# Why We Like to Be Scared

> Horror films and stories thrive as audiences seek safe ways to process real-world anxieties.
- Title: Why We Like to Be Scared · TIME | Shortify
- Summary: Horror films and stories thrive as audiences seek safe ways to process real-world anxieties. Horror genres help people confront uncertainty and test limits…
- Keywords: horror films, gen-z, mental health, social anxiety, box office, horror genre, fear, psychological resilience, covid-19 pandemic, news, world, Like
- Source: TIME — https://time.com/article/2026/10/31/why-we-like-to-be-scared
- Author: Coltan Scrivner
- Published: 2026-10-31T11:00:03.192+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: horror films, gen-z, mental health, social anxiety, ai, box office, horror genre, fear, psychological resilience, covid-19 pandemic, news, world
## Economic Anxiety and Horror's Rise
Horror films and stories thrive amid economic anxiety, AI concerns, and geopolitical instability.
## Horror Breaks Sales Records
Horror sub-genre sets new sales records in publishing while films dominate box office.
## Horror Films Dominate Box Office
Backrooms and Obsession grossed over $460 million domestically and $900 million globally.
## Young Directors Drive Horror
Backrooms and Obsession were directed by young creators who gained experience on YouTube.
## Why We Seek Fear
Humans love to be scared, sharing stories and consuming horror to confront uncertainty.
## White Knucklers and Dark Copers
Horror fans include white knucklers who practice overcoming fear and dark copers who process anxiety safely.
## Horror as a Safe Laboratory
Horror provides a safe space to simulate dangerous scenarios without real-world risks.
## Gen-Z and Mental Health
39% of Gen-Z adults feel life lacks meaning, with 1 in 3 reporting poor mental health.
## Horror Reflects Social Anxieties
Films like Backrooms mirror social media's meaninglessness and Gen-Z dating struggles.
## Horror's Box Office Growth
Horror films grew from 150 per year in the 1980s to over 1,500 per year in the 2020s.
## Horror's Resilience During Pandemic
Horror films maintained box office share during theater closures from the pandemic.
## Horror as a Cultural Response
Horror helps process social anxieties through safe simulations of fear and danger.
## Key takeaway

Horror genres help people confront uncertainty and test limits through safe simulations of fear.