Why are you scared?

Illustration by Matt Mahurin for Newsweek


With our ever changing world there is one thing that is a constant. This constant is fear. Fear is one emotion that causes people to do irrational things. Whether you are afraid of spiders, clowns, or the next “super bug” we always seem to have this emotion creeping up. Fear leads us to do irrational things such as hurt ourselves or others. When you are afraid the most common response is flight or fight. Run away from the situation or do something to stop/change it. This response is seen in the nation time and time again. After the civil war there were Jim Crowe laws, during the industrialization era there were bans on immigration, and post 9/11 we went to war with another country. These were all caused by a gripping fear that plagues our nation and humanity.
With the media pushing their views on us at all angles do they control our fear? Do they use our fear to push us to do what they deem fit?

Nightmares?!?!?!

The Nightmare, Henry Fuseli, 1781 (The Detroit Institute of Arts, Detroit)




Everyone in the world has been disturbed by a nightmare. Sleep paralysis (nightmares) can affect you throughout the day. In the past nightmares were considered to spawn from demons or incubi. This belief is still followed by some cultures. Any dream that spawns a negative emotion is considered a nightmare. Researchers have found that almost three quarters of dreams result in a negative emotion. These can range from anxiety, fear, or just waking up worried. The movie industry seems to capitalize on this with such movies as “Nightmare on Elm Street”. Are there other things in pop culture that capitalize on this fear?