#1
One particular scene involves Judiths character saying goodbye to Burts (Charlie) as he departs for heaven. Burt requested a closed set and struggled to get through it, knowing he was really saying goodbye to Judith. It took over 60 takes & had to be reanimated due to the sheer emotion captured within Burt’s voice. RIP to them both
#2
For any Hoosiers, this is what I think of every time I drive through the wind farm north of Lafayette. :'(
Why are photos of serial criminals smiling, or victims in mundane moments, so much more disturbing than a monster in a horror movie? It’s because of the cognitive dissonance it creates in our brains.
We expect evil to look evil. When a photo shows an ordinary afternoon where a victim is smiling and we know the brutal reality that followed, our minds can’t easily process the contradiction.
It forces us to confront the fact that tragedy doesn’t always wear a scary mask.
Research shows that cognitive dissonance is the mental discomfort we experience when holding two conflicting beliefs, or pieces of information, at the same time.
#3
The worst thing is people did not d*e immediately. I can't imagine how horrible it was for kids. "That morning he was riding" -> "he d**d that night". That means he was alive for more than 12 hours after. Absolute insanity.
goodnightlink:
That's what horrifies me the most about the atomic b*mb. When I was 21 I went to this museum and for the first time learned the truth about the victims' extended suffering over hours and days. The American education system censored the horrors and taught me that everyone d**d painlessly and instantly. It couldn't have been farther from the truth. I'll remain haunted forever.
#5
When we look at a terrifying monster, there is zero uncertainty — our threat-detection system (the amygdala) knows exactly what it is looking at.
But a photo of a smiling criminal or an innocent victim creates an agonizing paradox. Your eyes see safety and normalcy, but your logical mind knows horror is looming.
Because the human brain is hardwired to seek harmony and predictability, this massive clash triggers an intense feeling of dread.
#6
#7
This picture of 14-year-old Regina Kay Walters was taken by serial k**ler Robert Ben Rhoades, who toured the country in an 18-wheeler equipped with a t*****e chamber in the back. This photo was taken in an abandoned Illinois barn, where Rhoades k****d Walters after c*****g off her hair and making her wear a black dress and heels.
#8
The psychological friction is exactly why so many of us are utterly obsessed with true society/">crime documentaries and podcasts. It is directly tied to that primal need to resolve uncertainty and regain a sense of control over a chaotic world.
A recent survey found that a staggering 84% of Americans consume true crime media. When it comes to the darkest corners of the genre, 60% of those consumers specifically seek out content involving serial criminals.
#9
#10
In another study, 75% of the respondents said they watch true crime because they want to understand the psychology behind the terrible acts. About 30% cited general curiosity as a motive, and almost 28% cited a fundamental interest in the justice system, in police work and in criminal investigations.
“True crime consumption is related to the need to resolve uncertainty. Investigating the crime, trying to understand it, makes the danger more tangible and thus more bearable. It gives you the feeling of knowing the threat and thus being better prepared for it in everyday life,” explains psychologist Corinna Perchtold-Stefan, who conducted the study.
#11
They got the photo using a robotic camera and a series of mirrors, it's the closest thing humanity has got to creating Medusa, or perhaps a Basilisk.
#12
She and her sister walked 40 miles to get out of Warsaw. This drawing was done while she was in a "a home for disturbed children" after the war. She was never in a concentration camp but she still lost her home, her family, and her mind. Apparently Tereska's brain damage wasn't severe, under better circumstances she would probably recover. Her poor mental state was result of trauma. She was also quite good at drawing, and could draw a house just fine. But they asked her to draw "home".
#13
Solahütte functioned as a recreational retreat where staff from a nearby camp could relax, socialize, sing, and enjoy time away from their duties.
The people in the image were members of the Schutzstaffel and camp personnel who worked at Auschwitz. Some of them were directly involved in the administration and operation of the camp during The H*******t.
At the time this photo was taken in 1944, Auschwitz was operating at full capacity as a site of mass m*rder. Yet the people responsible for running the camp could leave their posts and spend time laughing together in a scenic retreat only a short distance away
Looking at a picture of a doomed plane right before a crash, or a massive and bottomless sinkhole opening up out of nowhere is deeply unsettling too. Yet, we can’t look away.
Psychologists refer to this as vicarious fear regulation. These pics trigger the same primal threat-response system as riding a roller coaster.
Your brain releases stress hormones paired with a rush of dopamine because it experiences h**h-intensity fear from the absolute safety of your couch. It is a thrill mechanism that allows us to face the darkness without actually being in danger.
#14
ETA: thought more folks would be familiar with this case, but I guess not.
Context: the man in the photo is Ward Weaver, he was being interviewed about 2 local girls that had gone missing. That concrete slab they’re standing on? He’d hidden the body of one of the missing girls (Ashley) underneath it before this interview took place. He was caught about a month after this. He was a monster. The movie Megan is Missing was inspired by and loosely based off of this case.
RIP Ashley Pond and Miranda Gaddis
#15
#16
Edit- It's an unsolved mystery which adds to the disturbing feeling.
Then there are the images that don’t involve human tragedy, yet they still manage to make your skin crawl instantly.
Take a simple lotus seed pod, for example. To most people, it’s just a part of nature. But for others, looking at it triggers an immediate wave of intense disgust or anxiety.
This reaction is often known as trypophobia — an aversion to repetitive patterns of small holes, bumps, or clusters.
Experts believe this is actually another deeply hardwired evolutionary survival mechanism. Much like our obsession with true crime, our brains are trying to protect us.
In this case, the brain subconsciously associates those clustered patterns with danger, like venomous animals, infectious diseases, or parasites.
#17
sillybelcher:
You thinking of Katie Poirier, a 19-year-old girl working the late shift alone at a gas station in Minnesota? She was seen on surveillance video being led out of the store by Donald Blom, who later confessed to k**ling her and burning her body in a fire pit.
#18
#19
She was later pulled over due to a broken rear windshield and flat tire. They initially gave her a ride a block away to her apartment while they investigated and eventually opened the trunk where they found Eli's body.
She was later arrested and sentenced to life in prison in 2024. I just found out about this case while watching the police bodycam footage video. Its pretty disgusting how she was acting so normal knowing she just commited such an awful thing.
These unsettling images might feel like a weird form of self-punishment, but experts suggest they actually serve an important purpose for our mental health.
In a world full of real-world anxieties that we can’t control, exposing ourselves to dark or uncomfortable imagery allows us to process negative emotions in a safe environment.
Looking at these images and reading the disturbing stories behind them can also boost our empathy and psychological resilience.
#20
He then ditched the plane in a remote location, adamant that no one else would be hurt. The internet dubs him “sky king”, the footage is simultaneously beautiful and harrowing. This is the last image of him before takeoff