Thoughts from the Depths of the Abyss...week 1

[Mindz]

Hi Guys,

I was writing a thread asking a question about life when I had an idea to start a weekly discussion thread. Starting today, I'm going to ask a question once a week open to discuss the philosophy of the human mind. The questions are pretty open ended, so there's no right or wrong answer, but I'd like to spark some discussion on a regular basis.

This week's question is...


For scary movies/songs/sound clips, using a child's voice tends to emit more fear than if a psycho, deranged adult says the same thing. A child normally sings a song about death or is reading a psalm. Why is this?

Is it the innocence of children?
Maybe that they're vulnerable and everyone has a maternal/paternal instincts to help the kid?
Maybe that it could happen to the child of the viewer which has them in fear?

Thoughts on this topic?

[PQ]

Great. Intelligent conversation. How will I keep up.

[manimsoblack]

Originally Posted by Mindz

Hi Guys,

I was writing a thread asking a question about life when I had an idea to start a weekly discussion thread. Starting today, I'm going to ask a question once a week open to discuss the philosophy of the human mind. The questions are pretty open ended, so there's no right or wrong answer, but I'd like to spark some discussion on a regular basis.

This week's question is...


For scary movies/songs/sound clips, using a child's voice tends to emit more fear than if a psycho, deranged adult says the same thing. A child normally sings a song about death or is reading a psalm. Why is this?

Is it the innocence of children?
Maybe that they're vulnerable and everyone has a maternal/paternal instincts to help the kid?
Maybe that it could happen to the child of the viewer which has them in fear?

Thoughts on this topic?

I'm gonna go with A and B. For the most part people try to shield children from unpleasantness, so having a child's presence in that type of situation makes people want to protect them to help them maintain their innocence for as long as possible or at least till they feel they're fit to handle whatever it is on their own. It's why someone will shield a kids eyes if something bad is happening, they're more susceptible to mental trauma as they lack they life experience and knowledge to properly deal with certain things. In any situation where a child is acting out violently it usually means that they were exposed to violence early on, I don't think I've ever heard of someone of normal mental capacity that hadn't been exposed to anything suddenly snapping and going on a killing spree. Or something along those lines.

[Mindz]

Good answer.

Anyone else?

[PQ]

Ok, I'll try.

I think what makes it tend to be scarier is two things.

1. The fact that whatever the evil that is being dealt with is SO evil that it harmed a child somewhere down the line to a point that the child is now involved. And the knowledge (concious or sub-concious) that if the evil that's there is so cold and dead that it would hurt a child, then it has no boundaries and has no mercy. So it tells you that you have no way of reasoning with it and it will act with reckless abandone without any conscience what so ever. Quite simply, there will be no mercy.

2. We all have the responsibility to protect our innocent children. If the child (voice or whatever) is being used for evil, it gives you the feeling that a child has a sinister power beyond our own and whatever is behind the child would obviously be even more powerful than the child. Plus, given that we are all responsible to protect our children, the child could be exacting revenge for not being protected in the first place.

All rolled into one.

That's the best way to describe my thoughts on it.

[zebra]

i agree with the above points & would add that, in many cases - especially with smaller children, them singing/reading about something with that deep of a significance is beyond what that character's "bounds" "should" be - making your subconsicious flash TILT because they shouldn't really be able to understand the message they're conveying

[PQ]

Originally Posted by zebra

i agree with the above points & would add that, in many cases - especially with smaller children, them singing/reading about something with that deep of a significance is beyond what that character's "bounds" "should" be - making your subconsicious flash TILT because they shouldn't really be able to understand the message they're conveying

Oooooohhhhh, very nice. Kinda tells you that you're definitely dealing with a stronger power. The child being WAY beyond a childs ability.

[PQ]

Ahhhm naut u smot maaiun. So lechts heeeeu sum thots.

[brandotron]

I think a lot of it depends on the context in which the children are speaking/singing/laughing, etc. For example, look at Nightmare on Elm Street. If you're in a nightmare where even the innocence of children is perverted, it's that extra bit that pushes it over the edge. Onnnne two, Freddy's coming for you....

[MrIcky]

Originally Posted by PQ

Ahhhm naut u smot maaiun. So lechts heeeeu sum thots.

hehehehe yer avatar is boobies hehehehehe

[PQ]

Originally Posted by brandotron

I think a lot of it depends on the context in which the children are speaking/singing/laughing, etc. For example, look at Nightmare on Elm Street. If you're in a nightmare where even the innocence of children is perverted, it's that extra bit that pushes it over the edge. Onnnne two, Freddy's coming for you....

Yup. And like I said before, it gives the idea that he's allready harmed the children and if he's harn the children then he'll have no mercy on you.

[Xanthos]

I agree to a certain extent with the above, but I also post that its partly because we are TRAINED over time to associate the childs voice with greater fear.

For instance: movies using children's voices to increase tension and effect have been around for decades - since most of us were children ourselves, in fact. As a child, this creates greater effect because the child can relate to that narrator. As we grow older, that mental connection remains and even strengthens with time.

Just a theory.
- X

[PQ]

Originally Posted by Xanthos

I agree to a certain extent with the above, but I also post that its partly because we are TRAINED over time to associate the childs voice with greater fear.

For instance: movies using children's voices to increase tension and effect have been around for decades - since most of us were children ourselves, in fact. As a child, this creates greater effect because the child can relate to that narrator. As we grow older, that mental connection remains and even strengthens with time.

Just a theory.
- X

Good point. It could be our inner child adding to the moment.

BTW, I was never a child. Call me Ben Button.

[MrIcky]

My real theory is that you felt your most helpless as a child, recalling childhood and empathizing with other children is the fastest way to say "you have no control in this situation".