Zombie Cliche Lookout: After Action Report
I’m borrowing this trope from action stories more than zombie fiction, but I still think it fits well into both. After all, there is a lot of action in zombie movies, especially given how often genres are blended these days in search of something fresh and exciting. Anyway, you know the drill. Our heroes have just survived some big damn fight. The zombies are dead, and now it’s time to review and discuss what happened to ensure that everyone is on the same page and that nothing important was missed in all the confusion of action. In the zombie version of this trope, one of the first subjects touched upon is whether anyone was hurt, especially if there are any bite of scratch wounds indicative of a zombie infection.
About this Episode:
I’m using a bit of visual communication here to hint at what Cheryl and Russell are doing in the pharmacy. As you can see from the large sack Russell is carrying, they’re looting the place. We’ve discussed more than a few times the importance of having first aid and medical supplies in an emergency situation, but a few of you have already figured out that Cheryl and company’s needs might be a little more acute than just general supply gathering (AKA looting).
Discussion Question: Slackers
In a survival situation, you want everyone pulling their weight. That’s the ideal, anyway. The reality is going to be something much, much different. As we are all painfully aware, each of us has different strengths and weaknesses. We like to imagine ourselves thriving in the midst of the zombie apocalypse because we have a tendency to downplay the parts of ourselves that would make us less than successful. Extrapolate that a bit, and you’ll soon realize that, the larger your group, the more people who won’t be immediately useful.
This leads to the question: assuming you have some level of leadership over your group, how would you deal with those people who, like Russell, don’t appear to be doing their fair share?
I don’t think Sam knows about Russell, though Cheryl and the rest of the group know about him. What are the chances Sam’s going to be suspicious, at least until he gets to know who Russell is, and why he’s with the group?
Sam left the group in Episode 113, yes, that’s quite a few episodes back, that’s 557 episodes they’ve been separated from Sam. I didn’t count 112, the last episode they were actually with him. Excepting Cheryl, who found him in Episode 666, and has been separated from Sam for 553 episodes, the rest of the group still haven’t been reunited with him! 😀
My math might be one off either way, off but I think it’s pretty much in the ballpark, so to speak. 😀 Dave might know for sure! 😀
My apologies to everyone if the statistical analysis is a little boring, I only managed an average grade when it came to dealing with math subject material touching on statistical analysis! 😀
NOTE: As Cheryl was unidentified until Episode 666, I’m not actually counting her or Russell as actually being with Sam, until Episode 666, Cheryl was just an unidentified persona. 😀
My head still hurts after reading your posts 😀
As you imagine I’m below average when it comes to math stuff!
Well, if it’s of any consolation, I did use the Calculator program included with Windows 10! 😉
Tough question of the day… I mean we face those situations everyday at work, or team sports or at home… But facing this kind of “unbalanced share of workload” in a death situation as a Z A might aggravate the feelings of people.
Yet… Expressing those feelings, and I only speak for myself, basically means the end of the group… Fair or not, justified or not.
As you pointed out Dave, being a leader means you’ll have to manage everyone strength and weakness. Not only because someone is good at something and someone’s not… But because you’ll have to make everybody feel everyone is involved.
Or take decisions about those who don’t act for the greater good ON PURPOSE. I insist, ON PURPOSE.
Well said, pi3rk! Being a leader and having to make those kinds of decisions is what will separate the leaders from the followers, though! 😀 Ultimately, making a tough decision not only will prove or disprove your authority to do so, it will separate those who dissent from your views from those who follow and agree with your views! 😉
If you are gonna be a leader… You wanna be an dictator, huh? Thin line is the border…
Hmm, Dave must be a bit busy, I haven’t seen any replies from him yet! 😀
@ BrickVoid,
I didn’t forget I have to send you my LDD files. I think that I’ll email it, if you’re ok with that.
I’m still considering creating a blog but I’m not there yet (maybe at the end of 2016). So if you’re still interested let me know.
I think I’ve played the ‘use them for zombie bait!’ reply one too many times ao, I would imagine just put them to work and train them.
With out electricity to power our tablets, tvs, games, and Facebook I imagine people will have less distractions to prevent them from doing their jobs.
Doing their jobs well, that is another story and really just depends on how quickly people can learn and adapt to the new enviroment.
Some people will some people wont, its probibly still better than being left alone in the Zed Incasion either way
Malingerers in the Zombipocolypse might not last too long around me, before I go all Carol “look at the flowers!” on them! OTOH, there can be bottleneck situations where you don’t want folks tripping over each other and accidentally hurting themselves , like fighting Zeds *in* a doorway (not a good time to machete chop your battle buddy!) Then it might be acceptable to say “You looked like you had it under control,” even tho in the heat of the moment it might not have felt that way.
I think any punishment could backfire, tho, as they might take offense at being singled out for “unfair”treatment, start plotting a way to strike back, and compromise the crew’s safety. Look at the last season of TWD: some teenage hormonal jealousy, and Carl nearly gets capped before the Walkers overrun the town. Then everybody scrambles to shelter, the boys fight it out some more, Rick saves the day, and the sniveling brat gets slapped around, waking up to realize he nearly got everybody killed for his *youthful indiscretion*.