Month: October 2023

Why Do Some People Like To Be Scared?

From scary movies to extreme roller coasters, some people enjoy being scared. But why? What is appealing about being frightened?

Halloween has some traditions that are fun, but there are also some that are legitimately scary. While some costumes, for example, are pop-culture references, or animals. Others though, are intended to be legitimately frightening, like zombies or vampires.

Some people actually enjoy being scared. Horror movies are often quite successful at the box office, for instance. Similarly, in the days and weeks leading up to Halloween, haunted houses, with jump scares and fake blood, have long lines.

Why should this be? Most people spend their lives trying to avoid fear, or at least trying to be comfortable. They might move away from a neighborhood that has a lot of crime, or carry a flashlight on a dark road.

So then, why court fear? What is it about being scared that is so enjoyable?

Perhaps it is a matter of facing your fears so that they no longer have a hold over you. Maybe some enjoy the adrenaline rush that accompanies a jump scare. Perhaps there is some subtle difference between a truly scary situation, and one that is only imagined or acted out.

Do you have any theories on why fear plays a big role in the lives of some people? Are you one of those people? If so, what do you get out of the act of being frightened?

Related questions: What is your favorite scary movie? Are you scared of the dark? What is your favorite holiday? Vampires or zombies? Trick or treat?

 

Hand Out Candy Or Turn Out The Lights?

For Halloween this year (or any year), will you hand out candy to trick-or-treaters, or turn your lights out?

Share why if you wish.

Hand Out Candy Or Turn Out The Lights?
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What Is The Most Interesting Thing About You?

Everybody has many things that are interesting about them. Of all of them, which one is most interesting about you?

It can be fun to think of all the various ways you are interesting. It might be an event that happened in your past, a physical characteristic, or even something about the people you know. Some people have an unusual name, a funny story about how they met their partner, or maybe they can do a “stupid human trick”.

There are many, many ways of being interesting.

Related: Listen to an episode of the Intellectual Roundtable Podcast, where Lee and Michael discuss this question: ‘What makes you you?’ We also discuss another question as well, ‘What gives a person value?’

Of course, the types of things that one finds interesting varies from person to person, so what may be interesting to one may not be interesting to another.

With that in mind, what is interesting about you? Do you think that other people can appreciate the ways in which you think you are unusual, or different, or funny? In general, do you think that other people find you interesting in the same way you find yourself interesting?

Related questions: What makes a person interesting? Who are your most interesting friends? What makes you you? What unusual habit do you have?