Tag: social psychology

Why popular culture is obsessed with Zombies

Oh God the Aftermath EXPLORED!Flesh-eating marauding monsters – frightening? You betcha. Like many of us, I love a good scare every so often and Halloween is a great time to do it. In terms of nightmarish thoughts, there’s little to top a zombie apocalypse. The prospect of being chased by a half-decomposed Granny truly scares me.

They say adrenaline-stimulating shocks quench our pent-up neolithic instincts. Unlike vampires, demons and ghouls, zombies have found phenomenal appeal in recent years. I expect that this year zombie costumes will be more popular than ever. Moreover, other bump-in-the-night-nasties are literally being devoured by the zombie theme. Entertainment is awash: when I last checked, there were 1,400 zombie games in Apple’s iTunes Store (My personal favourite is the bizarrely named ‘Plants vs. Zombies’. There are hundreds of zombie books (I tried counting and gave up) and about 500 movies.

Vampires have been trendy amongst the teens – thanks to the Twilight saga and the adolescent-teenboy-pinup, Buffy. They have probably had their day. I’m convinced the Z-uprising will to outlive other horror fiction and prove to be far more than a passing fad. Yes, the lumbering undead are here to stay. Why? Because like all classic fantasy, they can speak into our world today. Good zombie stories are not only about cheap thrills but can resonate with popular culture on many levels: our fears, our politics and our world views. And no, their significance has nothing to do with the thought of shooting a granny in the head. Read more

Bemused by The Great British Bake Off

Cup of Cake at Cupcake Cafe
The Great British Bake Off: A talent show for wannabe bakers
I couldn’t help but laugh.

“James’ choux pastry isn’t rising – it’s a real disaster” the commentator said in tones as if poor James’ house had just fallen down. I peered over my wife’s shoulder to see the unfolding catastrophe: anxious looking cooks whisked, poured and prayed (whilst gazing into ovens). An elderly woman wandered around critiquing contestants’ crème patisseries. “Who’s she?” I asked. “She… is the world expert in cooking.” Oh, yes – I should have recognised her. “What about the guy with the beard?” She was less certain this time, “I think he’s got something to do with baking.” I did however recognise the third presenter, British comedienne Sue Perkins. She clearly didn’t know much about cakes (apart from how to eat them). Even without her bouncy persona, this bizarre talent show was comical and somewhat ridiculous – everyday people in a sweaty angst for the sake of a chiffon cake.

Reality TV has invaded mainstream culture. How did this cheap daytime creation become such a phenomenon for TV viewers everywhere? Let’s discover the magic recipe for this newest middle-class guilty pleasure. Cue the tense music… will the cupcakes rise in time..? Read more