# "Zombie Apocalypse" -- People take it seriously? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 8, 2013, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zombie-apocalypse-people-take-it-seriously/655122 "2013-04-08T01:22:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![gytalf2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ac91a4/32.png) [@gytalf2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gytalf2000)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2013, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zombie-apocalypse-people-take-it-seriously/655122/1 "2013-04-08T01:22:55Z")
I was channel-surfing a while back, and the show “Zombie Apocalypse” was on. (The Discovery Channel, I think.) I didn’t grab my attention like I thought it would, and so I continued surfing (and doing some other stuff). It appeared from the snippets that I saw that some people were actively “prepping” for the event. Some guy said something to the effect that it is bound to happen sooner or later. (?) Now, I wasn’t devoting my full attention to the show, so that statement might have been said in jest. I know that there is a segment of the population that spend an inordinate time thinking about the zombie apocalypse, but I always thought that they were doing it in a “fun and games” kind of way. So, has anyone seen the show? Are there people who actually think that the zombie apocalypse is a possible / likely future event? I am fully prepared to have my mind blown with your answers… ---
**Author:** ![Battle\_Pope](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4bbf92/32.png) [@Battle\_Pope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Battle_Pope)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2013, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zombie-apocalypse-people-take-it-seriously/655122/2 "2013-04-08T01:52:21Z")
I’m sure there is somewhere. Last night my wife was watching a show about conspiracy theories. This one was about UFO’s (this [show](http://www.abc.net.au/tv/guide/abc2/201304/programs/ZX8834A002D2013-04-03T203140.htm) in fact) and one guy was so convinced there will soon be an alien invasion that he is stockpiling weapons (knives, machetes), preparing food and shelter, escape plans etc. Kins of like a well armed Roy Neary. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2013, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zombie-apocalypse-people-take-it-seriously/655122/3 "2013-04-08T02:00:33Z")
Some people prepare for a zombie apocalypse but they realize it’s not going to ever happen. It’s just a useful generic disaster that can be used to make emergency plans around. If you have plans and supplies in place for a zombie apocalypse, you’re also going to be ready for a hurricane or earthquake or soccer riot. ---
**Author:** ![sitchensis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sitchensis/32/4892_2.png) [@sitchensis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sitchensis)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2013, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zombie-apocalypse-people-take-it-seriously/655122/4 "2013-04-08T02:01:15Z")
I always thought it was used as shorthand for any type of unknown future craziness. ---
**Author:** ![gytalf2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ac91a4/32.png) [@gytalf2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gytalf2000)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2013, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zombie-apocalypse-people-take-it-seriously/655122/5 "2013-04-08T02:03:28Z")
> [@Battle\_Pope](#): > > I’m sure there is somewhere. > > Last night my wife was watching a show about conspiracy theories. This one was about UFO’s (this [show](http://www.abc.net.au/tv/guide/abc2/201304/programs/ZX8834A002D2013-04-03T203140.htm) in fact) and one guy was so convinced there will soon be an alien invasion that he is stockpiling weapons (knives, machetes), preparing food and shelter, escape plans etc. > > Kins of like a well armed Roy Neary. Interesting! There is a show about “Doomsday Preppers”. I have never watched an entire episode, though. ---
**Author:** ![LC\_Strawhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e19adc/32.png) [@LC\_Strawhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LC_Strawhouse)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2013, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zombie-apocalypse-people-take-it-seriously/655122/6 "2013-04-08T02:28:19Z")
Click [here](http://www.ufo-bbs.com/txt3/2465.htm), search for the word “zombies”. Keep in mind this was written in 1990 or so. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![gytalf2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ac91a4/32.png) [@gytalf2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gytalf2000)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2013, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zombie-apocalypse-people-take-it-seriously/655122/7 "2013-04-08T02:40:34Z")
> [@LC\_Strawhouse](#): > > Click [here](http://www.ufo-bbs.com/txt3/2465.htm), search for the word “zombies”. Keep in mind this was written in 1990 or so. 😉 Okay, that was pretty interesting. I liked the “Humans with Alien Implants = Zombies” idea. Hadn’t heard of that one before! At least, not as presented as fact. I suppose that there have been bad Sci-Fi movies with that theme… The mind boggles! Or does it “wobble”? Perhaps both… ---
**Author:** ![PatriotGrrrl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9dc877/32.png) [@PatriotGrrrl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatriotGrrrl)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2013, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zombie-apocalypse-people-take-it-seriously/655122/8 "2013-04-08T02:52:31Z")
> [@sitchensis](#): > > I always thought it was used as shorthand for any type of unknown future craziness. Exactly. If you talk about preparing in case of some specific disaster, people will start talking about how unlikely that particular event is. With zombies, the disaster becomes a given since you can’t argue about the odds of something fictional happening. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2013, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zombie-apocalypse-people-take-it-seriously/655122/9 "2013-04-08T03:22:44Z")
I’m preparing for the wave of radiation that will turn some humans into mutant superheroes and -villains. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2013, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zombie-apocalypse-people-take-it-seriously/655122/10 "2013-04-08T03:26:30Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > It’s just a useful generic disaster that can be used to make emergency plans around. If you have plans and supplies in place for a zombie apocalypse, you’re also going to be ready for a hurricane or earthquake or soccer riot. Yeah. I started reading The Zombie Survival Guide but, as I got further in, my memories of the Civil Defense booklets and the Boy Scout Manual that I devoured as a kid caused me near-whiplash nodding my head and saying, “Yeah…yeah…of course…what are they teaching kids these days that this stuff is radical and new?” Zombies, schmombies. The Scouts and CD were preparing us for the Commie Apocalypse, with real nukes and no shambling hordes. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2013, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zombie-apocalypse-people-take-it-seriously/655122/11 "2013-04-08T03:41:52Z")
I think of people who believe in this in much the same way people believe the WWE is actual competitive wrestling: I figure they’re probably out there, but it really doesn’t bear much thinking about because it makes me sad for the future of the human race. ---
**Author:** ![drewtwo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2013, 9:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zombie-apocalypse-people-take-it-seriously/655122/12 "2013-04-08T09:59:10Z")
Frankly, looking at the news and even some of the posters on this message board sometimes, I wonder how anyone could _doubt_ that we are living in the zombie apocalypse right now 😃 ---
**Author:** ![moriah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b2d939/32.png) [@moriah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moriah)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2013, 12:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zombie-apocalypse-people-take-it-seriously/655122/13 "2013-04-08T12:03:35Z")
There’s anywhere up to 30% of the population that will believe the most unbelievable things from UFOs to Bigfoot to global conspiracies to astrology to just about anything listed as not true on Snopes and every debunking web site. Zombie Apocalypse? Sure! Let’s get ready! See: [http://www.publicpolicypolling.com/main/2013/04/conspiracy-theory-poll-results-.html](http://www.publicpolicypolling.com/main/2013/04/conspiracy-theory-poll-results-.html) ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2013, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zombie-apocalypse-people-take-it-seriously/655122/14 "2013-04-08T12:32:48Z")
Even the CDC knows that you should [be prepared for the zombie apocalypse!](http://www.cdc.gov/phpr/zombies.htm) (Because it’s a great metaphor for all kinds of disasters - biohazard, loss of utilities, hostiles, need to hole up vs get out, etc.) ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Bravo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_bravo/32/493_2.png) [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2013, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zombie-apocalypse-people-take-it-seriously/655122/15 "2013-04-08T13:31:23Z")
People love to daydream about that kind of struggle, and talking about the “inevitable zombie apocalypse” is a great way to do it without coming off as a reactionary nutter. ---
**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:** [April 8, 2013, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zombie-apocalypse-people-take-it-seriously/655122/16 "2013-04-08T13:56:12Z")
They also daydream of circumstances in which it would be morally acceptable to kill ordinary people on the street. I mean, what is a zombie apocalypse if not an excuse to shoot your neighbors? ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2013, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zombie-apocalypse-people-take-it-seriously/655122/17 "2013-04-08T14:42:33Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > I mean, what is a zombie apocalypse if not an excuse to shoot your neighbors? Cool. Bastard needs a muffler. ---
**Author:** ![gytalf2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ac91a4/32.png) [@gytalf2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gytalf2000)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2013, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zombie-apocalypse-people-take-it-seriously/655122/18 "2013-04-08T16:18:44Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > They also daydream of circumstances in which it would be morally acceptable to kill ordinary people on the street. I mean, what is a zombie apocalypse if not an excuse to shoot your neighbors? Oh, I think that you’re definitely on to something, there. Ha! ---
**Author:** ![Dallas\_Jones](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dallas_jones/32/3277_2.png) [@Dallas\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dallas_Jones)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2013, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zombie-apocalypse-people-take-it-seriously/655122/19 "2013-04-08T16:19:39Z")
It’s coming! That’s why all the Zombie Max ammo is on back order. [http://www.google.com/search?q=hornady+zombie+ammo&hl=en&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=-OxiUbydNeqbiAKBjoHADg&ved=0CDwQsAQ&biw=1920&bih=934#imgrc=FyD2zEMaXgP99M%3A%3BcI\_pylDC1Hgc\_M%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Faccurateshooter.net%252FBlog%252Fzombiemax02.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fbulletin.accurateshooter.com%252F2011%252F10%252Fhornady-introduces-green-tipped-zombie-max%2525E2%252584%2525A2-ammunition%252F%3B600%3B463](http://www.google.com/search?q=hornady+zombie+ammo&hl=en&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=-OxiUbydNeqbiAKBjoHADg&ved=0CDwQsAQ&biw=1920&bih=934#imgrc=FyD2zEMaXgP99M%3A%3BcI_pylDC1Hgc_M%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Faccurateshooter.net%252FBlog%252Fzombiemax02.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fbulletin.accurateshooter.com%252F2011%252F10%252Fhornady-introduces-green-tipped-zombie-max%2525E2%252584%2525A2-ammunition%252F%3B600%3B463) ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Angel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d26b3c/32.png) [@Johnny\_Angel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Angel)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2013, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zombie-apocalypse-people-take-it-seriously/655122/20 "2013-04-08T16:29:02Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > They also daydream of circumstances in which it would be morally acceptable to kill ordinary people on the street. I mean, what is a zombie apocalypse if not an excuse to shoot your neighbors? And therein lies the appeal. I mean, yes, we horror at the idea that somewhere out there will be a roving band of even more ghoulish [juggaloes](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juggalo). On the other hand, free rein to shoot juggalos! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zombie-apocalypse-people-take-it-seriously/655122.md?page=2)