Why do we crave horror movies? It’s a question that has puzzled Stephen King, one of the most successful horror authors of all time. In his essay “Why We Crave Horror Movies,” King posits that we are drawn to these films because they offer a vicarious release from our everyday fears and anxieties.
King argues that horror movies fulfill a deep-seated need in human nature. He writes: “We are, as a species, addicted to story. Even when the body goes to sleep, the mind stays up all night, telling itself stories.” Horror movies provide us with a unique opportunity to step outside of our own lives and into a world of suspense and terror. In doing so, we can confront our fears in a safe and controlled environment.
King goes on to say that horror movies also allow us to explore the dark side of human nature. He argues that we are naturally drawn to violence and atrocity, and that horror films give us a way to confront these dark impulses in a safe and controlled way.
Finally, King suggests that horror movies provide us with a sense of catharsis. By experiencing the terror and violence of these films, we are able to purge ourselves of our own fears and anxieties. In this way, horror movies can actually be good for us.
In “Why We Crave Horror Movies,” Stephen King explains why we like being frightened, terrified, scared, and anxious. He thinks that we are so obsessed with horror flicks that we may become mentally ill. He also explores why we think about death but never commit it, as well as how watching a horror film satisfies our desire to murder.
King starts off by talking about how some people are born with a “taste for horror”. These people tend to be loners who are not comfortable in groups and have trouble making friends. He believes that all people have a “taste for horror” but some have it more than others. For example, he says that serial killers probably love horror movies because they can relate to the violence on screen.
King then goes on to explain why we love being scared. He argues that it is a way for us to release our built up anxiety and tension. Horror movies provide us with a safe outlet for our fears and anxieties. We know that the violence on screen is not real, but it still gives us a thrill.
He also argues that horror movies allow us to confront our fears in a safe environment. By watching someone else facing their fears, we are able to work through our own. Horror movies can help us deal with our fears and learn how to cope with them.
King concludes by saying that horror movies are not for everyone. Some people just don’t like being scared. But for those of us who do, horror movies provide a way for us to release our fears and anxieties in a safe and controlled environment.
Two logical fallacies in particular caught my attention while reading King’s essay. In his essay, King employs two logical fallacies known as loose or hasty generalization and slippery slope. Logical errors are prevalent in writing styles to persuade or deceive the causal reader. Logical fallacies may be seen in advertisements, newspapers, novels, and essays. King employed loose or hasty generalization and a slippery slope in his essay to persuade his readers by using powerful fallacy to support his claims.
A loose or hasty generalization is a fallacy that uses an unrepresentative sample to draw a conclusion about a population. In King’s essay, he states “most of us read for the same reason we go to horror movies” (King, 1). The problem with this statement is that it is based on an unrepresentative sample.
The majority of people do not read for the same reasons they go to horror movies. Some people might read for entertainment while others might read for knowledge. Just because some people read for pleasure does not mean everyone does. This statement is an example of a loose or hasty generalization because it takes a small group and tries to apply it to a larger group.
A slippery slope is a fallacy that says one thing will lead to another. In the essay, King states “if we read primarily for amusement, then sooner or later our libraries are going to become mental equivalents of amusement parks” (King, 1). The problem with this statement is that it is based on the assumption that reading for amusement will lead to libraries becoming amusement parks. However, there is no evidence to support this claim.
Reading for amusement does not necessarily lead to libraries becoming amusement parks. This statement is an example of a slippery slope because it takes one event and tries to link it to another event without any evidence.
Both of these fallacies are used in order to convince the reader that horror movies are good for us. King uses these fallacies to make his argument seem more convincing. However, these fallacies make the argument weak and not credible.
In the first line of his essay, Stephan King claims, “I believe that we are all mentally ill.” This type of logical fallacy is known as loose or hasty generalization. “Involving reaching a conclusion prior to sufficient evidence having been supplied and stereotypical statements falling into this category, loose or hasty generalization involves making a judgment before adequate evidence has been presented,” according to Pearson Education.”
This is seen throughout the passage when Stephen king is trying to back up his reasoning for why people like horror movies. He does this by saying things like “I believe that the appeal of the horror story has always been strong” and “I think that we’re all mentally ill”. These statements are not based off of any solid evidence and are therefore fallacious.
Another form of logical fallacy that Stephen King uses is called emotional reasoning. This is when someone “reaches a conclusion based on how they feel rather than facts or evidence”. An example of this can be seen when Stephen King says “Part of the attraction of horror films, at least for me, is the sense of exhilaration that comes with being scared out of your wits”. He is basing his reasoning for why people like horror movies off of how he feels rather than any factual evidence.
The last form of logical fallacy that Stephen King uses is called bandwagon effect. This is when “people assume something must be true because everyone else believes it, even though there may be no good evidence for it”. An example of this can be seen when Stephen King says “Horror is now the only genre that consistently offers up what used to be called B-movies”. He is saying that horror movies are the only type of movie that offers what used to be called B-movies, just because everyone else believes it.
In conclusion, Stephen King uses a lot of logical fallacies in his passage to try and back up why people like horror movies. He uses fallacies such as loose or hasty generalization, emotional reasoning, and bandwagon effect. Even though he uses these fallacies, he still makes some valid points about why people might be attracted to horror movies.