To think if a zombie apocalypse happened, that there would not be an immediate breakdown in law?

[clairemcnam]

In any zombie apocalypse film ever, within days there are roving dangerous gangs killing people and stealing things. I don't think this would happen in Britain. Yes there would be thefts of food, and lots of breaking into shops, but no there would not in days be gangs of roving murderers killing people and bringing fear.
AIBU?

As mothers, especially mothers who compare notes on MN, we've already peered into the abyss & witnessed the darkness of the human psyche. Tap into the homicidal rage when anyone looks the wrong way at your DC that comes with giving birth & you're all set to survive any Apocalypse. It's in our genes, ladies, we're born survivors.

You would really do anything? Kill children? Trample over babies? Because no I wouldn't.

They say dogs are only two meals away from being wolves, and I don't think humans are far behind. It would all go south very very fast.
In the absence of being able to go to The Winchester and wait for it all to blow over, I'd panic, hide in the loft with DH and the cat and whatever supplies we could find and probably drink myself to death.

I think many of society only behave respectfully due to the law and consequences of breaking it. I’d like to think that I lead my life morally because of what I believe in not because the law tells me what I should and shouldn’t be doing. I’d imagine therefore that society would, in some areas, break down extremely quickly, maybe in places where this is such an obvious divide between the haves and have nots. I think it would take much longer rurally

You would really do anything? Kill children? Trample over babies? Because no I wouldn't.

you might not, but I guarantee you many people would. Anyone can get trampled in a panic, just look at any incidents in football matches or riots.

There are documented cases of adults eating their children because they were starving! People can go down really low.

Okay if an apocalypse really happened, myself and my family would quickly die. Because no I am not prepared to do anything to survive. I could not live with the guilt.
I also think if there was a permanent breakdown of law and order that life would not be worth living anyway.
Although if zombies were real, I agree it would be all over in a week anyway.

Anything. If it's your kids or mine. I choose mine.

"Because no I am not prepared to do anything to survive." As I said. Less competition.

I am one of those people that laws exist for. I understand the law (well I had better given my job), I obey the law even if I think it is wrong/stupid/inconvenient because I will be punished if I don't. I respect the rule of law because of the current safety and order it brings. Why do you think we have laws? Strip away the carrot (safety & order) and the stick (punishment) and I won't be spending too long pondering the morals of my actions.

I am not a "nice" person, I am a bastard. I don't think I am a sociopath but I can certainly see where they are coming from.

I also don't believe I am that unusual as far as people go. The dog/wolf analogy is a good one. Humans are just jumped up monkeys.

Christ this is pretty depressing actually. I am a nice person. I would mostly do the right thing without laws.

If it makes you feel any better it isn't depressing at this end.

I think even if all the power were to go down there would be looting and riots within 3 days, nevermind zombies. I read a novel about this once, can't remember what it was called but it was a terrorist attack where the power grids were taken out via smart meter hacking and it descended fast - it was totally plausible and terrifying. All the shops closed so people couldn't get food, hospitals, people unable to get their medication, fuel shortages etc. Within a week it was absolute lawless mayhem.

I am interested claire in what you thought the purpose of law and punishment was if you actually believed we would all do the moral and right thing without it?

You know what I think would cause everything to go south very VERY quickly?! The refuse collectors not coming to take rubbish away. Even if people had stockpiled food and water etc. Imagine the state of the streets and the smell of everyone's bins! People with pets having to empty litter trays and take out dog poop...where would it all go? Bloody nightmare.

Plumbing is another big one for civilisation. Also coffee.

I'd head for the nearest gooutdoors and loot it on day 2. Bow and arrow, fishing kit, hunting knife, survival kit and tent and go full Bear Grylls on a welsh mountainside.

I know laws are needed to make people do the right thing. But I thought most people did not need them. So even if it was legal to, I would not go defrauding elderly people out of money, and I can not imagine any of my friends would. Similarly I can't imagine it is laws that stops most people physically attacking or raping a child.
The truth is with less serious offences, your chances of being prosecuted are not high anyway.

My experience tells me that most people do need them and as soon as someone thinks they can get away with something they try to.

Most people would do anything when facing desperate times or staving to death. You know how hangry you are when your takeaway is late. . . Now times that by a million.

There would be a breakdown in law and order very, very quickly but most of us would have been gobbled up by zombies before we saw it.

I recall some town either did away with their yellow lines or had the parking warden go sick and within a very short space of time it was parking anarchy. That's just road wars. Compound it with food and fuel shortages, no police or army, no communications, no government ('cos they'll all be in hiding ). Probably better to be zombie nosh.

I think most people are nice but the survival instinct would kick in and override it if push came to shove. Being nice is a luxury that civilization affords us. I would take no pleasure in it but I would do whatever is necessary to protect my family. I think you would too OP, you just don't realise it.

Claire, I think the laws exist to keep evil people under control. You are right - most of us wouldn't want to harm others even if there was no law to prevent it. But that's different to doing what you must in order to survive and protect your kids.

Except as a species we have survived so long by co-operating. The best way to deal with zombies is to cooperate. Doing that we could kill them all within a few weeks.

I thought you couldn't kill? Zombies are people. Usual zombie trope is a virus. So you are OK with killing some people if they are sick enough? Mercy!

In a ZA it is people you have to fear the most.
If you happen to walk into a house or street where people are hauled up, they will kill you for your weapons or your food.
Every man for himself in a situation like that

The best way to deal with zombies is to cooperate
Thats not how a ZA plays out though, humanity gets decimated very quickly by the spread of the virus, hence why its called an apocalypse.

I can't imagine it is laws that stops most people physically attacking or raping a child You are partly right that even in a ZA most people probably wouldn't just start killing children. But if your family is starving to death, that child in the store with the last tin of food just becomes collateral damage.

Yes but ZA would not happen, even if zombies were real. They would be destroyed long before they took over the world.