In this post, I play with the idea that high consumers are like zombies, and explain why you should escape the insanity and take on the role of the purposeful hero.

People who let debt accumulate without thought are like zombies.

George Romero made the connection between mindless consumerism and undead hoards in Dawn of the Dead, where zombies swarm the mall with no real purpose other than to consume. The video game Dead Rising went there too, where players fight off the dead in a mall in the town of Willamette, Colorado. Let’s explore zombies as consumers a bit further…

Zombies stumble through their (after)lives without direction and without purpose.

Zombies exist as one of the massive throngs of beings just like them, unable to think critically—or to think at all—about their surroundings or their existence.

Without questioning it, zombies consume anything and everything within their grasp.

Wandering aimlessly and consuming mindlessly are pretty much all zombies do.

When zombies are in the presence of a threat or danger, they are unable to recognize it as such, and walk right toward it. They unknowingly stumble into traps laid for them and are easily captured.

People who fall prey to the temptations of a high consumption, high debt lifestyle often end up a lot like the zombies in our scenario.

 

Let’s take it point-by-point:

 

1. Zombies stumble through their (after)lives without direction and without purpose.

Debt-embracing consumers find themselves buying things that do not help them meet their long-term goals or accomplish a specific, mindful purpose. They buy things on a compulsively or on a whim.

 

2. Zombies exist as one of the massive throngs of beings just like them, unable to think critically—or to think at all—about their surroundings or their existence.

Some people buy the flashy car and the trendy clothes because they perceive that everyone around them is doing the same. They find themselves keeping up with the Jonses for the sake of keeping up with the Jonses. Their primary logic is to do what everyone else is doing. Like zombies, they don’t act as mindful individuals pursuing life on their own terms.

 

3. Without questioning it, zombies consume anything and everything within their grasp.

Convenient and copious credit can make it easy to give in to those small compulsive purchases throughout the week. And the big ones too. Zero percent down for a year! And by then I’ll probably be making way more money anyway. Where do I sign? With credit and loans, people rarely have to say no to purchases. If you can have it, grab it becomes the norm.

 

4. Wandering aimlessly and consuming mindlessly are pretty much all zombies do.

Once you’ve adopted and embraced the consumption mindset, it becomes harder and harder to purposefully pursue financial goals. Shopping becomes a thing to do to pass the time.

 

5. When zombies are in the presence of a threat or danger, they are unable to recognize it as such, and walk right toward it. They unknowingly stumble into traps laid for them and are easily captured.

Eventually, high consumers can get so out of control that it becomes hard to distinguish between smart, sound financial choices and predatory deals that will have disastrous long-term consequences. The downward spiral can culminate in being trapped with too many debt payment and interest rates that are too high to make a dent in. Consumption becomes a cage that’s very hard to get out of. And there are many companies just waiting to lure you in. They make continuous profits on those zombies wandering aimlessly through their sad existences of mindless consumption.

 

Be The Hero Vanquisher of Debt

So instead of being a zombie living a life of walking debt, be the hero, the vanquisher of debt. As the hero, you move through the world of consumerist temptations with purpose. You dodge the dangers left and right—rejecting high interest loans and escaping high credit card interest payments.

It’s a dangerous world and your progress might be slow. But you have goals and every move you make is with purpose and direction. You know where you’re going and slowly but surely, you’re getting there.

You remain constantly aware, constantly on guard. And you learn how to live among the zombies without getting pulled into their brainless behaviors. Sometimes you’ll get lucky and they won’t even recognize that you’re not one of them. But when they do, you can bet they’ll be ravenous about to turn you into one of them.

Your path is not always the easiest one. You meet resistance and may even encounter occasional setbacks. But your commitment to living a goal-oriented, mindful, and purposeful life is what makes you the hero of your own life. And it’s a better life than stumbling around aimlessly, constantly grasping but never feeling fulfilled.