Fascism, Fear and the Science Behind Horror Films

Oct 25, 2024

Jason Stanley, a Yale philosopher and expert on fascism, shares insights on the alarming parallels between Donald Trump's rhetoric and historical fascism, emphasizing the need for awareness in today's political climate. Nina Nesseth, a science writer, delves into the intricacies of horror films, explaining why we are drawn to fear. She discusses the mechanics of jump scares and the psychological impact of horror, revealing how these films tap into our innate fears while offering a unique communal experience. This engaging conversation melds politics and the art of fear.

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INSIGHT

Fascism in America

Focus on the entire fascist social and political movement, not just Trump.
America's history of embracing fascist solutions, like Jim Crow, is crucial context.

INSIGHT

Fascism as Methodology

Fascism isn't just an ideology; it's a political methodology fueled by propaganda.
This methodology targets vulnerable groups to maintain the dominant group's power.

ANECDOTE

Stanley's Family History

Jason Stanley's father escaped Nazi Germany at seven with his grandmother.
His mother survived Stalin's Gulag, returning to Poland at five to find her family gone.

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Donald Trump is being called a fascist – by his former appointees, as well as by his opponent Kamala Harris. On this week’s On the Media, a historian of fascism explains why he sounded the alarm back in 2018. Plus, the science behind why horror films make your skin crawl.

[01:00] Host Brooke Gladstone speaks with Jason Stanley, a professor of Philosophy at Yale University and who has written several books on fascism. He first warned about Trump’s fascist rhetoric in 2018, and explains why it's more important than ever to call it by its name.

[20:05] Host Brooke Gladstone sits down with science writer Nina Nesseth to explore how horror filmmakers make our skin crawl, the anatomy of a jump scare, and why all screams aren’t created equal. Her book Nightmare Fuel: The Science of Horror Films delves into question – why do we crave being scared senseless in the movie theater?

[32:50] OTM producer Rebecca Clark-Callender dives into the history of Black horror to see what it is and who it's for, ft: Robin R. Means Coleman, professor of Media Studies and of African American and African Studies at the University of Virginia and co-author of The Black Guy Dies First: Black Horror Cinema from Fodder to Oscar; Tananarive Due, author, screenwriter, and lecturer on Afrofuturism and Black Horror at University of California, Los Angeles; Rusty Cundieff, writer and director of Tales from the Hood (1995); and Betty Gabriel, actor widely known for her acclaimed performance as "Georgina" in Jordan Peele's blockbuster Get Out (2017).