# What weird thing frightens the bejesus out of you? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 30, 2009, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-weird-thing-frightens-the-bejesus-out-of-you/483745 "2009-01-30T18:23:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Jragon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19b73/32.png) [@Jragon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jragon)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2009, 6:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-weird-thing-frightens-the-bejesus-out-of-you/483745/81 "2009-02-02T06:12:40Z")
> [@Freudian\_Slit](#): > > That old picture “The Hands Resist Him” skeeves me out. I tried to find the old thread about it, but I couldn’t. > > [http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg195/festercyst/Hands\_Resist\_Him.jpg](http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg195/festercyst/Hands_Resist_Him.jpg) > > I don’t know why it’s so disturbing. Heh, so that’s what the name of it is. It was an object in the book John Dies at the End, part of a series of supernatural items in the main character’s (Paranormal Investigator) shed. Reading the wikipedia article it recycled the urban legend about the kid _shudder_ leaving the painting. I didn’t see the hands until now, but they may have inspired the scary story on the author’s forum that ultimately inspired the book, which I will not recount here for everyone’s sanity. I, for one, am afraid of mirrors in the dark (especially if they’re just dimly illuminated). I just am, okay? ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2009, 6:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-weird-thing-frightens-the-bejesus-out-of-you/483745/82 "2009-02-02T06:30:00Z")
> [@Jragon](#): > > Heh, so that’s what the name of it is. It was an object in the book John Dies at the End, part of a series of supernatural items in the main character’s (Paranormal Investigator) shed. Reading the wikipedia article it recycled the urban legend about the kid _shudder_ leaving the painting. I didn’t see the hands until now, but they may have inspired the scary story on the author’s forum that ultimately inspired the book, which I will not recount here for everyone’s sanity. Ooh, will you PM me it? ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2009, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-weird-thing-frightens-the-bejesus-out-of-you/483745/83 "2009-02-02T14:15:06Z")
> [@GuanoLad](#): > > People wearing giant carnival heads. > > I have had this fear since I was two years old, and it has never let up. It freaks me the hell out. God, that reminds me of another one–people on stilts. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2009, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-weird-thing-frightens-the-bejesus-out-of-you/483745/84 "2009-02-02T14:17:17Z")
> [@levdrakon](#): > > I hate toilets. Always have. They could overflow. They don’t normally, but they could. Hate them. One of my greatest fears is seeing a toilet overflow. Yep–my father became irrationally angry if we stopped up the toilet, and an overflowing one, forget it. I still have phobias about that. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2009, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-weird-thing-frightens-the-bejesus-out-of-you/483745/85 "2009-02-02T17:49:04Z")
> [@lynne-42](#): > > A total match on that one. Clowns and mimes, and that includes Santa Clauses for me. As a child it was fear, now it is just uneasy. Spiders were a real phobia, but I cured it, overdid the cure and am now obsessed by them. Heights without support don’t need to be very high. My sense of balance is dreadful - so I figure I’ll keep that fear and stay alive. Yeah, same here on the balance thing. Thus, this may be a “reasoning” fear.😃 ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2009, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-weird-thing-frightens-the-bejesus-out-of-you/483745/86 "2009-02-02T18:14:47Z")
I am beseeching **fluiddruid** for an explanation also- the planet Jupiter? Why, why, why? I’m about the fourth person to ask you, fd. So please spill it! ---
**Author:** ![Minnie\_Luna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4bbf92/32.png) [@Minnie\_Luna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Minnie_Luna)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2009, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-weird-thing-frightens-the-bejesus-out-of-you/483745/87 "2009-02-02T21:19:01Z")
Slugs. They leave **slime trails**!!! How can anything be more disgusting than that! ---
**Author:** ![Caractacus\_Pott](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e19b73/32.png) [@Caractacus\_Pott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caractacus_Pott)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2009, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-weird-thing-frightens-the-bejesus-out-of-you/483745/88 "2009-02-02T21:33:13Z")
> [@beanpod](#): > > Missed the edit window: I’m also scared of the Noid. [http://advertisingiconmuseum.org/inside/c01/3265032.gif](http://advertisingiconmuseum.org/inside/c01/3265032.gif) He’s the devil. No, [he’s the devil](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Carville). And he won’t go away like The Noid. I’d hated to have been an opposing lawyer–I’d have run out the courtroom, arms flailing over my head wailing like a scared little girl. BrrRRrrrrr, just seeing that Wikipedia photo. And that’s GOOD one. You should see the scary ones. ---
**Author:** ![Jaglavak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/85f322/32.png) [@Jaglavak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jaglavak)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2009, 9:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-weird-thing-frightens-the-bejesus-out-of-you/483745/89 "2009-02-03T09:50:12Z")
The Jupiter thing is actually quite reasonable. The surface gravity is enough to crush you into a thin smear. Except there is no surface so you’d just sink for thousands of miles as the pressure grows high enough to compress hydrogen into metal. The wind howls at near-sonic speed with enough force to shred your crushed remains into confetti. Earth-sized hurricanes last for hundreds of years. The radiation is so intense it’s hard to get even a robotic probe near the planet. It makes a bunch more heat than it has any right to and nobody can figure it out. And if I was a betting man, I’d bet it is likely to be inhabited by some very strange critters. Yup, Jupiter is creepy allright. But mountains?? That’s just weird. I won’t live where there are no mountains. ---
**Author:** ![Nancarrow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c37758/32.png) [@Nancarrow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nancarrow)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2009, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-weird-thing-frightens-the-bejesus-out-of-you/483745/90 "2009-02-03T15:32:40Z")
> [@Scumpup](#): > > Talking rats with tentacles instead of legs and glow in the dark genitals. They’re small and weird and scary Don’t judge me! ---
**Author:** ![JFLuvly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ac91a4/32.png) [@JFLuvly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JFLuvly)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2009, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-weird-thing-frightens-the-bejesus-out-of-you/483745/91 "2009-02-03T16:50:17Z")
Flying, I hate it, with a passion, really bad. I am a mess for days before and days after the flight, full blown anxiety and panic…lol, absolutely the worst thing I can imagine doing. BUT…it seems to be only commercial flights. I’ve flown for hours at a time in helicopters on SAR missions and have spent four hours at a time in a Cessna flying fire patrols, not the best experience of my life, not really totally relaxed, but not anywhere near as bad as the 2.5 hour flight from say Halifax to Toronto. So maybe someone can help explain this to me cause I don’t have a clue why I am like this, the only thing I see is the fact that I am sitting up front and can see whats going on??? ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2009, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-weird-thing-frightens-the-bejesus-out-of-you/483745/92 "2009-02-03T16:54:12Z")
> [@Jaglavak](#): > > The Jupiter thing is actually quite reasonable. The surface gravity is enough to crush you into a thin smear. Except there is no surface so you’d just sink for thousands of miles as the pressure grows high enough to compress hydrogen into metal. The wind howls at near-sonic speed with enough force to shred your crushed remains into confetti. Earth-sized hurricanes last for hundreds of years. The radiation is so intense it’s hard to get even a robotic probe near the planet. It makes a bunch more heat than it has any right to and nobody can figure it out. And if I was a betting man, I’d bet it is likely to be inhabited by some very strange critters. Yup, Jupiter is creepy allright. Those may be your reasons for finding Jupiter creepy, but are they fluiddruid’s reasons? ---
**Author:** ![fluiddruid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@fluiddruid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fluiddruid)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2009, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-weird-thing-frightens-the-bejesus-out-of-you/483745/93 "2009-02-03T17:47:08Z")
It’s not really a fear like “Jupiter’s going to get me!” but more of a nameless feeling of dread. Looking at pictures, especially high-resolution pictures, just makes me horribly uneasy. Just looking at a picture for about 30 seconds to try to describe it literally made my eyes tear up. I am fascinated with astronomy but am a complete layman. The incredible vastness of the universe just weirds me out in an indescribable way, and Jupiter somehow encompasses that concept visually. I look at its strange, alien appearance and then start thinking of how enormously vast it is and how overpowering its gravitational force is. I imagine flying through space and being pulled towards it with the inevitable conclusion of being drawn ever deeper into its vast depths of dense gas, unable to escape its clutches. Think of how big it is compared to everything you’ve ever known, and then think how incredibly small it is compared to the Sun, and how in turn how small the Sun is compared to… and so on and so on. Just looking at a picture of Jupiter makes my head reel. Imagining those tiny swirls and their incredible size and vastness in actuality… I dunno, it just creeps me out. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2009, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-weird-thing-frightens-the-bejesus-out-of-you/483745/94 "2009-02-03T17:59:38Z")
**fluiddruid** , I feel like that about the ocean. Going to the ocean life exhibit of the Natural History Museum skeeves me out kind of. I like it, but it’s weird. Thinking of things down below the surface…whales, and gigantic squid, and all kinds of creepy things. It makes me feel light headed. ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2009, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-weird-thing-frightens-the-bejesus-out-of-you/483745/95 "2009-02-03T18:27:14Z")
> [@ZipperJJ](#): > > Balloons > > Moreso, dogs chasing balloons > > Even moreso, children with balloons > > _shudder_ Geez, I thought I was the only one! Balloons are my irrational fear. ---
**Author:** ![BubbaDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bubbadog/32/333_2.png) [@BubbaDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BubbaDog)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2009, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-weird-thing-frightens-the-bejesus-out-of-you/483745/96 "2009-02-03T18:33:26Z")
Those tall “T” cranes that they use to build skyscrapers. I’m slowly getting over it but twenty years ago they gave me near panic attacks whenever I saw one. I’m freaked out by heights too. It takes me a while to walk over to the window if I’m in a tall building. ---
**Author:** ![FallenAngel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@FallenAngel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FallenAngel)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2009, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-weird-thing-frightens-the-bejesus-out-of-you/483745/97 "2009-02-03T21:51:52Z")
> [@overlyverbose](#): > > I also hate being tickled. I used to have nightmares about it. And I’m ticklish _everywhere_. Even the backs of my hands get ticklish. So the thought of someone holding me down to tickle me makes me cringe. My evil, hated and long-since-disowned for a variety of reasons sister used to do that to me when I was a kid. Now, if I even get inadvertantly tickled, it’s all I can do not to have a full on wig out. ---
**Author:** ![FallenAngel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@FallenAngel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FallenAngel)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2009, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-weird-thing-frightens-the-bejesus-out-of-you/483745/98 "2009-02-03T21:58:01Z")
Crickets and grasshoppers. It’s not a full on uncontrollable thing, but it’s all I can do not to screech like a little girl if a grasshopper launches itself toward me like the locusty missle of death that it is. ---
**Author:** ![Bytegeist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9dc877/32.png) [@Bytegeist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bytegeist)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2009, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-weird-thing-frightens-the-bejesus-out-of-you/483745/99 "2009-02-03T22:10:13Z")
> [@fluiddruid](#): > > The incredible vastness of the universe just weirds me out in an indescribable way, and Jupiter somehow encompasses that concept visually. I look at its strange, alien appearance and then start thinking of how enormously vast it is and how overpowering its gravitational force is. I imagine flying through space and being pulled towards it with the inevitable conclusion of being drawn ever deeper into its vast depths of dense gas, unable to escape its clutches. > > Just looking at a picture of Jupiter makes my head reel. Imagining those tiny swirls and their incredible size and vastness in actuality… I dunno, it just creeps me out. If I’m not too late to warn you, I strongly recommend that you _never_ watch the film **2010**. Especially on the big screen. (Or perhaps it would help you after all, as a kind of aversion therapy?) Anyway, I can understand your rationale better. Thanks for responding. I experience a similar kind of dread or anxiety sometimes when I start thinking about the question, “Why is there something instead of nothing?” — which usually drops by to haunt me around 4 AM on a sleepless night, maybe two or three times a year. The question seems childish and silly in the light of day, when I’m busy with life and work — but then seems like the most important question of all, trumping all others, when it’s dark and quiet and I’m dwelling on it interminably. ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2009, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-weird-thing-frightens-the-bejesus-out-of-you/483745/100 "2009-02-03T22:20:48Z")
I understand about the size and vastness of things cosmological. Freaks me out a bit too. Just when you think you grasp how large the earth is, you see it compared to Jupiter. Then you see Jupiter to the sun. Then you see the sun compared to a red giant star. Then you see what that star is compared to how far away the nearest star is. It boggles. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-weird-thing-frightens-the-bejesus-out-of-you/483745.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-weird-thing-frightens-the-bejesus-out-of-you/483745.md?page=6)