Break Your Morals or Die

     If an infectious disease was spreading around the country that could kill you what would you do? If it came down to it would you break moral obligations just to stay alive?  Imagine having to choose between breaking your morals or being left outside to be eaten by… zombies!!! Picture there is only one safe place in the country that can keep you free of zombies and keep you alive, but at this base immoral situations are taking place. Say there are military officials forcing women to "marry" a random healthy human being and reproduce with them in order to start a whole new society. Would you comply with this horrible matter or leave the military base and attempt to survive in a zombie apocalypse? I know to some people the answer to this question may come easy; do anything to stay alive, DUH! To me, that’s not the case. Even with a zombie apocalypse morals and ethics should not alter.

      In the movie, 28 Days Later, a disease that turns people into vicious monsters spreads across the United Kingdom. Jim, the main character, awakes from a coma in an abandoned hospital to find the rest of the UK also deserted. After wandering around aimlessly for a bit the zombies spot him!  And to make it even worse these zombies are hungry for HUMANS! Jim proceeds to run for his life before being grabbed into a secret hideout with other survivors. These other survivors inform Jim about everything that happened while he was comatose, mainly this horrible zombie apocalypse that caused a societal end. A few days later the crew of the four survivors find a military base; a blockade that is safe from all zombies. This military base is supporting the survivors left in the country with food, water, shelter and security. This sounds like a good deal, right? But they come to realize it’s too good to be true. Within the walls of this blockade the healthy humans are trying to start a whole new society free from the zombie apocalypse. This meant they were forcing sexual servitude on the female survivors.  The soldiers and male survivors thought this was okay!! These men tried to persuade the woman that this was for a good cause, that they meant no harm. The only thing the military officials wanted to do was start a new society so the women should just do whatever the men say. These woman did exactly what I would do…ESCAPE! So what if they are risking their lives, reproduction should only be done with the one you love, it should never be forced upon you. Love is a choice not a demand. If I were to comply with the soldiers and start a family with a random man I would be breaking my morals. 

            In a zombie apocalypse would you find yourself doing something that conflicts with your morals? If this were to happen to me my morals would remain unbroken. I would not do anything that went against my religion, beliefs or anything I did not believe was right. In times of a zombie apocalypse no matter how trying the situation may be, I would never break my morals and ethics. It is ethical to not break your morals even if it means risking your life. These beliefs could also relate to our real non zombie world. Whether we are talking peer pressure or even deciding an outfit for the day, my morals never alter. I do what I believe is right and morally ethical on a day to day basis. This is a key component in my life that dictates most of my actions. It is a bold move to stand out from the crowd and follow what you believe in, but for me whether we are in the real world or in a zombie apocalypse I will only do what follows my morals. 

   

            During the movie, the shelter offered is fulfilling all societal needs, but the ethical dilemma outweighs the need for that particular shelter. The dilemma that occurs on the military base is that female characters are disrespected and forced into unfortunate situations by the military personal. If you faced the ethical dilemma of procreating or left for dead would you succumb or fight for your life? If utilitarianism is the greatest good for the greatest number of people maximizing happiness, does the justification of procreating for human kind outweigh the importance of your own life? According to Blackburn, “If safety includes freedom from a lot of evils, and if that freedom in turn makes up welfare or happiness, then we are close to Utilitarianism”(89). Escaping from the “evils” of the military personal would give me happiness and satisfaction. Knowing I am not being forced into something against my will would give me comfort and prosperity. These are a few ways the utilitarian’s would think. According to Utilitarianism, happiness equals goodness. Which also means happiness leads to a good life. Staying in the military base would not make me happy, it would make me depressed. Therefore leaving the base to gain my happiness back is the advice a Utilitarian would give.

     Ethics and morals should not change no matter what type of society we live in. If a zombie apocalypse occurred the ethics and moral code should not be dictated by the state of society, in this case a zombie apocalypse. Many people could argue that I should stay in the protected shelter safe form the zombies. However, the society within the gates was not a moral society and is not something I would let myself be apart of.

References:

Blackburn, Simon. Being Good: An Introduction to Ethics. Oxford: Oxford UP, 2001. Print.