Sparks argues that people enjoy or dislike horror movies because they are wired differently. Some people enjoy adrenaline rushes (also the people who like roller coasters) and some people do not. For example I was driving in white-out conditions this morning and sliding all over the place and I was scared to death. I did not enjoy driving. However, my sister and a few of my friends would have gotten a kick out of living on the edge and seeing just how much my poor little Prius could take.
Me this morning:
![](http://thefearlist.files.wordpress.com/2010/12/8038879-scared-woman-shouts-driving-the-car-outdoors11.jpg)
People who like horror movies:
![](http://octavspot.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/A-person-man-male-driving-car-in-very-happy-mood.jpg)
Sparks argued that the other group of people who enjoy horror movies are the people who crave danger and adventure in their lives. These people are able to live out escapes and machete-fights without ever having to leave their homes and also without ever facing real danger.
So basically there the world is classified into types of people and finding out whether someone likes horror movies can tell a lot about the person. Besides telling whether or not they secretly crave danger or are an adrenaline junkie, willingness to watch horror movies and to put oneself in scary situations can show whether or not someone is able to meet their fears. Or that their fears may not be found in horror movies. Horror movies often play off the universal fear of death and those who go out of their way to watch horror movies may be more okay with death than the rest of us, have twisted suppressed minds or perhaps they just like to be scared. I've researched a lot and I still can't fully understand why people choose to spend time being scared and watching people get chopped up into bits. I guess everyone's different and that makes life interesting. Until it gets a little too interesting...
Yeah, a raccoon is about as scary as I can take.
I just wrote a blog off a similar vein to yours: why sometimes I enjoy trying to make myself more scared than I actually am.
ReplyDeleteI like what your blog post has to say, and I think there's a lot of truth in that. However, I find myself to be an exception (or perhaps a counterexample, not sure). I really don't like horror movies - I find them to be generally boring and a slight waste of time when I could be watching other things. However, I am quite acceptant of death, and love getting adrenaline highs from things like free climbing and crazy skiing. So if this theory would be expanded to fit me it could be more like - people who love adrenaline stuff etc. are ABLE to enjoy horror movies, but don't necessarily do so.
And by the way, I greatly enjoyed your pictures.