of which I had to read for a sci-fi film and lit class. I loved that class… ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2020, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/passive-zombies/847727/14 "2020-02-10T16:27:52Z")
Mel’s Gun Range, now with moving life-like targets. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2020, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/passive-zombies/847727/15 "2020-02-10T17:14:58Z")
> [@bucketybuck](#): > > What would happen if the dead starting rising from the grave but it turned out that instead of craving brains, that they are just these passive zombies that don’t chase anybody, don’t hurt anybody, don’t do anything but wander around aimlessly. Sounds exactly like a trip to my local super-market. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2020, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/passive-zombies/847727/16 "2020-02-10T17:55:39Z")
Seriously they’re not getting out of a coffin buried in a deep hole. Ain’t there a quarry around here somewhere? (:)) ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2020, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/passive-zombies/847727/17 "2020-02-10T18:38:14Z")
> [@Kovitlac](#): > > There’s a sci-fi short story where they are used for menial jobs like waitstaff and delivery men. Can’t remember what that specific story is called, but it’s part of a huge collection of best sci-fi short stories from the last 50 years, many of which I had to read for a sci-fi film and lit class. > > I loved that class… The old E-Man comic had one issue where the zombies were given jobs at the post office. No one noticed the change. ---
**Author:** ![allyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ec9cab/32.png) [@allyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/allyn)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2020, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/passive-zombies/847727/18 "2020-02-10T19:59:37Z")
Never saw this BBC series but it expands on the zombies-in-society premise: > **[In the Flesh (TV series)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In_the_Flesh_(TV_series))** > > In the Flesh is a BBC Three supernatural drama series starring Luke Newberry. Written and created by Dominic Mitchell, the show began airing on BBC Three on 17 March 2013 with the first series consisting of three one-hour-long episodes. Set after "The Rising", which is the show's take on a zombie apocalypse, the drama focuses throughout on reanimated teenager Kieren Walker and his return to his local community. > An extended second series of the show, consisting of six one-hour-long episodes, be... ---
**Author:** ![Jasmine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jasmine/32/2964_2.png) [@Jasmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasmine)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2020, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/passive-zombies/847727/19 "2020-02-10T20:07:53Z")
I think we’re all overlooking the fact that zombies, mindless and aimlessly wandering though they may be, will require energy for movement, which means that they are going to have to eat … SOMETHING. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2020, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/passive-zombies/847727/20 "2020-02-10T23:10:22Z")
I cannot deal with germs as it is. Zombies milling around produce or the underwear aisle at Wal-mart disturbs me. REALLY disturbs me. Wal-Mart gives me the creeps, anyway. Nope. Nope. Nope. ETA: automatic doors, you know they’re coming in. Just sayin’ [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/passive-zombies/847727.md?page=2)