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Ask a handful of science fiction enthusiasts, What will cause the end of the world? and
I guarantee an answer of Zombie Apocalypse will make an appearance. A rise of the undead,
infecting the living and feeding on the rotting corpses of the fallen, bringing chaos and darkness
with every step, drag of their maimed, disfigured zombie feet. Is it too much to hypothesize
that this pandemic has already crept across the world? Is it too much to say that we as humans
have slowly given up our quest for spiritual growth in exchange for corporate zombiehood? Is it
too much to say that the human race has become entombed in their wealth and power? I think
not.
There are is conflict raging in our world today; not between masses of flesh eating
monsters and ragtag bands of freedom fighters, but an idealistic battle between two worlds: the
spiritual world and the material world. As men and women of our time, we must choose which
path to follow. Will we take the spiritual path which leads to fulfillment, joy and life, or will we
succumb to the lure of cheap thrills in this world which ultimately ends in the decay of the soul
and death?
History proves that men desire two things above all else: Wealth and Power. Temptations
that draw humankind away from the quest for spiritual growth into the realm of the living dead,
these ideals remain ubiquitous and prominent in the world. Characters demonstrating the
powerful draw of such temptations abound in literature: Shift, the ape in C.S. Lewis The Last
Battle, lies, cheats and steals his way toward a hoard of oranges, nuts and bananas. Later, he is
thrown into a shed containing the demon, Tash, and is never heard of again. Likewise, in Lewis
The Silver Chair, a sorceress seeks to conquer the overworld of Narnia, ruling it through an
enchanted figurehead. Her head is later removed from her body in a violent and intentional
fashion. Solzenhitsyns: One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich describes the life of a prisoner in
a Russian gulag. Stalins twisted penal system derived, in essence, from the Governments desire
to control its citizens, and forced them into manual labor for their own benefit. The Soviet
government later collapsed in on itself. Each character or institution, in the case of Ivan
Denisovich contained the potential to transcend these temptations and instead pursue a life of
ethereal rewards. While our own personal experiences may not come in the form of demons and
societal ruin, the end result remains a constant: death.
The temptations have been identified, but why are they the preeminent forces driving
modern civilization? With the advent of modern science and ideology, humanity has come to
grasp what deem a thorough understanding of the natural world. Advancements of this caliber
beget a fatal hubris that can easily convince men to give up faith in a higher being-an arrogance
stating that our revelatory discoveries absolve us from obligations to God. Hand in hand with
scientific understanding come technological advances. Beaming information at the speed of
light, anything we may want to know or possess is but a tap or click away. Andy Crouchs essay,
Live more Musically, advocates a change in pace from our hectic lives to a slower, more
meaningful existence. Purchases are not only instantly satisfying, they also wear out quickly.
(Hum. 103 Readings pg. 16) This nugget of truth provides insight into why society has turned so
with reckless abandon toward zombification. With the satisfaction lasting only a short time, we
as pleasure seekers constantly require more and more. Like a drug addict, society has become
dependent on a temporary fix of material possession. With all energies now being spent for the
sole purpose of obtaining the latest this or garnering social status, our spiritual lives fall to the
wayside and eventually become forgotten altogether. Wendell Berry sums up this modern attitude
in the opening lines of his poem, Manifesto: The Mad Farmer Liberation Front: Love the
quick profit, the annual raise, / vacation with pay. Want more / of everything ready-made. Be
afraid / to know your neighbors and to die. (Hum. 103 Readings pg. 27) A satire on the modern
mindset, Berry strikes the nail on the head with his portrayal of society.
Sadly, it only takes one generation to start the whole of society down that path to
dilapidation. As exemplified by The Death of Ivan Ilych, Ivan is born into a relatively wealthy
family with a decent amount of clout. The familys emphasis on position and decorum rather
than actual living sends Ivan into a loveless marriage, an unfulfilling job, and a state of being
lacking any real identity or character. Ivan becomes, in his pursuit for higher social status,
encapsulated by this idea of life, which readers come to realize is a metaphorical death that is
further enhanced by Ivans physical demise. Readers can extrapolate a relationship to society as a
whole from this cautionary tale. Ivan is clearly a representation of mankind. Surrounded by
pressures to fit the mold that society carved out for him, Ivan does not give in to them, but
instead sees them as the norm. He, like many people today, was never presented with an
alternative path to take. He never saw the fork in the road. And he paid dearly for the blinders
that society forced him to wear.
Societies do not necessarily turn people away from the quest for spiritual growth, but
instead never present them with the quest to begin with. A feeling of invulnerability and
independence synonymous with this modern era, coupled with a vast sea of products, pleasures
and trifles that culture considers the quintessential prerequisite for modern life, leaves little room
for any competing lifestyles. This travesty, while rampant, is not unavoidable. Societys lures,
great as they may be, cannot compete with the fulfillment and joy that comes with a healthy
spiritual life. Todays emphasis on instant gratification may seem more attractive than a rigorous
regimen of spirituality, but once the fruits of its labor are produced, it is clear to see the folly of
the worlds view. The main conflict remains: an inner death masquerading as a few moments of