It is probably safe to say that all people want to be a part of something bigger than themselves. Whether it is as harmless as brand loyalty to your favorite tech company or as dangerous as giving all of your life savings to a shady organization offering the promise of fulfillment, each of us has exhibited some cult-like behavior in our lives. What is it that makes the lure of history's worst self-proclaimed messiahs so attractive? The possible answers are many, but we ought to begin by studying the most peculiar and chilling cases and considering how rational people such as ourselves, sometimes by the hundreds or more, have been ensnared in the traps of deadly cults.
EPISODE 19 THE HIDDEN PEOPLE
For time immemorial, humans have looked to the heavens and wondered, "Are we alone in the Universe?" Perhaps though, many are right to have more local concerns. These are the people who ask "Are we alone... on Earth?" Ranging in size, distinction from or likeness to us, and most importantly degree of ill intent, there are too many names for our unseen neighbors to capture them all in one episode. What the AoE boys do present for curious ears is a deeply rooted belief in a clandestine world of both wonder and terror. Join your hosts, a trio once again with the return of Dave from Ireland, as they go looking for those beings it would be unwise to offend, and so we respectfully call... the Fair Folk.
EPISODE 18 All Hallows Eve
It should come as no surprise that October 31st is deeply meaningful to your AoE hosts. The Age of Enfrightenment was built on the idea that the Universe's many unknown terrors are only matched by our endless fascination with them. There is simply no other night of the year that feels quite as alive with possibility and mystery as the ancient ritual of Samhain that we've come to call Halloween. Much of the Earth celebrates this phantasmagorical banquet of the Fall or something like it around the same time every year. It seems that Autumn herself smells of both death and delight in equal measure. Join Theo and Nick for a night of tricks and treats while Dave and his bride enjoy a much deserved honeymoon in a far off land. Congratulations, Jenna and Dave, and Happy Halloween to all!
EPISODE 17 Monsters: The World Destroyers
It can often be easy for us to feel unintimidated by nature. We go about our daily lives secure in the confidence that we are the uncontested apex species of the Earth. But consider for a moment the lack of concern that you show for every insect that crosses you underfoot. You are not another animal. You are a calamity of Biblical proportion; a force of nature that can snuff out the existence of thousands with each step. Now imagine that you are that insect... Some creatures of myth are so immense, that they defy the standard classifications of the animal kingdom. They are the world-enders, and they are called by many names on every continent: Jotnar, Titans, Kaiju. Join the AoE boys for a trepidatious journey through the world of giants and what our fear of them truly means for humanity.
EPISODE 16 Clowns and Carnivals
Perhaps for some it's the garishly colored ill-fitting outfits. For others maybe, the monstrously exaggerated movements. Or the laughing... the laughing that never feels entirely sincere and seems to hide some deeply buried malice. Whatever nuances are woven into the fear, we can all seem to agree on one thing: The face. Whether you find it charming or dreadful, the face of a clown is a solid brick wall to us. It conceals something deeper, possibly darker. On this episode of the Age of Enfrightenment, step up close with your hosts to the painted face; close enough to see through the cracks in the wall, through centuries of more goose bumps than giggles.
EPISODE 15 Cannibalism
From fried tarantulas in Cambodia to jellied moose nose in Canada, human beings have developed quite possibly the most eclectic diet of all living things. It seems there is only one meal across nearly every culture that is so taboo and foul that even the mere mention of it is enough to curdle the blood. We do not eat each other. This is a law so hardcoded into our brains that it feels unnecessary to utter. And yet, people have consumed one another for as long as there have been people to do so, in more ways than you can imagine, and in places you would never expect. Steel your nerves and your stomachs for a delicious episode of the Age of Enfrightenment.
EPISODE 14 Interlude: Frightening Films
The earliest known "spook tale," as they were called until roughly the 1930s, is Le Manoir du Diable ("The House of the Devil"). Released just before the turn of the 20th century, the film is 3 minutes of black and white editing tricks that make eerie archetypes like bats, ghosts, and witches appear and vanish out of thin air. Since then scary movies have formed into a firm pillar of the movie industry as well as our lives. Without them, it's hard to imagine that your AoE hosts would be so inspired by fear as to bring you this podcast twice a month. In this interlude episode, Dave, Theo, and Nick share their favorite horror films that you might not have seen. The full list is available on the RESOURCES page.
EPISODE 13 Bad Omens
Dear listeners,
Whatever you may think you are doing here, do not listen to this episode of the Age of Enfrightenment. Please come back in two week when we will be posting a perfectly safe and entirely curse-free Episode 14. Ultimately, your decisions are your own and we can in no way police what auditory experiences you partake in, but we simply cannot stress enough that no good will come from listening to Episode 13... of anything really. You've likely already done some damage to your chances of survival just reading this far into our cautionary letter.
Our deepest apologies and best of luck to you,
Dave, Theo, & Nick
P.S. Don't listen to it.
