It is Halloween. Streets are filled with scary creatures. Those watching horror movies at home cover their eyes to escape from the fear.
But you don’t. You are ready. When someone (or something) bangs on the door, you are prepared to encounter slashed brains and cut-off hands. You are ready to save yourself. But tell me, are you really prepared?
Are you ready for a zombie attack?
You know zombies: the living dead, those dreadful creatures that hunt you by night. Arms stretched, ready to grab you. Teeth filthy but sharp. Urge to bite you. Can you escape them?
The System
Many of us live in a social system that is very much structured and organized. What if that ‘System’ would collapse? What would you do?
Our own laziness and addiction to comfort prevented us from preparing for a social system-black out. We have become dependent on our system way too much. Just think about it, how many of you have ever lived without electricity, transportation, communication, running water or sanitation?
Now back to the zombies.
Imagine when zombies take over our world and cut all our lifelines. Would you manage to survive? Could you live in a world ruled by zombies, far away from security and comfort?
Zombies and travel
Let’s take his (horrible) idea a bit further and link it to our desire to travel (this is a travel blog). Our desire to be a nomad and to travel the far corners of the world.
Research does show that large numbers of families leave the comfortable system behind and start traveling the world. More people favor a nomadic travel lifestyle rather than being restricted by routines and regulations. Restricted by the system. A lifestyle without all the comfortable hardware you had available back home. A new lifestyle where you can shut off your mobile devices and be really disconnected. A lifestyle where a hot shower or a shelter against the rain is not guaranteed.
These nomads are preparing for the wake of the zombies.
These people are practicing to live without the system. They are the ones who are not scared if someone (or something) bangs on the door. They are ready.
Escape by traveling
We need escapes. It’s a luxury problem, but we need to get out of our daily chains and live that adventurous life we always wanted for ourselves when we were a kid. Chains called mortgage, money, work, luxurious comfort, our own doubts and hesitations, even our little mobile screens turn us into zombies. Traveling is an escape from the zombie life.
I can already hear another zombie screaming from inside the woods. A warning call.
Now go out and celebrate Halloween!
This blog post was inspired by Manuel Loigeret and is my weird contribution to the worldwide Halloween madness! How are you celebrating Halloween?
