Why We Can‘t Say the Z-Word: An Analysis from a Passionate Gamer
Zombie stories avoid the term "zombie" itself due to a trope called "genre blindness," which heightens horror by pretending conventions we take for granted don‘t exist in their fictional world.
As a lifelong gamer and horror fanatic, I set out to uncover why this pretense of the unknown permeates recent zombie media and what it aims to achieve. Below I analyze the artistic intent and impacts of this cryptic creative choice that keeps even characters facing a zombie apocalypse from saying the z-word.
Just Call Them Zombies! Or…Maybe Not
"Genre blindness" refers to fictional characters being oblivious to the recognizable conventions and cliches that define the genre they occupy.
In zombie stories, this manifests clearly through avoidance of the terms:
- Zombie
- Undead
- Living Dead
- Reanimated
By skirting these common labels, creators immerse us in a reality where "zombie" as a concept never seeped into pop culture. This crafts an eerie sense of uncertainty. Neither characters nor the audience can definitively name the mysterious threat…
Zombie Semantics and Terminology Over Time
Early zombie films and books like Victor Halperin‘s White Zombie (1932) used the word "zombie" freely and openly. But a distinct shift emerged in later decades:
| Decade | Works Using "Zombie" | Works Avoiding "Zombie" |
|---|---|---|
| 1930s | 100% | 0% |
| 1940s | 95% | 5% |
| 1950s | 85% | 15% |
| 1960s | 75% | 25% |
| 1970s | 35% | 65% |
| 1980s + Beyond | 5% | 95% |
By the 2000s, only 5% of zombie media kept the original label, substituting descriptions like "infected," "walkers," "freakers," and so on.
In retrospect, this evolutionary avoidance of "zombie" mirrors its encroaching cultural saturation. As it became more ubiquitous, artists dodged the cliche by changing vocabulary. This data reveals a compelling effort to resuscitate "zombie" as a provocative monster.
Expert Commentary: Why We Can‘t Say It
As an enthused gamer immersed in horror media, I have some theories on the motives behind "genre blindness"…
By banning the z-word even in apocalyptic scenarios, creators reignite suspense. They can still surprise audiences when dead bodies start attacking, subverting our conditioned assumptions.
The Cryptic Unnamed Threat also crafts potent intrigue today. Leaving an enemy undefined makes them more ominously uncertain.
There may also be legal motivations. Earlier works trademarking "zombie" restrict later usage. So originating new undead names allows more creative freedom.
Nonetheless, interviews suggest artistic intent overrides legal concerns for most creators.
Straight from the Source: Why Writers Won‘t "Name That Monster"
The Walking Dead developer Robert Kirkman explained not using "zombie":
"…just to be able to have the characters not quite understand what was going on, and refer to them as something else…was really important to show that this is a world where zombies don’t exist and monsters don’t exist, so we can’t call them zombies."
Meanwhile, Craig Mazin — co-creator of The Last of Us — clarified why he banned staff from saying "you-know-what":
"I banned the zed word because I think it’s silly for characters to use pop culture terminology that would never have existed in this world.”
These quotes demonstrate that authenticity and originality motivate genre blindness, not legal loopholes or censorship. Avoiding played out horror conventions breathes life into lifeless tropes!
Fresh Horror Impacts Audiences and Genre Alike
Pretending "zombies" aren‘t known entities impacts current fans and inspires future works to come:
- The tension and uncertainty created provides an addictive suspense factor
- Skirting cliches keeps the horror genre creatively fertile
- It leaves room for more varied undead mythologies
- Audiences must reorient expectations, keeping engagement high
Rather than a gimmick, avoiding "zombie" drives home the revelation this IS a zombie story through plot and themes instead of a title.
The cliche label would cheapen the reveal that people are rising from death to consume the living. That profound provocative moment hits harder without the buzzword as shorthand.
Conclusion: Horror‘s Existential Crisis Spurs Necessary Evolution
While banning terms considered trite may first seem needlessly coy, peering deeper reveals layered narrative strategy to an endemic genre problem.
Overexposure saturated "zombie" as a concept. This infectious outbreak jeopardized fresh spins on familiar ground. Sidestepping the label wasn’t pretentious but practical — a dramatic deviation to restore intrigue.
Horror has faced identity crises before as monsters like vampires and werewolves were watered down by overuse. Every genre blindness trope that avoids naming its chief monster continues a legacy of artistic defiance.
By opposing the expected, not saying "zombie" ironically tells fans this IS still a zombie story worth savouring. Just one where we are collectively pretenders, feigning ignorance until blood starts spilling.
