One word for you: Coulrophobia.
In case you haven’t heard of
this thing. It is simply the fear of clowns. This is a funny topic to me, because
I personally don’t suffer from it. I figured since my last post was skirting
around the different things that we as a society or culture might refer to as
nightmare fuel, I might as well just feet first into something truly
fascinating. Truth be told, someone very close to me does have a legitimate
fear of clowns, but I have never known what it came from. I mean, I really don’t
see the big deal.
How can this possibly be scary?
According to Wikipedia (which we all know is 100% believable), the term coulrophobia only
started to appear in the 1980s, and has really only developed into the modern
lexicon through its usage online. Bringing to the attention on whether this is
a legitimate
irrational fear or a made up irrational
fear.
I think my head just exploded as I wrote that. Did I really
just commit that sentence to paper? To the fray!
I should point out. I am NOT a psychologist, and I do not
possess and degrees in psychology. This is a just an educated opinion and
social commentary of this topic. Besides… lighten up!
Five Reasons Why the
Fear of Clowns has Grown and is Perpetuated by Pop Culture
1. Clowns are a Popular Plot Device for Scary
Stories
It is no secret that many scary stories use clowns as a plot
device to make the unknown seem even more frightening. Stephen King popularized
this trope with his iconic novel It. The
popular thriller television series
American Horror Story just recently had a “killer clown” as a character. To
continue, there are many films where the villain wears a mask to hide his identity,
but he isn't a clown specifically: Jason from Friday the 13th (hockey mask), Michael Myers from Halloween (plain white mask), Leatherface
from The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, as
well as many others.
This guys looks like a plot device unto himself.
Even more famously, Batman’s ultimate nemesis is the clown
prince of crime: The Joker. His portrayal has ranged from being a manic misfit,
such as the original television series, Batman
to a truly menacing agent of chaos, like Heath Ledger’s iconic performance in The Dark Knight.
This is so true!
Having a villain where his face is hidden really taps into a
primal fear that exists within all of us. The unknown is always more
frightening than the known, and a villain covering his face just makes it
that much scarier. I really think that is what the appeal to using clowns as bad guys holds. Not only can you not see the face, but it is juxtaposed against
an ideal that has traditionally been in settings that are meant to bring laughter or joy. With the brain trying to process what is unfamiliar and reversed, the
viewer begins to gain a sense of uncomfortable dread. Much like what is caused
when human perception enters into…
2. Clowns Enter into
the Uncanny Valley Spectrum
There it is again,
that dang uncanny valley. It has been mentioned by “researchers” that because
of clowns exaggerated features, determining a clown’s true emotions becomes
difficult. Specifically, those who are afraid of clowns can’t tell if the clown
is happy or if it is about to rip their face off. “Researchers” have also said
that physical slapstick comedy that involves stunts that would normally cause
pain confuse some people’s perception of the act because the clown’s face is
painted with a smile while they are being “hurt.”
He's hurting me actually.
Now, from my previous entry, I talked on how the uncanny
valley is becoming more and more acceptable by society with the over usage of
CGI in movies, the inclusion of AI such as Siri in our phones, and dependence of
robots in our day to day activities. So, why the hang up on clowns? Does it
more fall into the “Zombie” realm of the dip?
I couldn't really tell you… I’m not afraid of clowns, but I am terrified by
some of those lifelike androids being cranked out of Hong Kong and Japan.
3. John Wayne Gacy
Pogo the Clown. I am not really going to give this man or
what he did much attention. This was a sick man who did horrible things. It is
not up to me to rehash or describe any of the monstrous things that this
scumbag did, especially using a children’s character in the process. Google him
if you must.
The mere knowledge that there was a real life “Evil Clown” is
enough to legitimize this fear, but let’s face it, we are talking about a
fringe incident.
4. Clowns are
Associated with Uncomfortable Circumstances
You know what movie I never really liked? Patch Adams. This is a stinker of a bio-pic that starred Robin Williams as a doctor who brought joy
to his pediatric patients by dressing as a clown. The film currently holds a
25% on Rotten Tomatoes. I mean, this is one of those movies that either a) you have never seen, b) have no desire to see, or c) regret seeing it in the first place. To those of you who enjoyed Patch Adams...my condolences.
Still though, while a certain amount of joy can be
brought to a sick child through the use of clowns, I am going to touch on
something different.
Who can remember going into the doctor as child, or parents,
when can you think of the last time you took your child to the doctor – and saw
this:
I really do actually love this icon.
This is Happy the Clown by Arthur Sarnoff. This image has
been reproduced so many times and in so many forms, that it is a part of
Americana. How is a child to feel if every time they get poked by a needle or need
to get some nasty medicine, they see this image? Well, quite frankly, that
image is going to be associated with the pain or discomfort.
I mean, I get it, but I don’t understand it.
5. There are No Reasons - People Just Feel How they Feel
I guess that is it really. I just wanted to try and
understand why this is.
Let me ask you a question reader:
Are you afraid of clowns,
yet you still read this?
Are you still scared of them?
Do you think that you could ever get over the fear?
At this point, are you getting irritated that I am just posting pictures of clowns for no reason or point what-so-ever?
I just don’t see the big deal.
Reason number 6: Clowns are the spawn of Satan. My biggest gripe about clowns is that the "normal" charactiture of clowns (happy, friendly) has been perverted into something hideous and something to be feared. It and Killer Clowns from Outer Space come to mind. And those last pictures you posted were hideous and perpetuate that fear.
ReplyDeleteOr maybe I'm just a big wimp.
Maybe a little of both.
DeleteManipulating fears and perceptions are what all forms of media do best. Clowns aren't the spawn of Satan, they are just regular Joe's and Jane's trying to make a living.