There seems to be an innate fascination with everything morbid. This is evident in some cultures that celebrate Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) or the popularity of the Jack the Ripper Walking Tour in London.
In 2024, the University of Surrey conducted a study to dig deeper into the topic. According to co-author Metod Šuligoj, the interest stems from five potential intertwined reasons: curiosity, thrill-seeking behavior, cultural traditions, psychological exploration, and the desire for communal and shared experiences.
Šuligoj added that exploring the dark side, whether through looking back on historic events or consuming media such as films or true crime podcasts, allows people to engage with these themes in “ways that are meaningful, educational, and sometimes transformative.”
Other experts, like psychologist Carl Jung, argue that everyone has a dark side they try to repress, something he referred to as The Shadow. These are traits that people tend to keep private, but aren’t necessarily negative or shameful.
The Shadow is the exact opposite of one’s persona, the side of ourselves that we gladly show while in public.
From these Jungian concepts, experts developed shadow work. It is often described as a form of psychotherapy that finds the balance between the shadow and the persona to ultimately help a person manage their repressed impulses, such as anger and greed.
While more scientific research is required to determine the effectiveness of shadow work, some studies already suggest that it may help a person process trauma and learn to be more accepting of themselves.
Let’s flip the conversation to you, readers. Which of these dark facts made you want to dig deeper and learn more? What about it sparked such curiosity that you might have gone down a rabbit hole? Share your insights in the comments!
