The Walking Dead is hardly evidence of the normalization of survivalism. It’s the opposite, if anything, because zombies aren’t real. Now everyone who prepares for disaster can be mocked as afraid of the boogeyman. Just like how they still get away with calling McCarthyism a “witch hunt.”
You know what? Unlike witches commie spies and fellow-travelers existed. Unlike zombies various manmade and natural disasters exist. But try convincing anyone of the good sense in preparedness and see if they don’t bring up zombies.
By the way, since when was it always zombies? What happened to vampires? That’s what “I Am Legend” was all about. I realize kids don’t read, but still. I wouldn’t have thought Romero was so popular. I certainly can’t stand his movies.
The CDC,(yes, the one your taxes support) put out a zombie poster to encourage people to at least minimal preparation for disaster events.
/johnny
Not so much. Post-apocalyptic movies bring together different kinds of people who wouldn't have much to do with each other in real-life and reveal similarities people don't always see in real life or in other branches of the media. Some people are too far gone to realize it, though.
You know what? Unlike witches commie spies and fellow-travelers existed. Unlike zombies various manmade and natural disasters exist. But try convincing anyone of the good sense in preparedness and see if they don’t bring up zombies.
Give it time. If you bring up hurricanes or tornados, earthquakes or wildfires (depending on where you live) I doubt people are going to bring up zombies. To some people, there's a difference between preparing for a specific threat and just stockpiling to be ready for some vaguer eventuality.
By the way, since when was it always zombies? What happened to vampires? That’s what “I Am Legend” was all about. I realize kids don’t read, but still. I wouldn’t have thought Romero was so popular. I certainly can’t stand his movies.
Vampires are too associated with high school romance. Nowadays they're lovers, rather than killers. Kids do read about them. And they aren't as threatening as they once were.
I Am Legend's vampires behaved a lot like zombies (talking about the last movie, I don't know about the book and the earlier films). They certainly weren't like what vampires have become. So it wasn't hard to simply make zombies the next big thing.