Show Originally Aired: 10/31/2001 CALL 1 800-423-TALK
How Much Fright is All Right?
Art taken from the cover of "Lost" by Gregory Maguire Email to friend
To scare or to protect. After weeks of frayed nerves, the nation faces its ritual day of horror - All Hallow's Eve - and at a time when leaders seem to be warning citizens to "be afraid - be very afraid." The question of what's acceptable, useful "fright" is on many minds.
More than a hundred fifty years ago, the German child psychologist Heinrich Hoffman scared children with his Struwwelpeter stories about young girls playing with matches who incinerate themselves and boys who suck their thumbs inviting a visit from that great long red-legged scissor man. "Snip Snap Snip they go so fast That both his thumbs are off at last." But this year, our taste for terror is somewhat squelched. Hallowe'en - scary stories - and whether fright's all-right.
