Marilyn Manson is a Smart Dude



I always find it interesting when people talk about the "culture of fear" in America, especially when I try to connect the ideas with questions about the popularity of horror films. As Eli Roth noted in the video from the previous post, people want a safe place (the movie theater or their own home) to have the ability to scream, and perhaps crucial to the release: with other people that share similar anxieties about the world.

Questions I have regarding issues raised in Michael Moore's Bowling for Columbine, are when did this culture of fear in the media begin? Is this assault as old as mass media itself? Have Americans always lived in a culture of fear? Perhaps as media technologies evolve and reach wider audiences, the media's projection of fear about many facets of life becomes more pervasive, and with the images and messages of fright comes the loss of any remembrance of when it all began.

Allow me to give a brief recap of the history of fear in human society

Fear always existed in the world.
New fears arose as civilization advanced through the decades.
Mass media helped relay information to large audiences.
Media was able to relay warning messages to people in times of crisis.
Media technology advanced, making flow of fear more effective.
Horror films furthered making expressions of fear an art form.
Mass media technologies explode and nearly every potential harm is recognized.
Horror films remain popular.

Fear is in our DNA. We hate it but we love it. It creates stress but makes us feel alive. People are naturally fearful of the world. Horror films, or paintings, or novels, allow beauty to be viewed through fear.

P.S. I will never forget seeing this interview for the first time. I never knew Manson was so articulate and well-informed.
Posted by Panic Picture at 5/18/2010 12:51 AM
Categories: uncategorized
Tags: Bowling for Columbine Marilyn Manson Michael Moore
 

What did you think of this article?




Trackbacks
Trackback specific URL for this post
  • No trackbacks exist for this post.
Comments
Display comments as (Linear | Threaded)

Leave a comment

 Enter the above security code (required)

 Name

 Email (will not be published)

 Website

Your comment is 0 characters limited to 3000 characters.