I haven’t read many zombie books to know for certain, but I know my movies, and I would have to say I haven’t seen this issue explored—what would society be like after a zombie apocalypse? Zombie movies typically concentrate on the time when the undead take over the world. But, what of the aftermath? Society would need rebuilding.
Today’s Monday Mayhem will explore what would society need to do to rise from the ashes of a zombie apocalypse. Of course this is all speculation, and for the most part, for entertainment value. However, I will assume some truth lies therein, and I’m rather opposed to revealing what that truth is. I’m sure you’ll figure it out—eventually.
First thing on the agenda? What to do with all the bodies of the undead once a cure for the zombie virus hits the streets? I will presume a zombie virus antidote will render the survivors immune to the virus and kill everything else undead. Even more so, let’s take that assumption to include zombie traps that would disperse the antidote to the undead masses like a net and relieve them of their zombiehood. So, again I ask. What will happen with all the dead zombie bodies?
Gas stations would need gas. If there is gas in gas stations then tractors can have gas in order for survivors to use the tractors to dig ditches. The survivors can then use the ditches to bury the dead bodies.
The other solution is to burn the dead bodies and bulldoze the ashes into the fields where former farmers could fertilize their crops. Morbid? Yes, but it’s a positive solution for a negative event.
Next, as it happened after World War II, a baby boom will take place. Those left will have nothing else to do but to procreate the next generation of survivors with the hope that generation will build a society void of the threat from the undead.
With all the children born, a number of things will need to happen if society wishes to survive another generation. Not necessarily in this order: The survivors will need a leader to instruct them in the way of civility. Laws will have to come into effect to address quarrels among families, individuals and other areas of the land. With growth also comes farming, education and healthcare. Who will do what? will be the big question on everyone’s lips.
Lastly, as with all great emerging societies, comes the sanitation question: What to do with all the human waste once society gets into a rhythm of birth, growth and death?
So you see, even though we may have won the war against the zombies, we’ll still have to win the bigger war—the war of rebuilding after the undead are no longer a threat.
To me, that is the greatest challenge of them all.
What do you think the world would need to do to rebuild from the ashes of a zombie apocalypse?
Looking to God 
Good post.
After the Zombie problem is take care of I’d want to have a good supply of tonic water, gin, a lot of ice, chocolate and a sense of humor. With the science we also should not forget the arts. In order to keep our society going in a positive direction post-zombie we need are and music. Art and music therapy for the survivors would do wonders for rebuilding a society we would want to live in.
Reblogged this on ..of Monsters and Men and commented:
Good thoughts here.
Thank you for the reblog!
I believe it would be a tough road, rebuilding. Maybe tougher then surviving the infection. Redeveloping the rules as we go along will likely be the way it goes. I think a lot of it will be similar to James Axler’s Deathland series of novels, minus the monsters. Unlike other catastrophic event we are presuming that the world is wiped out and not just a few countries here and there. With the ones we have lived through, at least according to the history books I believe there was always a support country available. Someone that could restart the politics and the old way of life but if most everyone was wiped out it would be martial law for many, many years.. my opinion.
That’s certainly an interesting story premise – and something that is not often thought about in Zombie tales. After the zombies are dealt with, humanity is pretty much blown back to the stone age. So much of human knowledge and skill will have been lost. I suspect we’d end up with a medieval-type society, and of course there would be lots of different factions vying for power. I suspect it could get very nasty.
I think about it and don’t see first world countries springing back. Yeah, maybe we have people here, because statistically, we have large populations…but populations of people with what kind of skills? I can make popcorn and tell a decent story, but that’s not going to get me anywhere. I’d die and I think a lot of the people I know wouldn’t make it, even if they made it through the zombies.
I think less developed countries would maybe have an advantage, since they may have greater populations of people who possess more practical skills for surviving in their environments.
That makes a lot of sense.
Hi Jack
You need to read a book called Snareville by David Youngquist. It goes into your theory of rebuilding quite well.
Reblogged this on Sean Hoade Brings You The World's Greatest Blog In The World and commented:
Like a little hope with your dread and doom?
Thanks for the reblog, Sean!
The technology will eventually be turned back on. Things would need repairing, not reinventing. The biggest changes would be social hierarchy.
If you look at three great schisms in history, World Wars 1 and 2 and the black death of the Middle Ages, all the social relationships were wiped out. ‘Serfs’ had the advantage after plague wiped out most of the workforce and it became a seller’s market in terms of labour. Serfdom virtually disappeared.
After the two world wars we saw the collapse of most aristocracies, and the introduction of women’s universal suffrage, welfare systems and pan-national organisations like the League of Nations and the Common Market.
There would be a lot of rebuilding in terms of everyday facilities like communication and sanitation, but I think history shows the real fundamental changes after an apocalypse would be the structure of society itself and who holds the strings of power. (And if we’re being morbid, the mess the world is in at the moment with injustice, corporate greed and conflict perhaps it’s time for another apocalypse to wipe out what has become a rotten global system.)
Agreed. The rebuilding process will be the most time-consuming event after the apocalypse. But it will be well worth it.
Interesting question. It would depend on who survived because a lot of knowledge and expertise would be lost in the apocalypse. I could see cars being a luxury item or found only in places where people can get and refine oil. You would probably see a strange combination of urban and rural in some areas because farming would have to come first. I would guess that all science fields will fall behind since the Internet would be down for a long time if it ever comes back. Honestly, you would definitely see a more ‘back to basics’ society with a touch of surviving technology in some places. At least that’s what I get from the movies.
I’m all for back to basics. I think this world is complicated enough as it is without throwing more technology at it to make it even more complicated.
I agree. Though I do hope we get to keep microwaves.
Yes, microwave is an essential our family can’t even live without!
Definitely helps with cooking multiple dishes.
Not sure if I asked this question here or only to a friend, but I was thinking of something with zombie scenarios. What would it be like if all of the people who are prepared for the zombie apocalypse are the first to be infected? Not getting attacked by the undead, but the disease or whatever turns people into the undead. That sounds like something out of a comedy though.
That scenario would prove not only to be counter productive but as you said comical. I feel another Shaun if the Dead brewing!
Maybe Zombieland too. Tallahassee was badass, but I never got the feeling that he was prepared. I keep remembering the Humvee with guns scene.
Yes, Zombieland, Too sounds like a great title for Tallahassee’s continued adventures. But how would he save the ones who were supposed to be the smarter ones–those prepared? My head is spinning with all the possibilities.
If he can even save them. You have to figure if the first wave of zombies is composed of those who are prepared, there would a lot more chaos. Probably more people like Columbus who are surviving purely off luck.
The idea of such an event coming to a complete halt where the living could say ” this is the definitive end of the apocalypse ” sounds a little too neat, actually. It would take place in stages – Immunization / neutralizing a ” zombie virus “, then after / while that’s taking place, living humans can start repairing everything that collapsed, IF there had been a major collapse of the infrastructure in major metropolitan areas.
For all we know, communications & utilities might be still relatively intact.
Reblogged this on Human Interest.
Thanks for the reblog, I appreciate it!
You’re welcome!