I'm obsessed with zombies. I like watching zombie movies and I

Listen, O seekers of wisdom, for the words of Kevin Bacon reveal to us a profound truth about the human spirit, a truth wrapped in the darkness of the undead. Bacon, a man known for his diverse talents and roles, once spoke these words: "I'm obsessed with zombies. I like watching zombie movies and I read zombie books." At first glance, these words may seem to reveal nothing more than a passing interest in a genre of fiction. But beneath the surface lies something far deeper—an obsession not with the creatures themselves, but with the themes that these creatures embody.

Zombies, those mindless beings driven by hunger, have long been a symbol in the human consciousness. They are creatures of the living dead, wandering the earth with no purpose other than to devour. And yet, in the very act of obsession with them, Bacon reveals an ancient truth: we are all haunted by the specters of our own mortality, the fear that we too may be consumed by the very forces we seek to control. In the stories of zombies, we see not just grotesque monsters, but our own deepest fears and our struggles with death, decay, and the passage of time. By embracing the undead in these tales, we confront the very things we wish to avoid—our own impermanence, our vulnerabilities, our shadows.

Consider the great warrior Achilles in the ancient world, who was both invincible and yet deeply haunted by the inevitability of his fate. He fought not only against the enemy, but against the knowledge that his life would end in the flame of death. Zombies, like Achilles’ fate, represent the inescapable reality of our existence—the end that comes for all. It is in this confrontation with death that the stories of zombies take root within us. We fear them, and yet we are drawn to them, much like Achilles was drawn to the battlefield despite knowing the cost. To face the zombie is to face the shadow of our own mortality.

Bacon's obsession with zombies, then, speaks to a timeless human truth: that we are not only creatures of life, but also creatures of death. We live with the specter of death hovering over us, but in acknowledging it, we can better understand the fragility of life itself. The undead, in their relentless pursuit of life from the living, mirror our own pursuit of meaning in the face of an uncertain future. By engaging with these stories, Bacon engages with a part of the human condition—one that has been explored through the ages, from the myths of ancient Greece to the tragedies of Shakespeare and beyond. The zombie narrative is not just a tale of horror, but one of profound reflection on what it means to be alive, and what it means to face the end.

In the same way that the ancient hero’s journey involved confronting great monsters, facing the darkness, and returning transformed, so too does the fascination with zombies serve as a modern reflection of this journey. We must face our own darkness, our own fears of death, before we can truly appreciate the gift of life. The zombie is the embodiment of what we fear, but also what we must accept in order to grow. In watching these films and reading these books, we confront our mortality in a safe space, a place where the danger is not real, but the lesson remains profound.

Let us take this to heart, young ones: do not shy away from the dark aspects of life, for they are as much a part of the journey as the light. Zombies, in their relentless pursuit of the living, teach us that death is unavoidable, but it is through acknowledging death that we come to understand life. Embrace the things that unsettle you, for in their unsettling nature, they hold the key to understanding your own existence. By facing the darkness, we come to appreciate the light.

And so, as you move through this life, remember Bacon’s words and the ancient truths they reflect: Do not fear the things that scare you. Confront them, study them, for in doing so, you will find the strength to live more fully. In embracing the shadows, you will come to see the brilliance of the light. Just as Bacon finds fascination in zombies, find fascination in the aspects of life that others avoid—for it is through understanding death, through understanding our fears, that we unlock the deepest meanings of life itself.