![]() ![]() So it's unsurprising that we're inclined to fear the outsider or the intruder. ![]() ![]() As a country, we've set up physical boundaries, property lines, and borders we use to justify incredible violence if crossed. So what scares Americans? Or more broadly: what scares America itself, threatens the myths and ideals that govern its self-perception? The idea of individualism is key: we celebrate autonomy above all else. If we want to understand ourselves as a nation, there's no better place to start looking than here. This iconic scene from Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho laid the groundwork for the "slasher" sub-genre of horror movie – a genre that displays some of our most popular and enduring symbols of fear. The audience sees a glinting knife and a stream of blood snaking elegantly down the drain. It's over in a matter of seconds: the torn curtain, shrieking violins, a terrified scream. We see no distinguishing features all we know is that the figure moves silently, and is moving towards her. The door opens behind her and a figure slips into the room. She gasps when the water touches her skin then she smiles, relaxes. A woman removes her bathrobe and steps into the shower. ![]()
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