(Belated) Halloween Thoughts (1)
Note: Having discovered what the zombie craze was all about in 2009, I began to spend an inordinate amount of time thinking about it. In my subconscious, I’m generally analyzing how well my surroundings would hold up should the undead come shuffling around the corner. I’m not a well man. However, in the spirit of the season, a little analysis I cooked up around my home town:
There's obviously a lot to recommend the Asheville area for a zombie apocalypse. It's located securely in the Appalachian mountains, meaning the spread of the infection will be slow to reach it; while being a more liberal-minded city, it still exists in the South, which (along with some minor military installations) means access to weaponry should be relatively easy; and it has, and is approximate to, arable land and rural communities, which, while not famous for grains, could at least grow fruits and vegetables to survive on, and marijuana and tobacco to trade.
However, one under-estimated aspect of Asheville's dystopian appeal is the preponderance of hotels in the area. The over-saturation of hotel space is rightly criticized by housing, economic justice, and cultural preservationist movements for their toxic impact on the society of Asheville in the current late capitalist model. However, during said zombie apocalypse, having a large number of empty rooms, primarily in central locations, can provide larger groups of survivors areas to find shelter and fortify for larger expeditions, either to procure provisions or secure areas more amenable to long-term survival.
Following this line of thought, Asheville provides an interesting case study in the post-apocalyptic project of rebuilding society and civilization, as (bluntly) we have more rooms than people, and without the profit motive, we could afford to shelter larger groups of survivors in relative security to begin the process of creating stability.
In this case, should the apocalypse fall upon us, I owe Asheville city council a sincere apology. Clearly, your willingness, even eagerness, to approve more hotels against the wishes of residents wasn't based on being slavishly loyal to the development and tourism industries, but rather upon the long term survival of the human race. I clearly did not understand your foresight on this issue, and owe you a deep debt of gratitude.
Note: This is, in no way, a suggestion you should move here. Please don't, we're full.