• Traditional African and Haitian zombies were not capitalistic, rather thought of as “slaves” either awakened from the dead or hypnotized into a magically induced catatonic state to carry out the will of the zombie master
• “Our present fascination with monsters fascination with zombies bespeaks of a society riven by fears and anxieties of various kinds, including uncertainty about the future.”
• Anthropologist Elizabeth Bird: “We use monsters to try to explain our society, which is why zombies have become our favorite surrogates when it comes to expressing the fear of nuclear and pandemic catastrophes and environmental collapse, as well as the idea that we are consuming ourselves.”
• “Zombie hordes may best express present anxieties about the dreadful fate of a world inhabited by post-human crowds of mindless, soulless consumers. I would further argue that our fixation with apocalyptic fantasies is fundamentally tied to the widespread conviction that there is no possible alternative to capitalism as a world-wide economic system, paired with the growing realization, or at least the suspicion, that the logical evolution of global capitalism will inexorably lead to our self-destruction.”
• Veronica Roth, author of Divergent, was asked why people gravitate towards dystopias. “These books are perfect for people who like to ask, “what if?” The majority of the characters in dystopian and post-apacolyptic literature have a lot of agency - they take charge of their lives in environments that make it hard for them to do so.”
  • We can empathize with this 
• “This self-reflective cynicism is why the zombie hordes are the perfect monsters for the age of global capitalism. They are the face of globalization, our dark mirror image, our sweat shops, our landfills, our pollution, an infinitely reproducible and exportable product of the mass-culture industry, a sign of the times, and a warning of things to come.” 
• Robert Kirkman from the Walking Dead: “Apocalyptic storytelling is appealing when people are having apocalypitc thoughts. With the global economic problems and everything else, a lot of people feel we’re heading into dark times. As bad as it is for society, I am benefiting greatly.” 
  
  

I think this chart does a great job at showing why we often have such a difficult time discussing economic hardship across generations. It does surprise me that the under 35 category is higher than 35-54. However, I would be interested in better understanding the graph to see how significant that difference is. Those three categories are at least in the same quarter of the chart, which the 65 and older category is in a completely different half than almost all of the other demographics.

Chart #2 - Life Expectancy

What sticks out at me the most from this chart is the difference in life expectancy between the lowest and highest classes. Just recently, the New York Times wrote an article about how a college degree (a signifier of class) can change how long and quality your life is, and this was exasperated by the pandemic. "Adult life expectancy for this group started out two and a half years lower, at 51.6, in 1992 — so an average individual would live to nearly 77 years old. But by 2021, it was 49.8 years (or almost 75 years old), roughly eight and a half years less than people with college degrees, and those without had lost 3.3 years during the pandemic."

Chart #3 - Education Inequality

I found this chart very interesting, especially considering that the Asian-American community is often seen as the "model minority" and excelling specifically in academics. I think this chart can still show how there is a significant barrier for certain groups to enter higher education.

The film follows an argument between two individuals on a news segment that is airing live. It grows increasingly heated, until zombies eventually enter the room. The scientist figure is advocating to kill the dead bodies which carry this disease by shooting them in the head. 

2. Roger Demarco and his team raid a low income housing unit. Roger asks: "Why do these people keep them here?", how does Peter respond? -What does this allude to about society? about the police/government?

He says they stay because there is still respect in dying. Ultimately, the only thing the people here have are other people. Unlike the main characters, they don’t have the privilege of jumping into a helicopter and flying off, or being the person behind the guns doing the killing. We can see the police and government are more than happy to call orders to kill their own people - it’s something they have done in the past and will do again.

3. What do Stephen and his girlfriend Fran plan on doing? What would you do?

The couple makes plans to meet on top of the roof that night to catch a helicopter. If I had access to a helicopter, I would definitely prefer that over sheltering in place, especially somewhere heavily populated. Truthfully, I don’t think I would react very well to a high stress situation like that, especially if I had to witness mass death around me.

4. Where does the group of four decide to seek shelter? Why would this be a good place? What problems do they encounter there? Which economic issues are represented?

They seek shelter in the mall after visiting a few other sites, like an airport. However, the airport has run out of gas, already signaling scarcity. The mall is a good location because it has been relatively isolated from scavengers and has different types of emergency and standard supplies, like the gun store. 

5. Are the Zombies cannibals? What does the film say?

Yes and no. It seems like biting is more motivated by violence rather than hunger. We don’t see a lot of zombie scenes we’re used to now of them feasting on flesh. 

6. At one point Francine asks "What are they doing? Why do they come here?" and Stephen responds with "Some kind of instinct. Memory, of what they used to do. This was an important place in their lives." What does this mean? How can we interpret this? What is the film trying to convey or expose?

This part of the movie is meant to be a critique of consumerism. If muscle memory is based on what we do most frequently or most passionately, for many, shopping will be the answer either way. The intercut of the shopping scenes of the survivors shows there isn’t much of a difference between the undead and the living. 

7. How does Dawn of the Dead explore the challenge of resource allocation and the struggles faced by the remaining humans in managing these resources? What would you do differently or similarly to these characters?

The film shows how much of the survivors' energy is spent on trying to gather resources. From relocating to different areas, taking extraneous risks, and executing elaborate plans, they try many different strategies to achieve a sustainable survival. Truthfully, I don’t think I would be as trusting as the other characters if I didn’t know the people within my group well. I would be more inclined to have a few people I am extremely close to and know their abilities. 

8. How does Dawn of the Dead address the long-term sustainability of the survivors' situation in the mall? What economic principles can be applied to their attempts to maintain stability?

Resource scarcity is definitely apparent in the mall. While there is an abundance of resources in general, like the dozens of clothing stores filled to the brim, not all of it is directly beneficial and therefore does not hold the same value in this new economy. 

9. How does Dawn of the Dead use the shopping mall to critique consumer culture and materialism? What parallels can be drawn between the film and society?

The symbolism of the shopping mall is a strong image to relate to consumerism. It is a space literally solely designated to consume - shop after shop lined up, with more shops and booths in between. The parallel can be seen if you squint your eyes just a bit - people/zombies walk through the mall, mindless, moving on muscle memory. They consume because something (their instincts or their circumstances) tell them to consume. 

10.  Throughout the film, there are several economic themes that are expressed. Here is a list of some of those themes. Choose the one that speaks to you the most, and explain how this theme is presented in the film -the obstacles, and issues faced by survivors (and zombies) etc. and how this may reflect on our current society, does this theme still resonate today? How?

I chose to look at value and necessity. I think reframing our current settings (such as malls) in the context of pure survival, like a zombie apocalypse, can be helpful in showing how frivolous some of our actions and items are. For example, the stores filled with clothes and trinkets are worth almost nothing in the face of the gun store. However, most of those guns would have been valued for hunting or to be shown off, rather than for day to day survival. This shows that value and necessity are all subjective concepts which can switch and impact what individuals are willing to exchange, buy, or sell in an economy, 

2. Themes

   1. Key Terms

      1. Capitalism

         1. The socio-economic system dominant in the Western world since the breakup of feudalism, in which means of production are privately owned and production is guided and income distributed largely based on pursuit of profits. (Adapted from Britannica)

      2. Mutual Aid 

         1. When people in a community get together to meet each other’s needs built on the principles of direct action, cooperation, mutual understanding, and solidarity. It also relies on a horizontal mode of organization, aiming to break down hierarchies and practice collective decision making. In simpler terms, mutual aid is cooperation for the common good.

         2. However, Capitalism has disrupted this tendency within humans – as systems of private property and wage labor were created, it has led to alienation from our natural tendency to care for each other. 

      3. Anthropocene

         1. The term combines "anthro," meaning human, with "era," denoting a geological period. The concept suggests that human activities, particularly those associated with industrialization and the modern era, have led to profound and often irreversible changes in the Earth's atmosphere and ecosystems in the current age.

      4. Capitalocene 

         1. Where the Anthropocene focuses on humanity as the driving force, Capitalocene highlights the role of our economic system in shaping and driving environmental changes. It suggests that the primary impact on the Earth's ecosystems is not just a result of human activities in general but is particularly influenced by capitalism as a near-global socio-economic system.

         2. "Anthropogenic implicates an actor that doesn’t exist. There is no Anthropos, no humanity as a unified actor. So, if not anthropogenic, what? In a word: capitalogenic." (Moore)

• What lessons can we apply from fungi to how our socio-economic choices intersect with our ecosystem?

and the environment, as each generation has their own circumstances and culture which shifts
their views.
“What Would the Mushrooms Say?” Speculating Inclusive and Optimistic Futures with
Nature as Teacher
Reade, Julia. “‘what Would the Mushrooms Say?’ Speculating Inclusive and Optimistic
Futures with Nature as Teacher.” MDPI, Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute, 3
Aug. 2022, www.mdpi.com/2076-0787/11/4/97.
This text “envisions a healing-centered, interdisciplinary approach to climate discourse in
learning spaces, one that centers the theoretical and practical applications of an Indigenous
science to flip the dominant narratives we tell about the dystopic dead ends of climate change.”
This piece will be valuable in bringing a postcolonial perspective to my discussions on climate
change, which (like many academic disciplines) is dominated by a western bias and
methodology.
The Mushroom at the End of the World by Anna Tsing
Tsing. The Mushroom at the End of the World: On the Possibility of Life in Capitalist
Ruins. Princeton University, 2015.
In this book, the author explores larger topics of the global economic system, supply chain,
consumption, and its impact on the environment through the lens of a mushroom. Ursula Le
Guin, a well known author and activist, wrote, “Scientists and artists know that the way to handle
an immense topic is often through close attention to a small aspect of it.” This book will allow me
to take a hyper focused approach to a fungal connection to our economic system.
Secondary Sources

The People Who Study Fungus Know Why It’s Suddenly Taking Over Horror
Byron, Aubrey. “The People Who Study Fungus Know Why It’s Suddenly Taking over
Horror.” Slate Magazine, Slate, 10 Feb. 2023,
slate.com/culture/2023/02/last-of-us-hbo-mushroom-fungus-horror.html.
This source gives a varied overview of fungi in modern literature, historical media, as well as its
scientific benefits and threats. This will be helpful in providing areas for further research, such
as older movies and stories I may not be familiar with. It also references and gives context for
pieces I already plan to analyze in my project.
Zombie Masses: Monsters for the Age of Global Capitalism by David Castillo
Castillo, David R. “Zombie masses: Monsters for the age of global capitalism.” Zombie
Talk: Culture, History, Politics, 2016, pp. 39–62,
https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137567727_3.
While this piece does not explicitly connect to fungal monsters, a significant amount of fungal
horror media results in a zombie-like state. For example, The Last of Us creates a zombie with
the typical features of losing a grasp on the human language and desire for flesh, but it is
passed through spores infecting the air or food supply. Overall, this piece of writing will help me
connect a common monstrous depiction within my theme to the effects of global capitalism. It
also explores broader connections of economic anxieties to apocalyptic film, which is a
prominent feature in the media I will be exploring.

There are humans, then zombies, then the Bonies - in that progression. If your brain remains intact after being attacked, you become a zombie, and it is implied that Bonies are what happens after losing the rest of your humanity. The last category definitely seems the most monstrous, not only visually but also because they seem less empathetic and more prone to violence. In our perspective in the film, the zombies almost feel more human to me - you can understand their feelings of isolation, loneliness, and alienation. The opening monologue is a testament to that emotional appeal. 

2. How does R describe a typical "zombie"? How would you define the "zombie" in this film? How is it different from the Returned in They Came Back or the zombies from Romero's Dawn of the Dead?

They’re slow, non-verbal, emotionally unavailable creatures. The movie within the film describes them as “not bleeding, not thinking.” They seem to almost be an in between of the other two representations of zombies that we’ve seen. They have more emotions than Dawn of the Dead, but are more visibly similar to that film, where They Came Back portrayed them as more humanlike. 

3. Why the airport? What does the airport represent? What makes this space different from Romero's choice of the Mall as the setting in Dawn of the Dead ? (What makes it similar)? 

R essentially reflects a similar reason we were given in Dawn of the Dead - it’s people repeating their past lives. For example, we see a zombie mopping the floor or scanning bodies - two jobs which serve no actual purpose now that they’re dead. Yet their jobs are what they return back to. It is the most essential part of them. While this seems to focus more on labor, Romero focused on consumerism. This could open up a wide range of Marxist critiques showing that we place more emphasis on our work than consumption now. 

4. Why do zombies (in this film) like to eat brains? Why is this important?

They get their memories, thoughts, and feelings. It essentially allows them to feel human again. Death is a very alienating experience in this film. 

5. What does Grigio's wall, and the human settlement within represent, in your opinion?

It seems to be an almost elitist frame of mind. Many of the middle class are fighting to stay in that category, or people in the upper class look down on what they know is always a possibility. This creates a competitive environment where you want to protect your status in a decaying world. 

6. Just as the zombies are attempting to become human again, there are initiatives that claim an attempt to "rehumanize" the economy. Google concepts such as the Solidarity Economy,Links to an external site.  or the Community EconomyLinks to an external site.. What do these movements have in common with the zombies in the film?

Besides the Bonies, which seem to hold status as almost another type of creature, there is very little hierarchal organizing within the zombies. They also rarely turn to violence against each other, working as a cohesive group. For example, the first scene where R meets Julie, nobody is taking on a lead or fighting each other for food, even though they’re all hungry. It was a collectively made decision.  

7. What is the key to the cure? -If there is one.

There is a cure that is discovered in the movie. Unlike most horror or sci-fi movies, it’s not rooted in science, but human connection. If their brain remains intact, having an emotional connection with those around them can help. 

8. Which part of society does Grigio (the dad) represent? the Bonies? what do they represent? -in your opinion

I think the dad partially represents the elitist of a society, as discussed above. The Bonies seem to show a progression of alienation. They seem to be more disconnected, unable to truly speak to each other in the way that the normal zombies sometimes manage to. It could be interpreted as them being literally more “hollow” with their gaunt appearance. 

9. The zombies like to live through other people's dreams (ie eating brains) -how is this similar to the "real' world? (Apart fro eating human brains).  

We turn to movies, tv shows, books, plays, etc… to root us in another world, person, or emotion. We frequently turn to escapism fantasies in order to cope with the world around us - a boom in escape rooms, alternative spaces like Meta, connections with AI models pretending to be human, and other developments in our economy reflect this need. 

I think the answer is within the question - it allows us to escape from our worries, anxieties, pressures, etc... In our imagination, we can be a hero that rises to the occasion, or turn inward, exploring for our own sake. Our modern economic system matched with our mass media creates so much subtle despair. Even if you are not directly experiencing harm, you are aware of it - both the immediate (like crime) or long term (climate change). Escaping into the fictional allows us to shake off these worries, and even potentially explore another view or solution.  

2. Why do we build these types of immersions: game rooms, haunted houses, meow wolf -where we are invited to exit the real world, and deal with aliens, ghosts, being locked in a room etc. ? There is clearly interest, otherwise this business venture would have floundered, how can we explain why these types of venues are so successful?

These types of immersions allow us to actively play into whatever fantasy or daydream version we have of ourselves. We can be brave in a haunted house, or quick to solutions in an escape room. Board games I think also partially fall into this category - it allows us to exercise skills in a measured way we normally don't have in real life. Ultimately, we know this won't have any material impact on our lives, but we can still allow our emotions to fully immerse themselves in the moment. 

3. Do you like these types of experiences? If you have experienced Meow Wolf, what are your thoughts?

I think these experiences can be fun. I think DnD is similar to this, but more based on your imagination rather than the physical immersion of a haunted house or escape room. I think I would mostly enjoy Meow Wolf for it's aesthetics and craftsmanship, similar to most haunted houses. 

• Rhizomatic: theory and research that allows for multiple, non-hierarchical entry and exit points in data representation and interpretation.

• Intro to Fungi

  • Fungi as a cultural figure 

  • History of fungi in gothic literature 
    
    

Analyses 

• Fungi as Zombie Creators 

  • Zombies as economic figures

  • Zombie Masses: Monsters for the Age of Global Capitalism by David Castillo

• Infection as a conscious choice

  • Gaia

  • What Moves the Dead

• Feminisms

  • Escape from patriarchy

    • There is no hierarchy in death

    • What Moves the Dead

• Fungi as Apocalyptic Actors

• Fungi as Solutions 

• Psychedelics? 

  • Gaia

NOTES

Present both problem and solution to capitalism 

• Fungi as uncanny 

  • Decay

• Present alternative model for eco-social relations

Uncanny

• Gaia

  • Argue it also connects to environmental grotesque 

    • Connecting line to capitolocene 

      • Final scene is literally consumption at a nameless food chain 

• Last of Us

• Mexican Gothic ?

• The Marigold ?

Environmental Grotesque 

• Annihilation 

Robert Kirkman from the Walking Dead: “Apocalyptic storytelling is appealing when people are having apocalyptic thoughts. With the global economic problems and everything else, a lot of people feel we’re heading into dark times. As bad as it is for society, I am benefiting greatly.”

1. Europeans are worried about economic growth because the limits of growth have been reached. This has contributed to the mass and quickly growing effects of climate change. The system as it is now is simply not sustainable. 

2. The same unsustainable economic growth that is happening in Europe is happening possibly on an even larger scale in the United States. An example of this is called the Walmart Effect where Walmart, a large corporate chain which is a figurehead of excess, poorly made consumerist products (many of which end up in a landfill quickly). In addition, the global economy is so interconnected that it easily creates a chain reaction - and, of course, everyone lives on planet earth. Harm to the planet in one area is harm to any other, but it also disproportionally effects the poor and marginalized communities. 

3. I agree that it is unsustainable as we know it now. If we could shift our idea of economic growth from primarily being about producing more profit and products, and picture instead growth as an internal factor. Growth in the economy could mean better fulfillment for in jobs, areas becoming more independent for their essential needs, or diversifying types of labor. 

4. I found it interesting that the author characterized it as a post-growth continent. I would be curious to know why certain areas haven't grown, and if that trend translates over to the United States.

Example:

One example I thought of when it came to the law of unintended consequences is government funded financial incentives for traffic tickets. The government has funded billions of dollars for grants to providing officers with bonuses for meeting quotas or bringing in more tickets ($600 million a year according to the New York Times), yet this hasn’t resulted in better public safety or a police force that “protects and serves.’ Even if there isn’t a set quota, at least 20 states have evaluated police performance on the amount of traffic stops per hour, which erodes public trust and dissuades officers from actually focusing on public safety. For example, an investigation found that in states like Ohio, officers would charge drunk drivers with negligence and public intoxication, rather than drunk driving because the lower ranking tickets keep the financial incentives within the local police instead of the district level. On top of all of this, traffic stops are also a frequent site of violence against non-dangerous individuals and disproportionately impacts people of color. According to an analysis of over 4,000 traffic stops, where an average 70% involved black motorists despite making up a much smaller portion of the population. 

Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/10/31/us/police-ticket-quotas-money-funding.html 

Parody mimics another style for comedic effect, and usually applying that to something that doesn’t quite fit. An example I found online was Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. Satire has a similar idea, but it tries to draw sympathy, care, or passion for a particular subject. 

I think this piece would be a parody because it doesn’t have a clear call to action or mirror to a social issue. It’s something you have to pull more for yourself. 

2. What are some common gothic tropes that are used in the film/musical? What is the effect?

The gothic tropes include dead/undead binary, body horror, as well as setting, which even relates to vampire storylines. 

3. Which parts of Young Frankenstein seem to be an homage to the works upon which it is based, and which seem to poke fun? What is the effect?

I think the themes of connection is more of a homage to the original work, and the feelings that Shelley likely had while writing it. I think that the stereotypes that each character embodies definitely poke fun at it more than respects or makes commentary on the tropes. 

4. Young Frankenstein again takes up the nature vs. nurture debate. While watching the musical/film, pay attention to the monster's inclusion in society, to Frederick's behavior towards his monster and its development. What do you notice?

I think both stories lend towards the nurture debate, but in this new rendition, it is not as much fear or a negative reception that guides the behavior. This could definitely draw the script to themes of generational trauma or differences, which we have previously discussed. 

5. Connections between the Book and 1931 film to Young Frankenstein:

6. Since Young Frankenstein's 1974 production, it has become one of the most profitable comedies ever made, and in 2003, the Library of Congress declared that the film is one of America's most "culturally, historically or aesthetically significant" motion pictures. Why do you think that this work continues to speak to audiences? What elements / issues remain current in contemporary society?

I think that time and space has created an even greater desire for media that plays on previous tropes in a fun, new way. It fulfills typical expectations for media consumption, by being a high quality production and making the audience laugh. However, it also gives us a feel-good feeling that the original storyline completely lacks. 

The fourth dimension is an alternative dimension that does not fit within our current view of the world. It’s how we are “trapped” in time. 

2. Why does the Time Traveler want to travel into the future? What does he hope to find?

He is hoping for a better future. If he is able to find a better future, then he can return and solve these issues or guide people towards teh solutions. 

3. Who are the Eloi?

The eloi are the “people” of the future, with seemingly less control and awareness of their situation.

4. Why is the Time Traveler disappointed with the Eloi? What did he conclude about them?

He thinks that they’re careless because while it may be a better future, he doesn’t think they are more advanced and they can’t help him in the way he thought. 

5. Who are the  Morlocks? What is their relation with the Eloi? What is the dynamic between the two species? How did they evolve?  What is the social/economic commentary within this situation?

The Morlocks are essentially the overlords of the Eloi. They live underground and harvest the Eloi. It is definitely a hierarchical relationship. 

6. Thinking of our presentations from Thursday on sociality and morality, along with industrial workers and disability, how can we account for the evolution of the Eloi and the Morlocks? In your opinion, is such a future possible (outside of the confines of actual evolution amongst species)? Support your argument through the film, and other films and readings from the class. 

One could argue that this depicts a colonial relationship, with one group having control over another. However, this could easily tie into negative stereotypes as the Eloi are not depicted as the most intellectual group. I think this is a similar issue if you compare this to a class difference, with the implication that the wealthy are in that position because they are more intelligent. It seems almost implicit that a relationship like this would develop, because they seem as if they are two entirely different creatures.