Shaina I think it is definitely safe to say that movies, books and even real events were permeated with demon possession during the late 60s and most of the 70s, definitely exemplified by Rosemary's Baby and The Exorcist. And all of the bad seed story lines in book and film and tv. The were lots of 'news' reports about groups of devil worshipers and evil vudu priests and priestess which is related I think.
I always wonder what causes certain monsters to make their way into our collective psyches through stories. Do you think it was some kind of backlash to technological advancement? Why was it demons in particular?
I think we would prefer our tormentors to be beyond understanding, beyond meer mortal intervention. That way our downfall was beyond our control, 'the devil made me do it's. That instead of admitting we often make bad choices that we were perfectly capable of avoiding or admitting to and taking our punishment. Maybe?
SK's protagonists are never far from a "Deal with the Devil" it seems. It provides a believable course of action without (usually) lurching into simplistic happy ending territory. I wonder if all the fascination with demonology is a manifestation of social angst; beginning in the mid 60's things certainly appear to take a turn for the worst from a classical liberal stand point. For a long time people, particularly Americans, seemed to have it all. Then, for some reason, it wasn't enough. Helter-skelter, Son of Sam, The Night Stalker (Richard Ramirez) and a thousand lesser known copycats seem like a manifestation of a society bent on cannibalizing itself. Seems to happen in every civilization eventually. Some societies even repeat the cycle multiple times.
I am utterly fascinated by this cycle. The 60’s was such a wild, tumultuous time. Why the serial killer explosion? Was it media feeding a society hungry for blood? Or was there something about that time that led to the heinous crimes you mention?
Eric Hoel has some great essays on societal trajectory so does Rob Henderson. Highly recommend those two. In my humble opinion it seems objectively true that as a society, by the 60’s, we were sort of “all dressed up with no where to go”. How else could someone like Anton Levay (for example) fascinate so many? Not trying to minimize the other circumstances which shape a person into a psychopath, such people have always been with us. However the rise of American celebrity culture over the decades seems like a direct consequence of a perceived lack of meaningful pursuits. Couple that phenomenon with a generation of young people dropping out and dropping acid and we were bound to see some atrocities. I think the “square world” of the 50’s and 60’s was wrongly regarded as inauthentic. It was imperfect (civil rights) but it was also a work in progress. I think as a society we’ve been throwing out a great many babies with the bath water, but I see I’ve gone on quite long enough.
Shaina I think it is definitely safe to say that movies, books and even real events were permeated with demon possession during the late 60s and most of the 70s, definitely exemplified by Rosemary's Baby and The Exorcist. And all of the bad seed story lines in book and film and tv. The were lots of 'news' reports about groups of devil worshipers and evil vudu priests and priestess which is related I think.
I always wonder what causes certain monsters to make their way into our collective psyches through stories. Do you think it was some kind of backlash to technological advancement? Why was it demons in particular?
I think we would prefer our tormentors to be beyond understanding, beyond meer mortal intervention. That way our downfall was beyond our control, 'the devil made me do it's. That instead of admitting we often make bad choices that we were perfectly capable of avoiding or admitting to and taking our punishment. Maybe?
Again, i agree with you. Humans are the scariest monsters.
I was thinking of those same two iconic horror movies as well. I'd add the Omen, but I don't think that was conjuring.
Some of our (and certainly my) worst memories are from school so the setting is a great choice.
I watched the film recently, Netflix or YouTube, can't remember. Good story, but not one of 'The Master's' greatest. I'm sure I read it years ago.
Great post. Jealous you have snow! It’s been pretty much snowless in Iowa so far.
Good and evil,Ying and Yang,angels and demons. Classic morality plays. I love the ability King has to "conjure" evil, he is masterful.
He really is. I especially love how it is always in the most ordinary of places. Schools, factories, little towns.
SK's protagonists are never far from a "Deal with the Devil" it seems. It provides a believable course of action without (usually) lurching into simplistic happy ending territory. I wonder if all the fascination with demonology is a manifestation of social angst; beginning in the mid 60's things certainly appear to take a turn for the worst from a classical liberal stand point. For a long time people, particularly Americans, seemed to have it all. Then, for some reason, it wasn't enough. Helter-skelter, Son of Sam, The Night Stalker (Richard Ramirez) and a thousand lesser known copycats seem like a manifestation of a society bent on cannibalizing itself. Seems to happen in every civilization eventually. Some societies even repeat the cycle multiple times.
I am utterly fascinated by this cycle. The 60’s was such a wild, tumultuous time. Why the serial killer explosion? Was it media feeding a society hungry for blood? Or was there something about that time that led to the heinous crimes you mention?
Eric Hoel has some great essays on societal trajectory so does Rob Henderson. Highly recommend those two. In my humble opinion it seems objectively true that as a society, by the 60’s, we were sort of “all dressed up with no where to go”. How else could someone like Anton Levay (for example) fascinate so many? Not trying to minimize the other circumstances which shape a person into a psychopath, such people have always been with us. However the rise of American celebrity culture over the decades seems like a direct consequence of a perceived lack of meaningful pursuits. Couple that phenomenon with a generation of young people dropping out and dropping acid and we were bound to see some atrocities. I think the “square world” of the 50’s and 60’s was wrongly regarded as inauthentic. It was imperfect (civil rights) but it was also a work in progress. I think as a society we’ve been throwing out a great many babies with the bath water, but I see I’ve gone on quite long enough.