Thread: Why do zombies eat people?

One of the many ways zombies have been known to come to existence...

My favorite is that it's a virus that decays the body and mind, changing their biological functions as a being. Sustenance comes from the only sentient intelligent life they can find, humans. Souls, specifically. All of our body is our being, and is edible and nutritious to the zombies.

that too, spock

All animals have a reproductive insinct. It is the primary qualifier for life. BUT the zombie virus is different. Not only is it a virus it turns humans into a literal virus. A virus cannot reproduce normaly, it must corrupt a host cell to 'reproduce.' Humans become a virus and must procreate by making more zombies. Humans are the only available 'host cell' in this case so they bite humans to infect them. Zombies are just too darn stupid to know that they should quit biting, a virus has no brain and reacts mechanically to impulses. The impulse- See human. Bite it. is ingrainged in the zombie psyche. Without a concious memory, they will keep connecting human to bite it even if they have already bitten it many times. So they eat the whole body, sometimes.

Because it wouldn't be scary if they ate vegetables.

cos when they get hungry they

Originally Posted by cedward1

This question has been puzzling me. It seems so random! If they're dead, why do they need to eat anything? And if they need to eat, why eat people? And if they need to eat people, why don't they eat each other? And if they're decaying, as it appears in numerous videos, what happens to the food they consume? Does it digest? And why don't they ever get full?

The questions are limitless!

Trying to rationalize the irrational is, to some, an art form. It is one of those few art forms which one needs almost no training to engage in, like finger-painting.

Originally Posted by Philosopher8659

Trying to rationalize the irrational is, to some, an art form. It is one of those few art forms which one needs almost no training to engage in, like finger-painting.

Hehe. While I agree with you, it is just a game, man. Why can you only kill vampires with a stake through the heart or sunlight in some mythos? What's the way to stop an evil witch from hexing you? It is all in play, unless cedward actually believes in the walking dead in which case you are fully right.

Originally Posted by spockman

It is all in play, unless cedward actually believes in the walking dead in which case you are fully right.

Hey, it never hurts to be prepared!

Actually, this is an example of the sort of thing I wonder about when I wake up in the middle of the night. I think Philosopher8659 is right, it's sort of an art form. I used to try to think of rational reasons for vampires, too. For example, why don't they reflect? How is non-reflection even physically possible? Dracula doesn't have a beard, so how does he shave with no mirror? And why doesn't he just go to the Blood Bank if he's that desperate?

The virus theory for zombies sounds logical. It is not an unknown principle, and on the cellular level is pretty much how it works. Or else it's like rabies -once bitten you contract the virus and have the urge to bite as well, thereby spreading the virus.

One wonders though if the zombies are instinctively drawn to bite humans if humans could simply put on a gorilla suit and be safe. A zombie mind thinks "human=bite" whereas "gorilla=leave alone". Not only that, they could put department store mannequins out as decoys. That would make for a good movie in my book.

Metaphor for death being the inevitable that you can delay (barricade youself in yo), but which will forever slowly surround and take you despite your struggles against it. Zombies represent our fear and revulsion for dead bodies, because they are the embodiment of human mortality. We the living will be consumed by the dead. Also implies cannibalism, which plays into the horror of zombies being an animalistic, savage parody of modern day functioning humanity.

Simon Pegg on why zombies musn't run, but also his own thoughts as to symbolism.

But mostly because they are hungriez.

According to some study done by Umbrella Corp., zombies have been known to eat other zombies, but once a normal human comes around they go after them. They only eat each other due to malnutrition.

Zombies have been seen consuming the flesh of other zombies, or otherwise infected corpses. This is likely part of the creatures' attempts to gain nutrients. Edward Dewey was spotted consuming an infected corpse, but upon noticing the living and un-infected Rebecca Chambers, he got up and went for her instead.

It is possible that zombies consume living tissue in order to repair their bodies. Nutrients from a newly deceased victim may aide the zombies body, allowing reproduction of the reanimated tissue. The repairing of the body may reactivate the brain. This theory may also explain how Edward Dewey could take more bullets than a normal zombie, upon consuming a recently deceased man. Another example would be the strength of Marvin Branagh after becoming a zombie.

Zombie - The Resident Evil Wiki - Resident Evil 5, Resident Evil 4, walkthroughs, and more

Originally Posted by Spartiate

Because it wouldn't be scary if they ate vegetables.

I would thank your post if I could.

Originally, zombies were only interested in the brain.

Originally Posted by Siиdяed

Metaphor for death being the inevitable that you can delay (barricade youself in yo), but which will forever slowly surround and take you despite your struggles against it. Zombies represent our fear and revulsion for dead bodies, because they are the embodiment of human mortality. We the living will be consumed by the dead. Also implies cannibalism, which plays into the horror of zombies being an animalistic, savage parody of modern day functioning humanity.

Simon Pegg on why zombies musn't run, but also his own thoughts as to symbolism.

But mostly because they are hungriez.

This is good post.