Crime and Inflation Rank above Zombies as Americans’ Top Concerns

By Bulletin Staff

Americans are more concerned about crime and inflation than zombie outbreaks, but they are pessimistic about the federal government’s ability to prevent or contain a widespread outbreak should one occur, according to a new public opinion survey.

In the latest edition of its periodic survey, the Washington-based Center for Strategic Zombie Studies (CSZS) found that crime was the top concern for 27% of respondents, while another 23% ranked inflation and the rising cost of living as their top worry. The threat of a zombie outbreak, cited by 16% of respondents, ranked third on the list of top fears, ahead of climate change (14%) and housing (9%).

However, when asked to select all the issues they are concerned about, 83% of respondents included the possibility of a zombie outbreak in the basket of worries keeping them up at night, while 87% and 86% included crime and inflation, respectively, on their list of burning issues.

“In a world filled with many pressing concerns, it’s encouraging to see that while crime and the rising cost of living continue to dominate the headlines as the top individual worries, the vast majority of Americans are keeping a watchful eye on the possibility of a zombie outbreak,” said Javier Fearington, executive director at the CSZS. “This bodes well for our citizens’ preparedness for the unique threat presented by the undead.”

Low Confidence in the Government

This high level of awareness of the zombie threat contrasts with the public’s low level of confidence that the federal government could assist in the event of an outbreak. When asked how confident they were that the federal government would be able to prevent or contain an outbreak of the undead, just 4% said they were “highly confident,” with another 17% saying they were “somewhat confident.”

More than one-third of respondents, or 37%, said they were “not very confident” in the government’s ability to beat back the undead hordes, while fully 34% said they were “not at all confident.” (Eight percent of respondents answered “Don’t Know/Not Sure” to the question.)

Moreover, 61% of respondents said that they believe the federal government’s preparedness to handle an outbreak is heading in the wrong direction. Only 9% said that they believed the government’s ability to quash an undead plague was improving.

“The fact that nearly two-thirds of Americans believe our government’s readiness is heading in the wrong direction is a compelling call to action,” Fearington said. “The public and private sectors must work together to enhance our nation’s resilience and adaptability in the face of the undead menace. It’s essential that we take proactive measures, build public trust and ensure that our citizens feel secure.”

Zombie Sentiment Index Remains Steady

The center’s Index of Zombie Sentiment, which measures the public’s overall sense of urgency and fear regarding the zombie threat, remained unchanged from the last survey, in April, at 32.7%. Encouragingly, only 7% reported that they had been attacked or threatened by a zombie in the past 12 months.

Fearington said that despite the low level of public confidence in the government, the CSZS remained committed to working with diverse stakeholders in and outside government to define and promote strategies for effectively managing the undead threat.

“We believe in a future where the Index of Zombie Sentiment is not just a number but a reflection of our collective preparedness. We’ll continue our mission to ensure that fear doesn’t overcome hope and that the dead don’t overcome the living,” Fearington said.

Note: The Bulletin of the Zombie Scientists is a work of fiction. Any names or characters, businesses or places, events or incidents, are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is entirely coincidental.