- Everyone is wearing a mask.
- How people appear says little about the person behind the mask.
- People have different motivations for the costume they choose.
- Regardless of the mood in the room, there is the potential for a jump scare at any moment.
- Danger is normalized.
- If you’re scared, you’re too sensitive, or you’re just not in on the joke. It’s a you problem. You’ll get over it. Have some candy.
- Our desire for candy will cause us to ignore all manner of warning signs.
- We can compel children to knock on strangers’ doors with the promise of a reward—reminding us that children are easy to exploit.
- We can trade the reward we used to compel children to knock on strangers’ doors for toys or toothbrushes they didn’t ask for—reminding us that bait-and-switch and gaslighting are at the very heart of our intimate relationships.
- When we point out the dark truths behind our cherished traditions, the conditioned responses are “Lighten up. You’re so negative. Thanks for killing the vibe. Why do you hate candy?”
- Many of our cherished traditions are designed to reveal who’s paying attention—and to trivialize and silence them.
Happy Halloween! For some of us, it doesn’t end. Be safe out there.