Because Necrophilia is Cool

Before I start this post, I wanted to address the awesome-ness of an email I got this morning. I had a really rough night last night when my 18 page paper got kicked back, requiring a rewrite. That's never happened to me ever and after being built up to be all cocky with a 4.0 since I started grad school over 2 years ago, I was practically having panic attacks like those small children that cry about a B. Anyway, I consoled myself watching Lawless (which is an awesome movie, btw. I know it doesn't sound like much when you hear the plot but it is really good) and being upset about how I contribute nothing to anyone on the planet and fail at life. This morning, someone sent me an email saying thank you and that she was super appreciative of my level of involvement. It was short but very nice so let's all (including myself) try to remember the little things can make a big difference.

ANYWAY!

 Because I'm sure you're perplexed by the post title and don't really care about the aforementioned stuff...

I saw the new movie Warm Bodies in the theater on Sunday. I will warn you that this post is ripe with spoilers but unlike Lawless, the movie is really not all that great and since I predicted the plot when I walked in, I don't know if I'm ruining that much for you.

The story takes place post-apocalypse and to entice all those apocalypse preppers, they never say what actually happened but now we're a generation later with a bunch of zombies running around. Some are "Bonies" which are zombies that have mostly decomposed and are beyond help but the rest are what you see in the traditional zombie movie/show. The story follows one zombie as he talks about being conflicted about eating people and wishes to be more alive. He can initially only speak limited words but his vocab, motor skills, complexion, heart functioning,... all that jazz improve upon meeting this human girl whom he immediately falls in love with. To add a new level, her dad is the big kahuna of the human city and behind this whole idea of a wall to keep out the zombies so we get a nice Romeo and Juliet flare in there. And then to add to the drama *envision the stereotypical drums bum-bum-BUUUUMMM*, the zombie ate the human girl's boyfriend's brains in order to experience his memories and learn about the girl.

Just curious for anyone who has eaten animal brains-- do you have flashes where you envision yourself eating grass or something or is eating brains=getting memories a far creative leap?... Because it seems like a far creative leap.

Anyway, the zombies start becoming more alive with seeing and experiencing human contact and the main character turns fully human and they live happily ever after. I know you didn't see that coming. So the title of the post comes from me seeing the two main characters kiss and I, of course, had to go to a different place with it. Even if he does come back to life, this is something that has been dead for several years. That doesn't bother you? This doesn't bother people in the audience? I mean, gay people getting married and having children is unnatural but having relations with a dead (or formerly dead) person is totally ok because it's heterosexual? Nobody notices this? Ok. And here I've heard how homosexuality is a slippery slope towards bestiality but nobody mentioned how heterosexuality was a slippery slope towards necrophilia. Sorry, I got sidetracked, but can we take a moment to acknowledge how ridiculous our culture can be?

So here is where higher education takes a mundane movie with a waste of John Malkovich (he plays the angry father, protecting his daughter but I'm pretty sure that his appearances in the film could have all been phoned-in with is sad because he's awesome) and makes it something totally different with social commentary-- I read the film as talking about how technology has separated us from each other and made us zombies. I know that sounds silly but go with me on this:

• In the beginning of the movie, the main zombie talks about how we all used to be connected, surrounded by people and the film shows a flashback to now where everyone is on their cell phones, not directly interacting with anyone.
• All the zombies have collected in the airport. The airport is a hub of technology and, in theory, is a place where a ton of cultures are mixed and exposed to each other but in reality, what are we all doing at the airport? We're in our own zone, looking at signs, being dehumanized through searches, and are essentially in a pissed off and anxious state, reaching out to no one.
• The father is trying to wall his child away from zombies/technology but the child is naturally drawn outside the wall and can negotiate the gap between the communities, incorporating zombies/technology without becoming infected/isolated.
• The biggest example is how human interaction/physical connection stems this outbreak of the zombies getting better. Upon the two main characters holding hands, the other zombies start remembering past lives, dreaming, and speaking more just as when we put down the phone, we let our mind wander and talk more to people.

There were other connections that I could make but essentially I started thinking about how technology plays a role in my existence. The email I received earlier today was a simple interaction with an acquaintance and wasn't absolutely necessary but made all the difference in defining my level of productivity and influence on others. To further trek down the irony trail, the email regarded how I'm using technology to connect people in my program. Without a doubt, technology is critical (even on days when it insists on pissing me off) but human connection is all the more essential to our experience as human beings.

So here's my soapbox: put down the cell phone! Don't use your laptop for a day! There isn't the need to immediately look up ever answer on google on your phone! Be where you are! Focus on the people in front of you before you reach out to those far away through the interwebs!

Unless the person in front of you is dead. Do not make out with that. That's the time to open an online dating account.