After being immersed in a zombie world these past couple of weeks, I started to think a bit about zombies in popular culture, that is outside of movies obviously. Honestly, I never really paid much attention to zombies in television, books, art, music; but then I remembered this Cranberries song from the 90’s
The song is about the Troubles in northern Ireland ( as the band is Irish) that existed from the 60’s to the late 90’s, which was basically a political and military conflict between the country’s Protestants and Christians. The song was one of the band’s most popular, topping the charts, and it’s message resonated with their native Ireland.
I think this music video is very telling of both the influence of zombies into modern popular culture and on the principles that zombies represent. The band decided to name their hit song after the famed ghouls because they portray the militants in Ireland, being told to patrol violently and following orders without regard for humanity. In this way, zombies often come to mind when thinking of people blindly doing things, whether violent, like Nazis, or whether innocently, like following the trends of consumer culture (such as the representation of the mall in Romero’s Dawn of the Dead). I thought this was really interesting to see how zombies in America have evolved from being simply flesh-eating monsters to entire symbols of mindless following.
So I’ve heard the song many times before…totally without realizing what she was saying and the meaning behind her words. I found the video itself to be quite interesting. But then as the music faded out that last image came on the screen for a split second before it went black…wow.
I can’t really find the words to describe the right emotion or reaction in me that the last image caused. In a way it reminded me of the child at the end of Night of the Living Dead, but there was more to it.
It might have been because the whole video you see images of war but not really any of death– until that last image. It sort of put a truth to her words that they’re mistaken for doing what they are doing.
I agree. Zombies used to be frightening things but now I think they’ve come to symbolize people who cannot think for themselves, are victim to society’s pressures and phases, and follow authority blindly without questioning. They do as they are told and do not ask why, how, or think about the consequences.
There’s nothing I hate more than people who are mindless drones or “zombies” who can’t think for themselves.
I hate to say it but I feel that some 9-5 white-collar workers are essentially zombies. They are subject to routine and it’s inescapable. They do as their told and that’s their day. Being a zombie will go on until they learn to question authority, something all zombies lack, and break free.
At the same time, questioning authority and breaking out of the norm can create its own “monster”, a monster of chaos and anarchy. Not that I’m advocating a mindless lifestyle but there is something to order and routine in society. ( also kinda playing devil’s advocate here 🙂