The Walking Dead, Survival Rule Of The Week: Face reality – Undead Walking

This weeks episode of The Walking Dead began with Rosita, Father Gabriel, Daryl, Carol, and Aaron confronting the fact that not only was Dante a spy for Alpha, but had been doing so for months. This revelation seemed like a wake-up call; Shaking them out of some sort delusion and slapping them in the face with cold, hard, reality.

With that in mind, this week, I thought Id make my Survival Rule Of The Week all about shattering illusions and doing what may be one of the hardest things to do in a zombie apocalypse, and face up to the reality of it all.

First of all, you should never delude yourself about what youre getting into should you find yourself in a zombie apocalypse: It will not be easy.

Christian Serratos as Rosita Espinosa, Josh McDermitt as Dr. Eugene Porter The Walking Dead _ Season 10, Episode 9 Photo Credit: Jace Downs/AMC

Survival wont simply be a matter of avoiding the dead, or avoiding hostiles, or staying fed and warm, it will be about doing all three of those things, plus a few more things, just to keep you on your toes.

Now, there may come a time where, perhaps because youve been dealing with the apocalypse for so long, that, on some level, it feels easy. This is would be a mistake. In fact, I might even go so far as to say that, the moment you believe that survival has become easy is the moment you grow weaker.

Why? Well, to paraphrase Rosita: Maybe were not as strong as we think we are.

When you believe that survival has become easier, you stop trying to get stronger, because you cease to believe you need to, this makes you complacent, and more unprepared to meet new threats you might not have been expecting.

Cailey Fleming as Judith Grimes, Danai Gurira as Michonne The Walking Dead _ Season 10, Episode 8 Photo Credit: Gene Page/AM8

Another reality you need to face in a zombie apocalypse is, as Virgil put it, Being acquainted with violence.

If you want to survive, you need to know, and probably need everyone in your group, and everyone in your family to know how to fight. Fight who? Oh, you know, zombies, hostiles, the usual.

Think of it this way: If someone in your family doesnt know how to defend themselveswhat happens to them if you arent there to protect them?

Bad stuff. Thats what.

And, who might you need to protect them from? Hostiles. Thats who.

Juan Javier Cardenas as Dante The Walking Dead _ Season 10, Episode 7 Photo Credit: Jace Downs/AMC

You see, this is part of the reason why you can never let yourself believe that survival has become easy, because, there will always be someone who either wants to take what you have or destroy what you have.

Some will be motivated by greed or desperation, while the others, maybe hate, maybe envy, maybe theyre just deranged. Whatever the case may be, if you have gotten to a point where youve convinced yourself that you and your group are too strong for anyone to take down, instead of making yourself that strong, another group is going to come by who wants to mess you up, andmight just do it.

But, wait, malcontents who hope to be that group, who swoops in to screw up another groups relative prosperity! Dont thinkyouare getting out of this reality check unscathed!

Just because you have a cool, misanthropic attitude and arent attached to the old world doesnt mean your attempt to survive is going to be peaches and cream.

Samantha Morton as Alpha The Walking Dead _ Season 10, Episode 8 Photo Credit: Gene Page/AM8

Whenever you come across people who believe themselves counter to the rest of society, one thing they seem to have in common is this belief that theyve created something perfect.

Here is reality check: Not only are people not perfect, but, they can never create something that is.

Inevitably, there will be cracks in whatever perfect system or perfect society they believe theyve concocted. Whether it manifests as failures in leadership, or failures in the rank and file members of the group, those cracks will turn into fissures, and rip their whole system asunder.

Why? Because, just like when someone convinces themselves theyre too strong to fall, any group that convinces themselves theyve created the perfect way for humans to live, will fail, because theyve convinced themselves that they cant, and stop trying not to.

Even if we arent in a zombie apocalypse, should we ever find ourselves in one, we cant let ourselves live in this fantasy land where everything is great, and were untouchable and we can breeze through it all. Its a dangerous delusion we simply cant afford. To survive, the first thing we need to do is face reality.

This is why you followThe Rules.

And thats our Survival Rule Of The Week! Hopefully, youve gained a little insight into all the various things youll need to look out for and do. If you like this and want to find out more rules to survive the zombie apocalypse, why not pick up a copy of my book, The Rules: A Guide To Surviving The Zombie Apocalypse! You can also get it at Amazonhere, on iTunes here!

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The Walking Dead, Survival Rule Of The Week: Face reality - Undead Walking

Reviewed and Recommended by Erik Baquero