Survival Rules for the Zombie Apocalypse

In the movie Zombieland, a group of diverse people attempt to find a safer area during the zombie apocalypse. The main character Columbus gives rules to surviving the zombie apocalypse and  he uses these rules to play it safe and actual survive. Utilitarianism is an ethical theory that not only requires actions that benefits oneself but in turn benefits the greater good of everyone else (Blackburn). In the movie Zombieland, one could argue the tips and rules for surviving the zombie apocalypse are given through a utilitarianism view to then teach survivors how to survive in the zombie and real non-zombie world. 

Some of the tips Columbus shares with the audience include cardio, double tap,  seat belt, travel light, when in doubt know your way out, ‘don’t’ be a hero, and enjoy the little things. How he relates these to the zombie world, is 1. Be quick. In a situation where a zombie is coming after you, you better be able to not only outrun them but have the endurance to keep running. 2. Double tap, if you shoot a zombie shoot one more time for insurance that it really is dead. 3. Seat belt, fighting zombies can be a bumpy ride so wearing a seat belt can be a good idea. 4. Travel light, you’re fighting a zombie apocalypse here, you don’t need your whole wardrobe! 5. When in doubt know your way out; here comes all the zombies, you better know where you are going to go. 6. ‘Don’t’ be a hero, you are only here to save yourself unless of course you find the love of your life in the middle of a zombie apocalypse (like Columbus), then you must save him or her – they do say rules are made to be broken. 7. Lastly, enjoy the little things, no zombies are around, enjoy it, it won’t last.

Survival Rules for the Zombie Apocalypse

These tips not only help us survive the zombie apocalypse but can be applied to our everyday lives in real non-zombie world. 1. Cardio, daily exercise helps our overall fitness and health. 2. Double tap, some things in life require us to do it again, for instance, the proofreading of this blog post! 3. Seat belt, just like a zombie apocalypse life is a bumpy ride, so buckle up and enjoy. 4. Travel light, this can be interpreted in the non-zombie world as less is more. For example, three true friends’ means more than twelve fake. 5. When in doubt know your way out, if you are placed in a situation where you are uncomfortable know how to escape, you never want to be stuck. 6. ‘Don’t’ be a hero, in a real non-zombie world, don’t try to save everyone but if you relate it like the zombie apocalypse and you want to be a hero remember some rules are made to be broken! 7. Enjoy the little things, like they say it is the little things in life that mean the most so don’t take them for granted, just enjoy.

  Utilitarianism principles state that one should maximize happiness, not just in oneself but in all creatures that can feel happiness (Blackburn). By Columbus sharing these rules to survive the zombie apocalypse, he is not only benefiting himself but those around him. He is thinking of the greater good of all people. By following these rules to survive he is promoting overall happiness. Although one could argue that this is not in the benefit of the zombies, the definition of utilitarianism is for creatures that can feel happiness and if a zombie is ‘dead’ then it cannot really feel happiness. Therefore, the rules given in the movie Zombieland are given through a utilitarianism view and is helps to maximize the overall happiness of the survivors of the zombie and real non-zombie world.  

References

Blackburn, Simon. Being Good, A Short Introduction to Ethics. Oxford University Press, 2001.