Zombie Cliche Lookout: Risk Aversion
Zombie survival, and really any kind of survival, is largely about managing risks. Note that I did not say completely avoiding or mitigating risks, because such a thing is not possible, and attempts to do so can end up getting you killed. Let’s use today’s episode to break this down. Vicky is going to take the role of the character who wants to avoid risk altogether, so she’s looking to Barb to provide an option that is completely safe, when it’s clear that no such option exists.
Vicky is making the mistake of focusing only on the risks of both plans. She can’t stay where she is because they lack the supplies, but she can’t leave because there is a high probability of getting attacked. As a result, her ability to make a weighted, informed decision is compromised, if not completely broken. If Vicky was the only person there capable of making a decision, she’d get herself and everyone else killed through inaction.
About this Episode:
Little Teddy isn’t smiling anymore. In fact, it seems like he’s quite traumatized about the whole situation. I guess that’s what happens when your dad gets shot and your house is surrounded by zombies that want to eat you. That sort of thing is tough for a kid.
Discussion Question: Weighing Risks
Today’s discussion question is a bit meta, but I’m going to roll with it anyway because why not? Put yourself into a zombie survival situation not dissimilar to the one our characters are in. Throughout the course of your day, you’re going to have to make plenty of decisions ranging from the mundane to the life-and-death. Given how dangerous the world is (because: zombies), how do you go about assessing and weighing risks against one another? Do you prioritize short term safety over long-term gains? Prioritize action? Let’s hear it.
Typo alerts: “Not that I did not say completely avoiding or mitigating risks” Change the “Not” at the beginning of this sentence to “Note” 😀
The above is a double negative typo, I had to read it twice because it almost made sense! 😉
Formatting problem: “in.Throughout” add a space (or two if that’s how you roll) after the full stop at this sentence’s end (“in.”). This is not a domain name or site name! 😉
Typo: “Let’s here it” here–>hear 😀
Some odd typos there, Dave! Question: Why isn’t your spell checker or word processor catching these for you? 😀
Not and here weren’t caught because they’re spelled correctly, just the wrong word. Ugh, fixed all.
Regarding this episode itself, barb is increasingly coming across as someone without all the answers. Maybe she’s not the leader she thought she was, who here thinks Barb might have bitten off more than she can chew? 😀
I don’t know about that. I don’t expect people to have all the answers; that’s impossible.
Also, I thought for sure there was a recent movie that used “I don’t know” or a similar phrase as a setup for something, or possibly as a gag. Anyone recongize from where it originated? 😀
Google just isn’t doing it for me, today! 😉 Time for savvy commenters to get one up on Google! 😀
I’ve got nothing on this one.
On the old kid’s show “You can’t do that on television,” one of the actors saying “I don’t know” was the trigger for having a bucket of green slime dumped on them.
Oh man, you dug deep for that one.
Ted’s not the kind of guy to have buckets of green slime in his basement, although it would be a hilarious gag! 😀
Oh yeah, that’s where it came from for sure! My brain got stuck on it being a movie! 😀
Short term safety will lead to long term gains. Mostly because we won’t be prepared for what’s coming right at us. You need to adapt first. Then we’ll know how to deal with our new environment.
Sometimes you have to go all in just because if you don’t there might be no tomorrow… So what’s the point preparing your next move if you don’t actually reach that next point? Short term safety goes first. No brainer to me… Feel free to disagree! LOL
Oooooo good discussion question.
Well, ya cant think long term if you cant survive today, but ya wont live long if you just keep reacting with out planning.
Its a fine ballence, you focus on the short term goals but you keep progressing, if slowly towards the long term. Is it difficult? Yeah, but no one said the zombie invasion would be easy :p