Analysis Of Social Contract In The Walking Dead
The Walking Dead is an AMC drama that follows a small group who survives in a world where zombies have destroyed most of the human race. The Walking Dead is not a horror film, but its story focuses on the people and their struggles to stay alive, as well as finding food, shelter, and water. The group’s biggest problem isn’t the lack of resources; it is the people they meet. One antagonist is always surrounded with their minions. These antagonists have survived through committing the most horrible sins, such as killing and threatening people to get their supplies. However, these antagonists are likely to have followers who help them do these horrible things. The social contract is an agreement between members of a group that benefits all. This is usually a process where personal freedoms are sacrificed, morals are changed, and obligations may be altered.
It is interesting that these antagonists are always in groups and never one person. Rick Grimes’ first true antagonist was the Governor, but without Woodbury, he wouldn’t have been as dangerous. The post-apocalyptic world is not for the faint of heart. To survive, you need to have the support of your community. The communities that are created tend to have diverse values, morals, rules and each member of the community must live by them. The Rick Grimes group seems to be a unique group, with all members of the crew fighting with different enemies groups. Each member has had a different philosophy than Rick’s. There were a few members that did have interesting and intriguing social contracts.
It seems like the Wolves would be the easiest group of Walking Dead antagonists to study. The name itself is clear. They are wolves. These wolves are wild and can be difficult to understand. As a sign of their group, each member wears a W on his forehead. Their world has made them a vicious, ferocious bunch that have no regard for others’ lives.
To join this community, one must know what’s required. You must be able to travel to another place to murder, destroy, and plunder every inhabitant. The Wolves don’t kill people; they allow them to turn into zombies, which they then use as baits for supplies. Each person must be brought home after they are killed.
Next is the “Terminus”, a group of people who are scattered all over. The four-episode run of Gareth the leader and his cannibal companions was short, but they were one of my favorite antagonists. Terminus and the people it surrounded started out as an innocuous haven. The original “Sanctuary” philosophy was real. It was a group that wanted to help people before they were attacked by violent people. Gareth, his friends and others were able eventually to regain control over Terminus and either imprisoned or executed all of their captors. The community adopted a new philosophy: “You’re either a butcher or a cattleman.”
They were transformed into cannibals and now live in an abandoned train station they call “Terminus.” Cannibalism, a real-world practice, is mainly practiced by primitive indigenous people and cults living in isolated places. However, the natives or cults will eat human flesh as part of their culture or religion. It has been a tradition that their people have followed for centuries. Cannibalism is ingrained in their brains. Terminus has agreed to this in order to survive.
It is the social deal that the members have made. Everybody contributes in their own way. Each member must help to lure survivors into Terminus. If they are to survive, human flesh must be consumed. These are the rules for living in Terminus, regardless of their morals or feelings.
The “Whispers” are an imaginative and creative way of living. The Whisperers are an extremely primitive society who have no faith or belief in civilization or humanity. They see humans and others as animals who pretend they aren’t. They are like many other species and have a pack. The Alpha is the leader, while the Beta is second in command. The leader should be the strongest, regardless if they are of any race, belief, religion or gender. They don’t have names and are not willing to give up their old identities. Whisperers regard rape as an animal and offer protection to all members of the group. However, everyone is allowed to fight back and defend themselves. This is so embedded in Whisperer society it’s sometimes hard for victims to consider this rape.
The Whisperers travel in small groups and rarely stay for more than one day. They don’t have a base but they do have an area they work in. Intruders are usually considered a threat by the Whisperers, who will often attack anyone they see. The Whisperers will try to recruit anyone who doesn’t look like they would cause them trouble. They disguise themselves as zombies and seek shelter behind walls. They can travel in groups and even manage their navigation. They believed they relied mostly on hunting, gathering, and fishing.
This society is a place where anyone can join and accept the Whisperer’s Social Contract. However, they still have their independence. You will have to deal with any issues that arise within your team or individual. You will be executed if you think that going to the chain will solve your problems. Everything you know and believe must be forgotten, depending on the alpha. You are limited to what the leader tells you. As a leader, you are bound to do what he tells you.
Each group has its own philosophy of survival, but none can match the Saviors. Negan, the leader of all the Saviors has absolute power and must be followed. Negan has built a cult around himself. The Saviors regard him almost as a god. However, some of Negan’s lieutenants claim that the Saviors feared and hated him. Negan created a code of conduct for the Saviors. For breaking these rules, punishments can include torture or mutilation and even death.
The Sanctuary is a bartering system. Civilians and soldiers are both required to earn ‘points to purchase goods. Negan and his wives are the only exceptions to this rule. He has a wife who marries Negan for more points and some perks. This allows women to marry Negan to live a more comfortable life and provide for their loved ones. If they cheat on Negan, the spouse will be held responsible.
The military is well-organized, with many units being led by lieutenants. Although the lieutenants are Negan’s answer, it is not clear if there is a ranking system for them. They are well-armed. Although they can use melee weapons as well as firearms, they are often seen with the latter. This is because they don’t want to waste ammunition. They are also able to access explosives and have a large inventory of grenades. They also own large vehicles, which they use to transport troops, supplies and people from their communities.
It is similar to accepting a job as a savior. If they choose to join the Saviors, they have many options. Each path has its own social contract, as well as the military and civilian paths. They can help the doctor, farm, manage the shops, and assist with maintaining the base’s structure. An occupation can be anything that is not directly or indirectly related to military operations. If the military side interests you more, then you can join a group and learn marksmanship skills. You will be responsible for transporting supplies between communities. As we have already stated, the saviors will extort half of the stuff from other communities. In order to be able to enforce the law and go to war with other communities in the event that they rebel or refuse to pay their supplies, part of military service will require you to join the military. No matter which path you choose, you can use them to climb the social ladder to build a good reputation that will lead to many points.
