Is The Current Zombie Craze Hurting America?

Is America's love affair with zombies hurting us as a nation? That what Fox News talking head Dr. Manny Alvarez thinks. The Walking Dead, World War Z, and countless video games fuel our seemingly unquenchable desire to see corpses decapitated. This is the problem, according to Dr. Alvarez: the violence. He says that we are becoming desensitized to the gore and that,

"The idea of a zombie-infested world inspires fantasies of monsters possessed by an uncontrollable rage to kill, and viewers get a thrill imagining what it would be like to participate in this new world order."

Umm, I don't find the prospect of living in the world of The Walking Dead thrilling at all. Their lives suuuucckk. I'd like to be able to walk to the corner bodega for a Slim Jim and some Shiner Bock without having to battle an army of flesh-eating corpses. I would argue that the current zombie craze is actually helping us as a nation. For one thing, the violence isn't directed at living humans but at formerly alive people that are now brain sucking monsters. Would you object to staking vampires through the heart? Of course not! Plus, just in case there is a zombie apocalypse, these shows and games are getting us all ready. If anything it's a public service. It's like a simulator game for the apocalypse that anyone can train for. When the ghouls are trying to get to you and you only have a Swiss Army knife, a stick, and some twine you are going to be thankful that The Walking Dead taught you what to do.