The Psychology of Survival

I love the Walking Dead.  As do millions of other people.  Hence the zombie mania and multiple kick-ass seasons.  I mean, it is based off a graphic novel, first of all.  And second of all...zombies. AMAZING.

I got behind on the show due to unforeseen circumstances (let's not go there).  But I'm catching up on season 4 before the new season drops Oct. 12th.  Now admittedly, I'm not going to be caught up before it starts, since I'm jet-setting to England (currently in the airport writing this).  But that's why God, in his infinite wisdom, creating DVR.

Now if you haven't seen season 4, leave now.  Cause I'm dropping major spoilers.  Okay? Okay.  Let's go.

This season found a cold going through the prison that was taxing people's immune systems so much that they were eventually dying and becoming zombiefied...in a very quick fashion.  Two people initially were sick and isolated away from others, though someone then killed them and burned the bodies.  While more people are becoming ill, we find out that it was Carol who did this.  Rick finds out and banishes her from the prison.  Now, I get where Rick is coming from, but I also get where Carol was coming from too.

With this illness, people were infecting others, dying incredibly quickly, and then had the horrible possibility of creating more zombies by the usual methods.  While some people were recovering through Hershel's care, the amount who made it is vastly smaller compared to those who turned.  And eventually we see that ward in the prison overrun by undead.

To me, the possibility of being turned through the illness is like when a person gets bitten.  They are going to turn if they get bitten, and sometimes they are given the option about how they die.  Remember Jim, season 1?  Obviously, I have no experience in this because I'm not a Walking Dead character and zombies don't currently roam the Earth (well, not yet. I'm keeping my eye on you, Ebola).  But if it were me, or someone I cared about, I would rather die than be a zombie, or rather kill them before I had to see them become a zombie.  You would have time to say your goodbyes.  Give them the option of doing it themselves or if they can't, do it for them.  I have already told my best friend if she ever gets bitten, I would kill her if she needed me to do so.  Because I would rather pull the trigger than see my best friend become an undead, flesh-eating beast.

Do I like what Carol did?  No, of course I don't.  But do I get why she did it?  Yes.  She was protecting people.  She was trying to keep the virus from spreading.  It ended up backfiring poorly, but such is the way of scripted tv.

The only difference between the cold or a bite, is that with one you're possibly/probably without medical care (which is lacking in an apocalyptic state) going to be a zombie, versus you will definitely become a zombie.  That's the moral gray area with Rick firmly on the we-don't-kill-people--until-they-turn side, and Carol on the well-they-probably-were-going-to-turn-because-we-don't-have-a-ton-of-meds side.  So like I said, I don't like what she did.  I don't like the idea of living in a world where you might have to do that.  But it's kill or be killed in that world.  So I get it.  Where do you stand?