Zombies...and How to Kill Them

Assuming zombies exist (Let's be real; we all know they do), how exactly would one go about exterminating them? Something abnormal has happened in their brain, that much is obvious. It's probably difficult to pinpoint exactly what that abnormal something is, though. The questions are: Must they be killed? How would you kill them, if necessary? If not, what could be done to change them?

First, if a zombie absolutely has to be killed, it seems to be more difficult than what's shown in movies. In order to kill them, you'd have to destroy the part of the brain responsible for heartbeat and breathing (although they technically aren't capable of breathing anymore, as they're dead, so to speak). For argument's sake, let's say they do breathe and have a heartbeat. To kill them then, you'd have to destroy the medulla. Simply shooting them anywhere in the head probably wouldn't be very successful, unless you're lucky. Of course, there are areas that would disable the zombie, but not get rid of it permanently.

Now, what if the bullet enters the frontal lobe and decides to take up residence there? Damage to the frontal lobe can alter personality. Is it possible that damaging the frontal lobe of a zombie could change its personality? Could its desire for flesh be reversed; could they be changed into a vegetarian?

This idea could be performed in more humane ways, as if a zombie really cares what's done to it. Neuroscientists could selectively destroy certain brain cells to eliminate whatever is causing the living dead person to crave flesh. Essentially, the brain in a zombie can be changed. In turn, a zombie can change, as well. This is just a theory of mine. Sadly, a zombie has to be found first for it to be tested.

Nature Vs. Nurture

This controversial issue brings up the question of whether we inherit traits that make up our personality and behavior, or if they are influenced by our environments and experiences. Personally, I think there is a mixture of both. Certain aspects of our personalities seem, to me, to be oddly similiar to those of our parents. Others have been developed as we've spent time around our friends and even strangers. For example, the pressure to fit in with the crowd can ultimately change how we act around people. Everybody wants to be accepted, and conforming to the "norm" appears to be the only option for many. By doing so, some amount of the personalities and unique attributes of our peers become part of our personalities, as well. However, there will always be those special traits that we were born with; the traits that are much more difficult to change.
This issue of Nature versus Nurture has been examined with twin studies. In this case, the twins were obviously born together, but then separated and raised apart for much of their life. Their personalities tend to be extremely similar, right down to what their favorite food is. On the other hand, their life histories are completely different because of where and how they were raised. Therefore, they have similarities and differences in their personalities.
Overall, I believe that both nature and nurture have a large effect on the way somebody behaves. It may be that genetics plays a larger role than environmental influences, but these influences play their part, too. I know it has influenced who I am today, because I act much different than I had when I was younger. I was a shy, soft-spoken girl with very few friends. Today, I interact more with people and I am able to express myself in ways I didn't think about before, all because of what I have been exposed to. In contrast, some things never change; I am still that shy, soft-spoken girl that I've always been.