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So I found this article that was posted on the Fox News website (surprise, surprise) in their health section. According to Dr. Manny Alvarez, the guy who wrote this article, America's obsession with zombies is "seriously hurting American society." But the main problem that I have with this article is that the author rolls out every single talking point in the book from "violent media conditions people to be apathetic to violence" to "Think of the children!" Definitely stick around for the third to last paragraph for one of the greatest examples of ham-fisted political shoehorning that I've ever seen.

However, the worst part of it is that he doesn't cite any kind of sources and essentially tells the reader, "trust me, I'm a doctor." But perhaps this could be an interesting discussion. Does anyone think that an "obsession" with zombies can be bad for society? If so, why?

I think that most "obsessions" tend to have fairly negative side effects. That's a fair observation, right? I'm going to use "obsession" in quotes because I don't think the good "doctor" fully grasps what it means to have an obsession.

Yes, an "obsession" with zombies could very well be a bad thing for society. A mass "obsession" with anything could be a bad thing.

The problem is that I don't feel like society as a whole is "obsessed" with zombies, so I don't really understand where this guy gets off.

He's acting like people are dismembering each other in the streets and it's "totally cuz zombies, breh."

Oh well. Anyways…

What I thought of the piece?

This shit's jank yo. Completely opinionated, lacking in any sort of coherent research.

But what do you expect? Fox News lel

As for desensitization to violence… I do believe we, as a society, are becoming immune to the horrific effects of violence.

I'm not qualified to say if that will cause civilization as we know it to crumble into dust.

…

(I don't think it will.)

Can we get this thread renamed? I don't want non-Americans to be discouraged from posting. This discussion really seems to touch upon society in general rather than America specifically.

First line from the article…

"Is watching “The Walking Dead” seriously hurting American society?

I would argue ‘Yes.’ Hate me all you want, or call me paranoid and misinformed,…"

Allrighty then,..

And here are the last couple lines in all of their glory:

"With this country heading towards a socialized system of government, in which officials don’t want you to think or focus on what is important for your own personal growth, I’m sure they’re more than happy to let you obsess over something as stupid as zombies.

And in turn, you ultimately become the zombie."

Wow…just wow. Never have I seen and article bash you something so abrasively over the head with something that has no actual relevance to the initial "premise", if you were even to call it that….here's to you…

And the crowning moment of stupidity saved for last:

"Wake up and smell the coffee. Stop obsessing over eating brains, and focus on cultivating your own."

Yeah, I should think for myself; and think for myself in this article apparently means read an oversensationlized, completely opinion driven, fact less drivel that at no point even tries to make a cohesive argument.

About 16 million people watched the premiere of season 4. Not really surprised about that, it is pretty good. What actually surprises me is FoxNews degrading an end of the world show; this is a golden opportunity for people like Glenn Beck to sell their bunker fear mongering shit to dumb asses. Of course Fox news runs for profit, so somebody most likely bribed them to run this crap story. After all who wants to anger the sponsors?

The governor is the best character ever; he did what he to do.

I dunno guys, Salon thinks it's bad for people too, though, for different reasons:
http://www.salon.com/2012/11/11/the_walking_dead_has_become_a_white_patriarchy/
http://www.salon.com/2013/04/01/walking_dead_still_a_white_patriarchy/

Yup. Seems legit to me.

Fox News: always reputable.

Hey fox, what about all the other zombies tv shows and movies?

It's bullshit like this that caused me to stop watching Fox News a long time ago. Even as a Conservative (and also a huge Walking Dead fan), it irritates me how so many on the right-wing of the political spectrum fail to understand how pop culture works and how it influences our society. I concur with Owens: people are not killing each other on the streets, and there's no evidence to suggest that we've become more violent because of one TV show.