The Horror Film Model

When we watch a horror film in the cinema, or online, we are prepared to embark on an emotional journey. In fact, that is usually the point of watching the show.

The whole point of such experiences, like terrifying fairground rides, is the interplay between our incoming emotional stimulation radar that prevents falling for obvious attempts to stoke our feelings of fear, disgust, sadness or enjoyment and the artist behind the experience who is trying to trick us into unanticipated emotional reactions.

Source: Spectacles!

Disinfolklore as a vehicle for tricking us into feelings that will lead us into acting against our own and our community’s interests operates using the same tools as any good Netflix show.

The stakes are just higher: we may end up being manipulated into activities (or inactivity) that is contrary to our values and our community’s interests if we do not consciously recognise when we are being trolled by Disinfolklore.

Source: Spectacles!

The difference between art and Disinfolklore is consent. When we watch a horror film, we consent to the emotional journey. When Disinfolklore operates, we don’t even know it’s happening.

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