Just when we thought the zombie genre had run out of new nuances, it literally evolved to the next level… What makes zombies no longer run-of-the-mill zombies? When they begin to feel in terms of hunger, anger, sorrow and vengeance, and reason with cunning for power and control. What if these zombies no longer shamble along, but are stronger, purposeful and even organised? All these means new ethical questions will arise, that further challenge how we think humanity should respond, (with humanity or otherwise).
Just like even ‘dangerous’ animals have animal rights, why should ‘neo-zombies’ not have rights as sentient beings too? Just as animals like lions and sharks are not simply all killed without discrimination because they might ‘threaten’ human survival, should we let neo-zombies live too? Just like animals are given animal rights because this is deemed humanitarian, why should zombies not be treated humanely too? To complete the ethical dilemma, should zombie tigers and horses have the usual animal rights too?
There was utterance that humans are no longer at the top of the food chain. But even before fictitious zombies arose, humans were never really fully in control. Even a tiny strain of virus can wipe out humankind. Yet, with mercenary humans who seek to weaponise the zombie ‘virus’ for world domination, are humans not more ‘on top’ with monstrosity than the neo-zombies? Perhaps the true ‘virus’ that threatens us humans, animals and neo-zombies, is our potentially deadly mix of greed, hatred and delusion.
With America often called a ‘free’ country, where people can do ‘whatever’ they want, it was remarked that since Lost Vegas (ex-Las Vegas, as overtaken by zombies) is no longer considered part of America, it ‘technically makes it a freer country’… for humans and zombies alike? The truth is, no matter where we are, even in the most strictly law-bound place, we are ‘condemned to be free’, to choose our course of action. And there are always consequences to be karmically received, legally or otherwise, that we are not free from. May all we always choose wisely then!
