Yes I know it has been a decade since I have last
written anything. But come on. I got married and then started the first of two
hell semesters on campus. So naturally my life has been an onslaught of Organic
Chemistry, Physics, and yelling at Comcast. I have missed blogging dearly.
Which is why I am back.
Today is September 30th. Tomorrow begins
the month in which my second favorite holiday lies. Halloween! I am a HUGE fan
of horror and the occult. I have never really understood why….but for some
reason I love it. Absolutely love it. It may or may not stem from watching
hours of Unsolved Mysteries as a child…There is nothing better than feeling the
autumn air around me, seeing the colors change, and watching a scary movie in a
corn field. Oddly enough I hate spook alleys and haunted houses such as
Nightmare on 13th. This however is going to change this year. As I am
braving them with my wife and her family. Pray for me.
As a student of neuroscience I am often baffled as
to why we love horror so much. Some people are revolted by the season, and yet
others are consumed by it. Why do we love that which scares us? Do we want to
push our limits? Do we have a dopaminergic response to that which terrifies us?
Why? Executions used to be a social spectacle. In a way they still are. Ever
turned on your television? We are drawn to darkness. We like being scared. The
horror industry is huge. Millions of people venture into it every year. From
ten year old's telling tales of Bloody Mary and the Hook Man, to adults watching
movies that give us nightmares. Why do we do it?
I think one of the best answers given to this question is done by an
incredible close friend Nathanial J. Darkish as he waits for pyramid head. His interpretation
of this dilmena is intriguing and true. READ IT! It is quite honestly some of
the best psychological bending material I have read. Especially if you have
ever experienced what he has. His blog will dive deep into the human mind as it
challenges itself on this very issue. He is an aspiring author and your views
and comments will help give his works life. In his first essay that he gives
us, he dives upon this paradox in a way that makes you question your own
psychology. And will make you ask that same question. Why horror? Its
brilliant. And I HIGHLY recommend it. (Plus the name of the blog is AWESOME!)
Well for now this is it. I will return. I need to. It’s
so therapeutic. Enjoy your Halloween season. It’s really the only time of the
year where our fears become our friends!
P.s. 900 blog points for reading! An additional 100
if you post what your favorite Halloween past time is.
P.P.S. another 5000 points if you go and read that
blog. It is really good stuff.
