Do you watch the news, read the reports of financial analysts? Even if not, you still have a general idea of what is going on in the world - you don't live in a pressure chamber.
Now our world can hardly be called calm and safe. And in theory, in order to somehow get distracted from what is happening, in the evenings everyone should watch TV shows like "Santa Barbara" or Ryazanov's comedy. But nothing of the kind: horror films, bloody action films, mystical thrillers are gaining popularity. Are real problems not enough?
1: 0 in my favor
More than enough, actually. But when not only in the world, but also in one's own life, it is not known what is happening: salary cuts, job loss, family conflicts, lack of confidence in the future - the far-fetched problems of the rich and successful can only cause irritation. And old Soviet comedies are nostalgic at best.
In general, after a hard day, it is most likely to see how an American madman chops off everyone's heads with an ax.
Or holding your breath to wait for what a serial killer will do to his victim and whether a good cop will be able to solve his puzzle and save the unfortunate.
There are countless scenarios that can play on our nerves - as they say, choose the taste. Only the question remains: why?
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On this score, there are a huge number of opinions and scientific theories, and each of them is correct in its own way. Some psychologists believe that thrillers and horror films are especially in demand during times of crisis. When a person sees how a green slimy monster swallows a house with all its inhabitants, his own problems cease to seem completely insoluble.
Roller coaster
According to another point of view, many viewers do not feel fear while watching thrillers - they just get scared for fun. In other words, they tickle their nerves, experiencing pleasant excitement. For them, such sessions are akin to rides or skydiving: at first it is breathtaking, and then relief or even euphoria.
I immediately remember a phrase from the wonderful cartoon "Kitten named Woof": "Let's go to the attic to be afraid together." Indeed, in a cinema with popcorn and cola or at home, with your family, drinking tea with buns, it is quite pleasant to be afraid.
There is another type of viewer: a scary movie helps them to relieve the accumulated tension.
As a rule, these are people who have to strain a lot in life, ignore their needs - in order to feed their families, make a career, earn money … A job where you cannot afford not only to flare up - smile at the wrong time.
A family that needs to be supported not only financially, but also morally, which means there is no way to completely relax, throw off all masks, show your true face - tired and not very happy with life. It is necessary to maintain the image of the all-powerful head of the family at home, on whom you can always rely (it does not matter whether you are talking about a man or a woman).
And all for the sake of the peace of mind of loved ones, of course. Or just for the sake of prestige, because it is so customary, because only the successful are loved and appreciated, and the losers are in the gallery.
Remember the movie "Fight Club" based on the novel by Chuck Palahniuk? The main character, a respectable clerk and an exemplary consumer, had the debut of schizophrenia, a split personality, in other words.
And he arranged for himself a thriller in reality, albeit in a reality parallel to his usual "I", releasing the accumulated aggression that had been accumulating for years, which he diligently controlled, and, perhaps, on a conscious level, did not even suspect its existence. Who knows, maybe regularly watching action-packed films would help him to express his emotions.
Fear for every taste
It has long been noticed that our fears are woven into any action-packed films. Fear of heights and flying and aversion to snakes or cockroaches. Inexplicable awe of werewolves and mutants and horror of the end of the world. And so on and so forth. And the main thing is the fear of death, which to one degree or another is inherent in every person.
And do you know what is most interesting? It has been proven that when a person in a comfortable environment sees a frightening sight on the screen, his fear dulls, and over time it may disappear altogether.
By the way, the history of the genre is proof of this. The first horror films appeared almost 100 years ago, and in the 30s of the XX century there was already a whole film industry specializing in films not for the faint of heart.
At first, they were completely fearless (from the current point of view): the most eerie moments were left behind the scenes: the viewer only guessed what terrible had happened, but now such episodes are relished in all the details.
Of course, everyone has their own fears. Someone panics at the sight of a giant lizard, while the other is left indifferent to a similar sight. But he is unable to take his eyes off the screen when the maniac sneaks along the dark city streets. It is personal fears that determine the choice of a horror movie, mystical or psychological thriller.
According to psychologists, the most beloved fairy tale in childhood can tell a lot about a person. The same applies to action pictures. Moreover, sometimes watching a movie allows a person to realize his deepest fear and sometimes brings him to the psychologist's office.
So, one woman, having seen a film about the abduction of a girl who was later recruited into a sect, came to see a specialist, because she realized that more than anything in the world she was afraid of losing her child - and it does not matter whether it was a sect, drugs, or just complete alienation …
In order to realize and conquer your fears, some experts even advise using film therapy, watching thrillers selected by experts.
But, of course, such a movie is not a panacea for all fears and phobias. In general, only people with a healthy psyche can watch such films. Of course, they are not suitable for children and adolescents. And for kids, such a movie is worse than the worst fairy tale. A normal man, having watched the next massacre with a chainsaw, is unlikely to go to kill passers-by. But with teenagers, everything is more complicated.
Of course, not all of them will try to get a mortar in order to get even with teachers and school bully. But it is quite possible to show aggression towards peers and even towards parents. So it is no coincidence that the "18+" limit is imposed on such films.
In general, we must admit: horror and thrillers really have their advantages if the viewer is an adult and not nervous. Do you think it's you? Well, then be afraid of your health.