Canada Is Not That Strange And Other Biases | Wednesday | Period 2

[just-add-starch.livejournal.com]

Once again, Fraser was at the front of the classroom. His arms were crossed and he looked thoughtful as the students filed in.

"Welcome back. I hope you all had a productive weekend even if I feel it was probably slightly stressful," he said, nodding. "We've all made it through though so we can continue on with our lessons."

With that said, Fraser launched into the discussion. "Today, we're going to be talking about monsters under the bed. Or, more specifically, urban legends. If you don't know, an urban legend is a story of obscure origin with little or no supporting evidence. It's typically spread by word of mouth and a lot of the most famous urban legends contain elements of horror. For example, the Bunny Man bridge involves stories about a man dressed in a bunny suit who attacks people with an axe. Now, it seems far fetched but words have power and if someone told you this story and spoke it seriously, you might think twice."

Fraser shuddered to think of that urban legend being true. It was really creepy. "With urban legends, words have extreme power. Most often, urban legends are told from friend to friend, making them more personal. As the story is told, it evolves from person to person, often growing in terror and scope as it does. Why do you think most of the famous urban legends depict terror and horror? Is it because this is more interesting than an urban legend about something peaceful? Are words more powerful when there's fright involved? And how are these stories so believable when there's no evidence? Is it the personal factor? If my wife told me about one of the stories, I would be more inclined to believe her than if someone at the local grocery store told me. Let's discuss."

Comments

Sign In [Canada 10/05]

[just-add-starch.livejournal.com]

Like you're frightened!

Re: Sign In [Canada 10/05]

[shyest-eyes.livejournal.com]

Hyuuga Hinata

Re: Sign In [Canada 10/05]

[shes-got-legs.livejournal.com]

Princess Ariel

Re: Sign In [Canada 10/05]

[wwiii]

Warren Worthington III

During the Lecture [Canada 10/05]

[just-add-starch.livejournal.com]

For all things chatting, note taking, daydreaming, or other things!

Re: During the Lecture [Canada 10/05]

[shyest-eyes.livejournal.com]

Hinata was... not certain what to make of the fact that... her sister had gone to see Professor Fraser and that meant she was just going to... sit.

And quietly wonder about that.

Re: During the Lecture [Canada 10/05]

[isntabitpretty.livejournal.com]

There was actually a special name for those sorts of stories? Sara had not realised that; that was . . . more than interesting.

For the rest of the lecture, her face took on a slightly distant, thoughtful look; she felt she could definitely speak from experience in more than one case, if she was right about some of the stories she had in mind.

Re: During the Lecture [Canada 10/05]

[rilla-myrilla.livejournal.com]

Rilla smiled softly, thinking of the tale of her mother and Aunt Diana making up a ghost story that frightened them so badly they even now had problems walking through the Haunted Wood alone.

Re: During the Lecture [Canada 10/05]

[shes-got-legs.livejournal.com]

The idea of the story might have made Ariel's eyes go a little wider, but, really, she had to admit, it sounded like the exact sort of thing she'd hear about back home and immediately swim off, with Flouder trailing and complaining by her, to investigate and debunk. There was almost always something hidden in those stories, and she loved to explore them.

Class Activity | Urban Legends [Canada 10/05]

[just-add-starch.livejournal.com]

"Why do you think most of the famous urban legends depict terror and horror? Is it because this is more interesting than an urban legend about something peaceful? Are words more powerful when there's fright involved? And how are these stories so believable when there's no evidence? Is it the personal factor?"

Re: Class Activity | Urban Legends [Canada 10/05]

[shyest-eyes.livejournal.com]

"A-Ano," she said, resisting the urge to press her fingers together. "I would say it is because fear... lingers... and the kinder emotions tend to fade from stories faster."

Re: Class Activity | Urban Legends [Canada 10/05]

[just-add-starch.livejournal.com]

"Good," Fraser said, nodding. "Fear does linger. I think that's why stories about monsters in the closet and under the bed have remained so active for so many years. Do you think we find it more important to warn people about frightening things than to share happy things?"

Re: Class Activity | Urban Legends [Canada 10/05]

[life_inshadow]

"I think they're believable because ... there is weird stuff in the world, even if you can't prove it," Tara said. "It might not literally be a guy in a bunny suit, but it kind of gives y-you something specific to be scared of, so you aren't just afraid of -- everything."

Re: Class Activity | Urban Legends [Canada 10/05]

[just-add-starch.livejournal.com]

"Interesting perspective," Fraser said, nodding. It was one he hadn't thought of before. "So, instead of jumping at all the things that go bump in the night, we can ignore some things but be afraid of those things we've been warned about?"

Re: Class Activity | Urban Legends [Canada 10/05]

[oops-mbad.livejournal.com]

"Scary stories carry a warning." Diana tried. "Don't go there, you'll get eaten, don't do that, you'll get axed to death. Plus, people like blood and gore."

Re: Class Activity | Urban Legends [Canada 10/05]

[just-add-starch.livejournal.com]

"Do they?" Fraser asked, laughing. "People like to be frightened? Is that why horror movies are so popular?"

Re: Class Activity | Urban Legends [Canada 10/05]

[isntabitpretty.livejournal.com]

"I think," Sara said after a long, considered moment, "it's ever so much easier for one's imagination to be captured by what's scary. When your breath catches in your throat and your heart is pounding in your ears, it's as if the only thing you can do is listen to find out what happens next, even if you think it might be the most awful, terrible, frightening thing you've ever heard in your life."

She smiled pensively. "It's . . . delicious, in a way, I think -- that sort of fear is. And it makes it all the sweeter, too, once the sun comes up or you're safe and warm at home under your bedclothes, and you can laugh at what you were so afraid of in the first place."

Re: Class Activity | Urban Legends [Canada 10/05]

[just-add-starch.livejournal.com]

The way she described it was so eloquent that Fraser had to wait a moment to let it settle for a moment.

"And stories about happiness and happy endings don't quite grip us in the same way?"

Re: Class Activity | Urban Legends [Canada 10/05]

[glacial_queen]

"They carry a deeper meaning," Karla said, thinking it out. "But give a specific face to it. Like, every child is told not to talk to strangers, but telling a blood-curdling story about a Bunny Man who lurks at the end of the bridge explains why walking to strangers is bad." She tapped her pencil on her notebook. "In Kaeleer, at least, stories spring up around places where bad things happen, like a loch where a witch drowned might turn into a story where her ghost is waiting to lure people in. It's a way for people to remember what happened and hopefully warn others away from a similar fate, even if the original drowning was perfectly mundane."

Re: Class Activity | Urban Legends [Canada 10/05]

[just-add-starch.livejournal.com]

"Providing vivid details and showcasing that it can happen to people just like you because it's happened in the past is a good way to get a point across."

Fraser nodded his agreement.

"And knowing that things like that could be true, having the stories have a shred of truth is enough to convince most people to take heed."

Re: Class Activity | Urban Legends [Canada 10/05]

[rilla-myrilla.livejournal.com]

"I think it's because if you're telling a story, it has to be more interesting than real life is," Rilla pondered. "No one wants to hear the tale of how you walked home through the forest and absolutely nothing happened. But if you were walking and you think you saw something creepy out of the corner of your eye, that's when you get that little shiver up your spine, even if it wasn't actually anything."

Re: Class Activity | Urban Legends [Canada 10/05]

[just-add-starch.livejournal.com]

"And you find that, in turn, it's fun to spread your fright around?" Fraser guessed.

Re: Class Activity | Urban Legends [Canada 10/05]

[shes-got-legs.livejournal.com]

"The fear factor makes it much more exciting," Ariel said with an eager sort of gleam in her eye. "It makes it more interesting! Not as many people care much about a place that's calm and typical. I don't, anyway. Stories that are scary invoke the adrenaline rush that comes with danger and adventure, you know? At least, that's how it is for me." She giggled, just slightly. "Just talking about it makes me want to go explore some dark, dangerous, scary place, see what I can find."

Fraser [Canada 10/05]

[just-add-starch.livejournal.com]

He's there, as always!

OOC [Canada 10/05]

[just-add-starch.livejournal.com]

Mmm, urban legends. They freak me the hell out.