"The oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear." So opens H.P. Lovecraft's seminal work Supernatural Horror In Literature. He goes on to discuss the panoply of terrors and misgiving with which humanity grapples, and how the best of novelists have learned to harness these emotions in their craft.
But perhaps that is the greatest horror of all. Evolution has imbued us with an astonishing jangle of emotions and impulses, designed to aid our survival as hunters and gatherers on the savanna. But where once they helped us master our environment, now we have become slave to them. And purveys of macabre entertainment know that they can play upon these unconscious fears to make a quick buck. Have your instinctual buttons pushed--all for the low, low price of a movie ticket, a pulp novel, a comic book, a vote.
And so we end on that most primal of fears: the fear of exploitation. Is this what it comes down to? Was it all just a ruse, to goad us into buying prints online, popcorn in the lobby, home security devices to fend of chimeric criminals?
So this final volley would have us believe. Though Brian layers the message on top of what has come before, its really as if he's stripped horror to its core. Not an easy trick, that.
Fade to black, on the clarion call of the cash register. Who came out ahead? Please join us in the forum to lobby for your favorite.
Play by play commentary for this match is provided, as it happens, by Matthew Baldwin.
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Hello, friends, please note we've compiled the 2010 preseason into one easy-to-watch video along the lines of our Season Two video. When will Season Three start? What surprises await? Season Ticket Holders will find out first, and tickets don't cost a dime!
Oliver Reichenstein of Information Architects in Tokyo submits the final volley (Oops I just accidentally typed "vinyl folly!") Our humble document has clocked over 21,000 miles today, and almost that many layers. Thanks for joining us for this and all our preseason matches. Sign up for free Season Tickets to be the first to find out about our regular season!
Here's a list of the players for today's Around the World in Ten Layers match. There is no coin-flip for today but that doesn't mean The Ref isn't busy.
Don't forget to sign up for Free Layer Tennis Season Tickets to get the scoop on the regular season, which starts later this year. Plus who knows? Maybe you'll get a chance to show your stuff in a Qualifying Match.
Find links to all the matches played previously and check on matches to come here.
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