Part 3 of our Halloween series: Monsters as Mirrors
If monsters reflect our fears, what does it say that we keep making them?
In this final episode of our Halloween trilogy, Kristin and Laura dig deep into the psychology of monstering, from ancient instincts to modern media. We explore how and why the human brain was built to see monsters...and why we still crave them.
From evolutionary survival mechanisms to existential dread, we unpack:
How fear comes first and logic comes later
Why we invent monsters to make sense of chaos
The role of projection, displacement, and group fear
Monsters as scapegoats for guilt, anxiety, and social control
Why we use horror to feel safe, bonded, and in control
How neurodivergent brains might experience monsters differently
What our favourite monsters reveal about our politics, culture & inner selves
This episode blends cognitive science, social psychology, existential theory, and lived experience into a final idea: our monsters are more human than we think...and so are we.
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Dateline NBC
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My Favorite Murder is a true crime comedy podcast hosted by Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark. Each week, Karen and Georgia share compelling true crimes and hometown stories from friends and listeners. Since MFM launched in January of 2016, Karen and Georgia have shared their lifelong interest in true crime and have covered stories of infamous serial killers like the Night Stalker, mysterious cold cases, captivating cults, incredible survivor stories and important events from history like the Tulsa race massacre of 1921. My Favorite Murder is part of the Exactly Right podcast network that provides a platform for bold, creative voices to bring to life provocative, entertaining and relatable stories for audiences everywhere. The Exactly Right roster of podcasts covers a variety of topics including historic true crime, comedic interviews and news, science, pop culture and more. Podcasts on the network include Buried Bones with Kate Winkler Dawson and Paul Holes, That's Messed Up: An SVU Podcast, This Podcast Will Kill You, Bananas and more.