# What were people scared of in the past that now seems funny? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 28, 2010, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-people-scared-of-in-the-past-that-now-seems-funny/558653 "2010-10-28T13:24:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2010, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-people-scared-of-in-the-past-that-now-seems-funny/558653/21 "2010-10-28T14:41:42Z")
Any reliable cites for the Big Giant Head, the Big Giant Balloon or the the Railroad scare? They are nice stories if true, but similar to the recent question about whether native Americans could see Columbus’ ships. Big Giant Head? Weren’t there paintings, posters, and other marketing props for circuses and the like? Arrested for a filmed murder? The police never saw Hamlet staged? Sure, it’s possible that these are true to some extent (I’d say that even today someone somewhere is screaming about Giant Heads), but common reactions? ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2010, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-people-scared-of-in-the-past-that-now-seems-funny/558653/22 "2010-10-28T14:47:24Z")
In the James Lileks book **Mommy Knows Worst** , there’s a photocopied page from a turn-of-the-century parenting book that advises against playing with your new baby too much, because 1) you may damage his delicate little organs, and 2) you may give him an exaggerated sense of self-importance that will eventually land him in an insane asylum. ---
**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2010, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-people-scared-of-in-the-past-that-now-seems-funny/558653/23 "2010-10-28T14:51:12Z")
Microwave ovens. In some countries, electric fans are still feared/avoided! ---
**Author:** ![Rune](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e68b1a/32.png) [@Rune](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rune)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2010, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-people-scared-of-in-the-past-that-now-seems-funny/558653/24 "2010-10-28T14:53:26Z")
Of women learning too much. Their petite brain wasn’t cut out for it. Of the uterus wandering around the body. It was called hysteria. Of masturbation making you blind. ---
**Author:** ![davekhps](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@davekhps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davekhps)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2010, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-people-scared-of-in-the-past-that-now-seems-funny/558653/25 "2010-10-28T15:08:54Z")
In the interest of introducing a little actual knowledge to this thread: check out this recent, creepily-comprehensive piece from Slate about the rise and fall of the threat of quicksand, particularly in movies and TV. [Link](http://www.slate.com/id/2264312/). Bottom line: quicksand isn’t scary anymore. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2010, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-people-scared-of-in-the-past-that-now-seems-funny/558653/26 "2010-10-28T15:11:15Z")
> [@Der Trihs](#): > > I recall reading that the first time a movie was shown with a close up of an actor’s face some people panicked and ran out of the theater. Giant face! > [@ramel](#): > > Along those lines, there was a very early movie of a train coming towards the camera. That also made people run out of the theater. > > Also, when the first special effect gun shot was shown, the person who created the movie was briefly arrested for murder. I’m not sure I believe these. There were depictions of murder on stage and depictions of large faces in art long before the movies. ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2010, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-people-scared-of-in-the-past-that-now-seems-funny/558653/27 "2010-10-28T15:28:16Z")
A lot of the sci-fi concepts we now see being kicked around and attributed to genetic engineering (or related biology boogymen) are very similar to those a generation ago attributed to nuclear radiation. Or those a generation before that attributed to electricity and magnetism. ---
**Author:** ![Quercus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/7ab992/32.png) [@Quercus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quercus)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2010, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-people-scared-of-in-the-past-that-now-seems-funny/558653/28 "2010-10-28T15:29:40Z")
Men with long hair. Time was someone who looked like Tom Brady would get beaten up if he went into a locker room. Imagine there were people who would seriously argue that if you let them grow their hair pretty soon they’re going to want to marry other dudes or something! Oh, wait. ---
**Author:** ![TimeWinder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bcef8e/32.png) [@TimeWinder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TimeWinder)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2010, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-people-scared-of-in-the-past-that-now-seems-funny/558653/29 "2010-10-28T15:31:37Z")
The END OF THE WORLD™ when we passed through Haley’s Comet’s tail in the early 1900’s – it was known there was cyanide in the particulates. ---
**Author:** ![Rocketeer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocketeer/32/4437_2.png) [@Rocketeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rocketeer)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2010, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-people-scared-of-in-the-past-that-now-seems-funny/558653/30 "2010-10-28T15:44:55Z")
Being buried alive. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2010, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-people-scared-of-in-the-past-that-now-seems-funny/558653/31 "2010-10-28T15:45:37Z")
The Y2K Bug. Short skirts on women. Bathing suits on women. The Devil trying to trick you out of your soul. The monster under your bed. ---
**Author:** ![KinkiNipponTourist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e9bcb4/32.png) [@KinkiNipponTourist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KinkiNipponTourist)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2010, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-people-scared-of-in-the-past-that-now-seems-funny/558653/32 "2010-10-28T15:47:24Z")
Being buried alive. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2010, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-people-scared-of-in-the-past-that-now-seems-funny/558653/33 "2010-10-28T15:52:42Z")
> [@Philster](#): > > In some countries, electric fans are still feared/avoided! Yup - some cultures STILL believe that having a fan on at night will make you sick. ---
**Author:** ![Alka\_Seltzer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c89c15/32.png) [@Alka\_Seltzer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alka_Seltzer)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2010, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-people-scared-of-in-the-past-that-now-seems-funny/558653/34 "2010-10-28T16:00:28Z")
> [@lieu](#): > > Of course ol’ Sputnik raised quite a stir. Yes, the satellite’s source had a lot to do with that but it is amusing given our knowledge of satellite capabilities now to think that such an antiquated, harmless little space basketball caused such widespread concern. I don’t think anyone was scared of Sputnik itself, except maybe the tin-helmet brigade. The point was, by putting Sputnik into orbit, the USSR proved they had the capability to deliver a nuclear warhead to any point on the planet. ---
**Author:** ![Enderw24](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba9def/32.png) [@Enderw24](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enderw24)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2010, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-people-scared-of-in-the-past-that-now-seems-funny/558653/35 "2010-10-28T16:00:34Z")
Drowning in molasses. ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2010, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-people-scared-of-in-the-past-that-now-seems-funny/558653/36 "2010-10-28T16:04:47Z")
> [@lieu](#): > > Of course ol’ Sputnik raised quite a stir. Yes, the satellite’s source had a lot to do with that but it is amusing given our knowledge of satellite capabilities now to think that such an antiquated, harmless little space basketball caused such widespread concern. They weren’t scared of Sputnik itself. They were scared that if the Reds could put a beeping space basketball in orbit, they could put a nuclear bomb in orbit. And they were right, ICBMs were just around the corner. ---
**Author:** ![moldybread](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ea924/32.png) [@moldybread](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moldybread)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2010, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-people-scared-of-in-the-past-that-now-seems-funny/558653/37 "2010-10-28T16:17:51Z")
TEA PARTIERS! Actually no they are still scary. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2010, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-people-scared-of-in-the-past-that-now-seems-funny/558653/38 "2010-10-28T16:23:50Z")
> [@Rhythmdvl](#): > > Any reliable cites for the Big Giant Head, the Big Giant Balloon or the the Railroad scare? They are nice stories if true, but similar to the recent question about whether native Americans could see Columbus’ ships. Here’s one for the balloon: > **[Jacques Charles | First hydrogen balloon](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacques_Charles#First_hydrogen_balloon)** > > Charles conceived the idea that hydrogen would be a suitable lifting agent for balloons having studied the work of Robert Boyle's Boyle's Law which was published 100 years earlier in 1662, and of his contemporaries Henry Cavendish, Joseph Black and Tiberius Cavallo. He designed the craft and then worked in conjunction with the Robert brothers, Anne-Jean and Nicolas-Louis, to build it in their workshop at the Place des Victoires in Paris. The brothers invented the methodology for the lightwe Charl... It’s not a particularly firm citation, by the looks of it, but why wouldn’t it be true? ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2010, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-people-scared-of-in-the-past-that-now-seems-funny/558653/39 "2010-10-28T16:26:16Z")
Marijuana. From Reefer Madness to meh, in 70 years. Well, meh for most people. ETA: Actually more like 30 years, if you consider how culturally significant it became in the late 60s. ---
**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:** [October 28, 2010, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-people-scared-of-in-the-past-that-now-seems-funny/558653/40 "2010-10-28T16:29:10Z")
> [@UDS](#): > > Communists. > > … Yeah, those great humanitarians Lenin, Stalin & Mao! The millions of slaughtered bourgeoisie had it coming! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-people-scared-of-in-the-past-that-now-seems-funny/558653.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-people-scared-of-in-the-past-that-now-seems-funny/558653.md?page=3)