Humanity's Prospects After Zombie Apocalypse?

[Wyldwraith]

Hey, Some of the other threads derailed, so thought I'd start a new one for once and try to get a discussion going on what everyone thinks concerning the prospects of survival or extinction of Humankind in the wake of a massive Global Zombie Apocalypse. I'm of the firm belief that not only would humanity survive a Global Zombie Apocalypse, but that in the long run it would actually be enormously beneficial to the continuing development of our species. I believe this for 3 main reasons, and a variety of related tangent-perspectives, but I would be very interested in hearing what everyone thinks about a) Would Humankind survive a Global Zombie Apocalypse, and if so b) Would these events prove detrimental or beneficial in the long-run to humanity? I'll withhold my reasoning for now, in the interests of getting a variety of theories put forth, instead of simply an agree/disagree model of debate to begin with. So, what do you all think about the Two points I raise? Survival or Extinction in the face of Global Zombie Infestation, and should Humanity survive, would the ordeal prove beneficial or detrimental to Humanity's development from that point forwards? Please discuss, and by all means expound on why you believe as you do. Debate On

[AcesandEights]

For the purpose of this discussion, are we putting any ground rules in place about the type of zombie? Standard GAR zeds or open to the poster's flow of argument as required? Generally, unless it's some crazy-ass animals can become zombies too or all zombies can regain a good measure of their intelligence paradigm (and how lame are those?), I subscribe to the Frostian view (and drop this quote at hpotd once a year or so): I am assured at any rate Man’s practically inexterminate. Someday I must go into that. There’s always been an Ararat Where someone someone else begat To start the world all over at. This is not to say that I think mankind will not go extinct some day, that's a given over a long enough time line. The prospect for humanity's current society and societal constructs/conventions in the wake of a zombie plague, though? That's a very different, albeit related, conversation.

[bassman]

There would definitely be survivors to rebuild. Not many...but some. If we're talking about Romero's world where the dead come back without an infectious bite, it would be a bit harder. No matter how well you rebuild or plan things out, as long as there are people there will alway be zombies. It would definitely be an up hill struggle, but through the course of it all "life will find a way", to quote the great Jeff Goldblum.

[AcesandEights]

It would definitely be an up hill struggle, but through the course of it all "life will find a way", to quote the great Jeff Goldblum. Robert Frost, Jeff Goldblum--titans of American thought! Let's see who else is quoted in this worthy debate.

[darth los]

There would definitely be survivors to rebuild. Not many...but some. I don't know about that. It was dicussed here before about how big a pocket of survivors had to be in order to have a large enough genepool in order to procreate. I think it was around 200. Imo, humans are resourceful,yes, but not very resilient. We need to have optimal conditions in order to thrive. We are currently in a unique situation in our history because technology handles everything for us and if things were to go to shit overnight I doubt most have the survivals skills to be able to survive if they can't go to the corner store to get milk. Our anscestors on the otherhand would fare much better in an apocolyptic scenario because they actually practiced self reliance and had no problem roughing it when nescesary. Shit if you took people's cell phones away from them they'd die.

[JDFP]

I'm going by Romero zombies here because super-human sprinting zombies just bore me and don't interest me... I believe the government (of the U.S. and probably elsewhere) probably have some type of rudimentary "Zombie" plan that they spent a few million dollars on of American tax payer's money for. I'm serious. They probably do. The question is whether this "plan" could be implemented before everything falls apart or not. My guess is no -- efficiency and government in the same breath is a bit (more than a bit) of a contradiction. No doubt, most of the "important people" would survive. Government officials, the wealthy, government leaders, etc., they'd be just fine for the most part. Government officials would sit back on supplies at NORAD, D.C., Omaha, and places such as this and then by the time supplies start running thin most of the ghouls will be gone from rotting and they'd be good to go as far as coming out into the world and re-populating it again. The rest of us (the other 98% of us) wouldn't be so lucky. I think Max Brooks really does a great job of expressing this. There would be some of us around that would be Mad Max "Last Men On Earth" folks keeping to ourselves and being weary like a wolf of seeing any other people out there. Then there would be a few roving bands of groups (organized para-military groups) running around the country as well -- this would be an interesting confrontation once all the other "regular" military folks and their government officials come up from the bunkers years later after it is all over. Otherwise, the rest of us will be dead and it won't really matter too much. Of course I think humanity will survive -- but a good 90% of people would be dead (and that's a VERY conservative estimate). I'd say a good 25%+ of the people that die won't even die from the ghouls at all -- but will die from the hands of other people, starvation, disease, or other ailments without the advancements of medicine and technology. As far as it being ultimately beneficial to humanity, I don't know. We'd all be dead anyway (except maybe Khardis who would set himself up as a dictator to one of the roaming para-military groups), so what would it matter to us? Short-term it would be more devestating than the Black Death in the 14th Century that wiped out more than half the people of Europe. Long term? By what measure are you classifying the word "Beneficial"? j.p.

[rongravy]

Yeah, but will there still be Twinkies?!?!? I think we'd make it, but alot of people would be murdering their own as well as the undead. It'd be a mess, and it makes you wonder just who would come out on top in the end.

[MoonSylver]

(except maybe Khardis who would set himself up as a dictator to one of the roaming para-military groups). Khardis=====> Robert Frost, Jeff Goldblum--titans of American thought! Let's see who else is quoted in this worthy debate. "Here is sit all broken hearted, came to shit & only farted" - A. Nonymous Not relivient to the topic at all, but you DID say you wanted to see who was quoted next...

[DEAD BEAT]

Hey, Some of the other threads derailed, so thought I'd start a new one for once and try to get a discussion going on what everyone thinks concerning the prospects of survival or extinction of Humankind in the wake of a massive Global Zombie Apocalypse. I'm of the firm belief that not only would humanity survive a Global Zombie Apocalypse, but that in the long run it would actually be enormously beneficial to the continuing development of our species. I believe this for 3 main reasons, and a variety of related tangent-perspectives, but I would be very interested in hearing what everyone thinks about a) Would Humankind survive a Global Zombie Apocalypse, and if so b) Would these events prove detrimental or beneficial in the long-run to humanity? I'll withhold my reasoning for now, in the interests of getting a variety of theories put forth, instead of simply an agree/disagree model of debate to begin with. So, what do you all think about the Two points I raise? Survival or Extinction in the face of Global Zombie Infestation, and should Humanity survive, would the ordeal prove beneficial or detrimental to Humanity's development from that point forwards? Please discuss, and by all means expound on why you believe as you do. Debate On i totally agree....flush out all the assholes and start all over!

[Dr Tongue]

I don't think we would survive. Honestly, how would it be handled at the Political level? We get enough lies and deceit in the news today(All news channels), would they down play it ala Diary of the Dead? Would the Government be able to inhumanely "Shoot all of them mothers in the head"? Also, I'm assuming we are using Romero rules, so you would never "Cure" the problem. Now you have thousands of Zombies created a day(And that's just the natural deaths.), minus the Zombies eating people, and lack of medication, food, and doctors. I'm not trying to stir up Political debate, as it is all just theory.

[Legion2213]

GAR Style = No apocalypse (see Shaun of the Dead, Zombie Diaries etc), any one of us here could take down shamblers with our bare hands in small numbers. Zack Snyder Style = Situation fucked, too fast, too aggressive, bad times on horseback, these are the worst case scenario IMO. 28 Days Style Infected Folk = Fast and aggressive to start with, but if enough folks holed up somewhere safe, they'd just have to wait for them to starve.

[Dr Tongue]

Zack Snyder Style = Situation fucked, too fast, too aggressive, bad times on horseback, these are the worst case scenario IMO. 28 Days Style Infected Folk = Fast and aggressive to start with, but if enough folks holed up somewhere safe, they'd just have to wait for them to starve. But it seems like both of these styles are more containable. 28 Days Later, die of starvation. Dawn04, are fast, but we don't know how widespread it would be. Maybe the Government would use nuclear weapons? Yes, Romero Zombies are slow, but when they are the majority, you will be fucked. Read The Walking Dead, Romero rules in the whole "You die, you become one.". Everyone currently alive would be 'The Walking Dead', as you are infected already, and you just have to die.

[Legion2213]

But it seems like both of these styles are more containable. 28 Days Later, die of starvation. Dawn04, are fast, but we don't know how widespread it would be. Maybe the Government would use nuclear weapons? Yes, Romero Zombies are slow, but when they are the majority, you will be fucked. Read The Walking Dead, Romero rules in the whole "You die, you become one.". Everyone currently alive would be 'The Walking Dead', as you are infected already, and you just have to die. Dawn 04 had Sarah Poley waking up to see her entire area over run...we can assume it's pretty fast. The government seemed gone in days. We've seen from various fiction that nukes do more harm than good...burns don't bother zombies, but radiation sickness and burns will fuck up any survivors who are unlucky enough to be caught in the zone. I really do think Dawn 04 stenches are the most lethal and dangerous. All my own opinion of course.

[AcesandEights]

I don't think we would survive. Honestly, how would it be handled at the Political level? We get enough lies and deceit in the news today(All news channels), would they down play it ala Diary of the Dead? Would the Government be able to inhumanely "Shoot all of them mothers in the head"? Also, I'm assuming we are using Romero rules, so you would never "Cure" the problem. Now you have thousands of Zombies created a day(And that's just the natural deaths.), minus the Zombies eating people, and lack of medication, food, and doctors. I'm not trying to stir up Political debate, as it is all just theory. I don't know about other people's opinions, but my opinion is based on survival of humanity not humanity's current organs of government and social rule. And yes, a lot of people--most people--would probably die and if the governments fell and society broke down people would kill each other as well and people would also die of typhus and tetanus from scraping their big toe on rusty metal, however I still think there'd probably be a good chance of enough people surviving to eventually get things together, though life would probably not be like it was for anyone in 1st world nations or the industrialized portions of the third world. Even in a Romero* post-rising world where the zombies (unfairly) take so long to decompose. I'm talking species survival, not whether the American way of life or any of our neighbors might make it (different set of what-ifs involved in those questions), just addressing the likelihood of humanity surviving. * = I am not going to address the prospect of large swathes of undead gaining enough intelligence to operate weapons, communicate or work as a team, or magically walk underwater through heavy currents in my post, however.

[Legion2213]

Edit: Actually, disregard all my previous posts...Wyld wasn't really asking about the feasability of such a situation, he was asking what would happen after it had happened...so I apologise for derailing his thread. Regarding rebuilding. It would be the same as rebuilding after any disaster that wiped out 90% of humanity, it couldn't be done IMO. I think we'd be back to a Victorian state of living (if we were lucky). I just don't think the 21st century could be recovered after losing so many cogs in such a complicated and specialised machine.