For this week’s Monday Mayhem, let’s examine a question—would you? As non-standard as the question is, the implications can be enormous. Would I what? Would I eat the icing off the cake before digging into the cake itself? Would I leave a theater halfway through the movie because of my disappointment with its content? Would I not pay a tip if I had lousy service?
![Would you? [Photo Credit: Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.]](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Flickr_-_DVIDSHUB_-_French_and_US_service_members_survive_the_Djibouti_Desert_(Image_5_of_24).jpg)
Let me rephrase the question then. Would you do what is necessary to guarantee your survival if the zombie apocalypse really takes place? Of course this is all speculation, so you can go ahead and think about it for a moment.
Everyone’s definition of survival is different. I know when it comes to Boxing Day here in Canada the proverbial claws come out. Think what you may about us Canadians, if there’s a deal at some store after Christmas, you best know we’re not polite. We’re not cordial. And as they say in sportsmanship, may the best man win. Survival is all a matter of who gets what at the better price.
Have you thought about it? Not an easy thing, is it?
If the zombie apocalypse takes place, what are the odds you will not kill someone to defend your house? I’m not talking about zombies here. Killing zombies can ultimately become a sport. I cite Dawn of the Dead as an example where the survivors are stuck on a mall rooftop taking pot shots at a horde or the undead below, simply for their own amusement. So, yes, killing zombies can be a fun affair.
The more difficult question is more complicated than that.
Would you kill another human to defend your family? Answer this carefully. It would mean breaking the boundary you’ve established within your character as a means to survive the apocalypse further, which, by the way, there’s no guarantee you’d accomplish in doing. After all, your soul is what will eventually vanish with the act.
Now, some folks may find it easy. They’d treat it like another Boxing Day sale—your loss is my gain. But what of the folks who are upright citizens of their neighborhoods? What will become of them? Or will they become those who will be the ones who everyone would have to fight against?
You see then, it’s not an easy question. “Would you?” could mean the end of your civilized life as you know it, all as a matter of defending your family.
But then, really, what would be the difference between us—the defenders of our loved ones—and those who are also trying to survive for their loved ones?
Would you kill for your family? Would you take from another family during an apocalypse to survive?
Looking to God 
If I could take out someone who meant harm to me or someone I cared for, I hope that I could do it. My problem is less in the choosing and more in the means by which it would occur, since I do not own a firearm and am not physically imposing.
A very thought-provoking post, Jack and an excellent question. I’d do almost anything for my family. If it came down to a hostile encounter where reason or compromise could not prevail and the other person was a threat, then maybe I would, though I’d rather subdue than kill. But one thing I do know, I’d always try reason and talking first (if it was possible). This post reminds me a little of a zombie short film I’ve seen called Danger Word. It deals very much with family and survival. There’s a scene early on in the movie where the grandfather makes a choice about helping a group of stranded people.
If I were attacked, I’d like to think I could hold my own. But I don’t think I’d initiate violence. My flight or fight response is too heavily skewed towards flight. Zombie apocalypse, my end game would be to get as far away from other humans (and zombies) as possible.
interesting question. I’m going to chew on this for a bit instead of giving my knee jerk response. On another note…YOU’RE FINALLY IN MY READER!!! yippie freaking skippy!
Tough questions Jack. Except for Boxing day or Black Friday I would kill to protect my family.
I hope I would have the strength necessary to kill to protect my family. You’ll never know until it happens. And for the record I don’t shop on Boxing day because I hate to see fellow Canadians de-evolving!
With or without Zombies, if my family’s safety is at risk….Yes. Whatever it takes. I have seen the lengths people have gone to when one utility is knocked out or if gas went a $1 too high. I’ve seen people steal something only because a simple opportunity has presented itself and there was no remorse or any accountability. I served in the military and went to dozens of disaster sites where people lose their minds even when help was organized AND inbound. Society is always hanging by a delicate thread. I am not one of those “Preppers” or Survivalists, but I am definitely a realist. 🙂
I would kill if I have to, but the supply thing is a tough one. I’d probably take enough for my son. Though, I think it would all be a moot point for me. I wouldn’t last very long because my wife has the survival instincts of a lemming with a microphone. Seriously, she kind of knows that she would get us killed because she lacks the ability to whisper and her knee jerk reaction to everything is ‘WHAT?!’. Either that or ‘at commercial . . . what was that loud crash?’. Sounds mean, but it’s been established in our circle of friends that my wife would be the weak link or decoy in a zombie apocalypse. Unless their weakness is loud noise, which means she’s the secret weapon. (Yes. Yes. I know this is mean sounding, but this is something that’s been discussed while watching ‘Shaun of the Dead’ and ‘Zombieland’.)
Survival of the fittest comes into play here. Chuck Darwin was right. Anyone with a significant liability isn’t going to last very long.
If the infra – structure collapses significantly, you’d have some kids griping because their cell – phones / smart – phones, iPads, etc., don’t work anymore. I’m not a Luddite, since I have a computer & cell – phone, but the possible collapse of ” the grid ” would wreak havoc on a lot of people emotionally. Amish & Mennonite communities MIGHT fare slightly better during a zombie apocalypse.
True. You’d lose a lot to the shock of not having technology. Every time an advancement of society disappears, you’ll have a big drop in survivors. Imagine what would happen when you can’t get any more gas for cars.
An interesting question here would be: would you leave a loved one behind to save the rest of the family? I mean, what do you do if you find that one of your loved ones is going to be the albatross that gets everyone killed?
That’s a question that would stymie Solomon. Would I be willing to leave someone to their own devices for the greater good. I can honestly say that I ** do not ** know.
Surviving the zombie apocalypse means making touch calls. Obviously you have to defend yourself from all threats and that includes other survivors. Sometimes its kill or be killed…
I would probably say, yes. I would kill to protect myself and my family. If there was a way to keep the zombies contained behind barbed wire until a cure was found or they withered away…okay, but otherwise, I would have to put them out of their misery.
I would only take a life if there was no other option.
As far as gathering / scavenging what I could for my survival, if I found a cache of food & water, etc., unattended & hopefully unclaimed during a zombie apocalypse, I would have very few reservations about claiming it.
I’m not an overly selfish person, but the law of survival of the fittest would really go into effect. ” Eat, or be the shish – kabob. “, to quote Douglas Adams.