Germans are correct and obedient... my ass! Apparently we love to sin, but at least we are still plagued by a guilty conscience afterwards. After all, permanent staff at St.Jacob’s Church seems insufficient to handle the pile of sinful souls craving to confess. (Photo translation: Confessional auxiliary
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Who spends a little time in the world of modern media, may have noticed the increasing number of people who mention their wait for the zombie apocalypse. Usually there’s no further explanation given for why they’d express such a wish. Perhaps their own life is too boring and there is hope for more variety by the presence of zombies. Or they’re just secret cannibals. When in doubt, the most likely reason is that it’s simply hip to make this statement, given the fact that the zombie hype on TV and film is currently quite strong again and enjoys great popularity.
Anyhow, even though I personally believe that most make this statement rather jokingly, the issue itself though is far more real than many may think, as, apparently, mankind is still not aware of the zombie apocalypse already having become full reality and that the virus, which turns you into a creeping undead, is spreading evermore. You don’t believe me? Then let me explain it to you in more detail:
The cause, by which the virus can arise and multiply in the first place, is due to our modern media usage. In other words: Smartphones, tablets, and similar small, portable digital devices, which cast a spell over the so far unsuspecting user through their colorful blinking, animated screens, absorb his consciousness, and in the end... well, turn him into a zombie.
While - when used excessively - mobile phones or even the now long outdated Tamagotchi had already provided dangerous fertile soil for the virus in the past, it still wasn’t a sufficient basis for a real epidemic to spread. At least this was common belief for long. The number of zombies was - especially in everyday life - still manageable and the few losses among society through zombie mutation just as negligible.
In present day however, this balance has shifted to the negative side. And most dangerous thing of all: The epidemic is still not being taken seriously! Even worse, the virus itself is clever enough (you could also call it smart!) to invisibly spread in our brains and then, little by little, attack the rest of the body, eventually bringing all motor functions under control. But how could it ever come so far?
Industrialization has brought comfort to mankind. Throughout the last centuries, new and practical inventions massively fascilitated our lives, lightened our workload, and economized exercise and muscle power.
With the rapid, no, franctic development of the digital world however, artificial intelligence in its broadest sense so to speak, the possibility to save individual energy was raised to a whole new level: Our intellectual energy! We now delight in the additional comfort of not even having to think much anymore. Smartphones and other aforementioned consorts have taken over these tasks for us. They’ve become our brain replacement. Or, for some, even brain supplement. We look at its bright, colorful display, and the device provides us with all the information we want to know. Or that we think we want to know. We can now store our knowledge externally in our pocket, like a Mini-SD card, and keep the space of our human harddrive (i.e. brain) free for... well, the things that really matter, like Kim Kardashian stuff let’s say. We keep on diving further into the depths of the virtual universe. We crave for it, are not able to break loose again anymore. Until our mind finally switches realities. And all along, we forget everything that happens around us in the actual environment.
While this used to happen primarily at home in one’s own four walls during the last few decades, the virus then was at least just temporarily active and automatically went into dormant mode as soon as you left the house. But with the invention and mass distribution of portable digital devices in our lives, the disease has become symptomatic and comprehensive. Now it doesn’t matter anymore whether you’re inside or outside the house. The zombie virus is lurking everywhere. And society of the modern western world will soon run a high risk of not being able to stem the epidemic anymore. Who knows when it will also affect the rest of the planet?
You can experience this creepy reality best on the streets, in public transport, or at any place where large numbers of people foregather. If you sit in the subway for example, the zombies stand out right away. While still looking like normal humans, those people are numbed, their heads tilted down, the empty and glazed eyes staring at a screen in their hands. The outside world is forgotten or better, no longer existing anymore. Every now and then, there’s a short twitch of the thumb or another finger to control an app with, suggesting the vital functions of the mutated human are principally still working. More agitated zombies even use their whole hand to wipe the screen from time to time.
Similar to Alzheimer’s, but unlike the classic zombie mythology, this zombie trance is not necessarily permanent. At least so far!
In most cases, the infected is still able to find back into a conscious state of mind after a while, thus regain and control his cognitive and motor abilities. The person concerned has so-called "awake moments". Even if only to blankly realize that - to stay with the example of the subway - the stop where he wanted to get out already was ten stations back.
Another example from personal observation: Three teenagers, who sat on a bench together next to a field at sundown, when I was passing by on my bike. There was an amazingly beautiful sunset right at that moment, but the three youngsters were no longer able to take delight in it. They had already been infected by the zombie virus. Each one of them staring at their smartphone, brain functions and consciousness absorbed by the virtual nirvana. Not enough that they were completely missing out on all of the beautiful natural phenomenon right before their eyes (ok, not everyone is as nature-loving as me), they furthermore weren’t even communicating directly to each other anymore! Well... to be fair I must say it’s possible that everyone was communicating with his seatmate only via SMS. Either way, a very memorable moment for me.
On the bright side, that incident at least prepared me for the so far weirdest experience with a zombie, which occured a few weeks later. Again I was riding my bike, when I noticed a young, female zombie around 20 meters away, slowly shuffling towards me. Her head symptomatically bowed down, staring at a screen in her hands. The eyes empty and glazed as usual, no other vital signs noticable except for the slow movement of her legs. Right at that moment I was driving past a street lamp and thought for a second rather jokingly whether I should notify the approaching zombie of the potential danger of a meet-&-greet with the lantern. But optimistic as I am, I believed in humanity and played down the virus myself in this moment. And so I was already past the young zombie dame, but indeed heard a loud PONK and OUCH behind me about three seconds later. When I turned around, the zombie girl was sitting in front of the street lamp, rubbing her head in suprise, yet instantly reaching out for the smartphone again which was lying beside her. Probably to google what a street lamp is.
Ever since this event it’s clear to me: The zombie apocalypse is real. The epidemic is fully underway and among us. And it will carry off mankind if we don’t do anything against it. As long as smartphones and the likes are and remain smarter than their owners, as long as we abandon not only our physical strength, but at last even our mind for the sake of comfort, modern society of tomorrow will have a serious problem that will be tough to curb again.
Now one might say, as long as you damage or hurt yourself: "Your own fault! You’ve sacrificed your brain voluntarily to the virus." Just like in the case described above. Or like the person in the newspaper the other day, who completely handed her brain over to her mobile navigation system and eventually drove her car into a harbor basin, despite clearly visible warning signs placed aside the road long before the basin. Another person driving into a river, a third one into a military training area. Blub, blub, boom. No, such zombies are probably beyond helping.
However, if such braindead individuals affect other people and innocent bystanders become victims or even fatally harmed casualties of the zombie virus, it gets extremely dangerous. Here, a rethinking must finally take place in society. Or rather an awareness that the virus must, if not eradicated, at least be put in dormant phases again. Be it by a general law that forbids any moving traffic participant (including pedestrians) the use of smartphones and other portable digital devices with screens, or by tougher penalties once an accident happens due to the usage. Preferably both.
Either way I think it’s become disturbingly apparent how more and more people become hypnotized zombies by those small devices in their hands, and run onto streets, cycle paths, or whereever, without caring in the slightest about their environment. Or if they might endanger themselves or other people.
So in case you meet someone who once again expresses his wish for the zombie apocalypse to come about, wise this person up about his desire and that it’s something to rather not joke about!
Because those creatures are already among us. And they are far more dangerous than any TV-zombie series could make us believe.
What you can do yourself against the virus: Think! Pay attention to your surroundings! Be smart yourself! And should you get caught in the zombies’ clutches after all or even be infected by the virus yourself, well then... good luck!
I thought about doing this quite a few times in the past already, yet somehow always ended up not doing it. Today however, and out of nowhere, it crossed my mind once again how deeply grateful I feel for the exciting encounters I’ve had in my life so far with all kinds of different people. So here I finally go and simply wanna express my gratitude
- To all those who’ve crossed my path so far and made this time meaningful (at least to me). Be it years, months, days, hours or just a few minutes. Heck, there were even memorable and crucial encounters that lasted just a few seconds.
- To those who make moments magical.
- To those who share their warmth and time.
- To those whose eyes shine.
- To those who make me laugh.
- To those who care about people and nature.
- To those who are incorruptable.
- To those who surprise.
- To those who have a story to tell.
- To those who did their best, wanted and deserved more from me, but just couldn’t get it.
- To those who are and stay authentic, no matter what happens.
- To those who embrace life as it comes.
- To those who taught me something.
- To those who listen.
- To those who love.
- To those who are brave.
- To those who had a positive impact on my life without knowing it.
- To those who inspire(d) me.
- To those who still secretly pass by on this website to see what I’m up to.
- To those who value the little things.
- To those strangers who care more than longtime friends.
- To those friends who care more than family.
- To those who have a backbone.
- To those who stay curious.
- To those who enrich through their presence.
- To those who dig deeper.
- To those who learn.
- To those who develop.
- To those who just do.
- And to those who marvel.
I’m sure I forgot to name a few more but it doesn’t really matter. Because from time to time, those I forgot right now will pass through my mind again, too. No matter even if we’ve lost contact by now, and no matter if you read these lines or not: If you’re among those people, you can be sure I’ll keep carrying you around inside me and that there’ll always be at least one person in the world that deeply appreciates your existence.
So, to sum this up rather short ’n sweet: Thanks for being! :)
Step 1: It’s christmas season. Once again, the supermarket added your favorite chocolate bar to its seasonal line of goods, which you’ve been waiting for all year: The "Baumstamm"! You revel those blissful moments when you take a bite out of this delicate sweet! Week after week. Bar after bar. Yum, yum, yum.
Step 2: It’s January 7. You’re shocked when you realize this seasonal chocolate bar has been removed again from the product line. That early already?! You wistfully reminisce about the last purchased bar and secretly blame yourself for having devoured it so quickly. Just why didn’t you save a little of it for the rest of the year, ration it better?! Well whatever, now you can’t change it anymore. In the following weeks, everytime you do grocery shopping, you’re overcome by a slight feeling of grief when you see the former spot of your sweet temptation now being occupied by jars of pickles. And you seriously start wondering if you shouldn’t submit a written proposal to the supermarket manager, suggesting to provide that chocolate bar throughout the whole year, or at least longer than just in winter time. Then, on an especially brutal day, you even find an old, ripped "Baumstamm" packing in your jacket pocket! Pure soul aching!
Step 3: It’s February 7. Once again you run through the supermarket, fancy something sweet, and just when you’re about to settle for an ordinary bar of candy - you see the BAUMSTAMM! In a new packaging, as a "Spring Edition"! Your heart jumps! This edition has never been offered before! And you hadn’t even written that letter with the proposal to the supermarket manager! You blink twice but it’s not a hallucination. The bars are still lying right in front of you! Were your prayers heard? Is it magic? Luck? Fate?
Oh heck, who cares! You’re full of happiness when you come back home, rip the wrapping, and indulge in the taste of your favorite chocolate bar melting on your tongue! Bliss has returned. And springtime can come! :)