October 8, 2026

Backrooms. Obsession. The Drama. People are feeling down and the horror industry is feeling...up. Today, the world is an anxious and distracted place. Large scale global violence, political corruption, numbing stimulation, and impending doom surrounding artificial intelligence is being felt collectively. It is a difficult thing to write about, talk about, think about, and most importantly, to experience. Recently, I had a conversation with my friend Annie about how anxious people are making anxious movies and people are relating to them. I've been seeing this within contemporary literature too (ex. Yesteryear, GMA Book Club Pick), and haven't been able to stop thinking about her point. For some, watching a horror movie might bring a thrill or a disturbing sense of comfort in an "alright its bad, but at least not THAT bad" sort of way. For me, it does not. I twirl my hair and my palms get sweaty. I do not want to feel anxious and I do not want to watch anxious films regardless if Jacob Elordi is in them or not...(well..) It is because of the enormous fear and uncertainty being felt that I am of the opinion that we now more than ever need spirited art to paint a picture of hope within our minds, bodies, and communities. I see this desire for hopefulness through the 'Millennial optimism' trend. I mean, are you not also in the mood for is something unifying, expansive, and graceful? Recently, Steinbeck's classic novel East of Eden jumped over 200% in sales with a new adaptation of the story coming to Netflix. Though the story explores complex themes about love, rejection, and the inevitable stipulations of the human condition, it's most central message is a simple one: humans always have a choice. Where there is choice, there is hope. There is redemption and a possibility for goodness, because thou mayest. I believe this theme is what has drawn people to Steinbeck's story time and time again. Literature, songs, movies and shows have a wonderful capacity to make people feel things. They can be used to validate a thought, an emotion, a relatable experience. They can also be used to remind ourselves of what is important, and what we have a choice over. I believe there is a great anomie in the world right now, and that in many ways, people may be feeling a bit lost. Yet, I also believe that in being lost, there is the possibility for something new to be discovered. The natural open world surrounds us. If you can be outside and discover some spirit there, go! and pass some along to the rest of us. If you cannot, or if a part of you is reliant on the presentation of spirit through media, then lets start working together on getting some depictions out there with a bit more vitality, eh? We all have the capacity to create. To write, to dream, to storytell. So lets do that and lets let the simple, extraordinary power of choice guide us in making art that imagines something less horrifying?