Stranger Things has released a new season on Netflix, and whether you’re a fan of the show or not, everyone knows it. The fact is, the fantasy series is all the rage, both its characters and the ‘fictional’ location where it was filmed. Fans are even organizing expeditions to visit the town of Hawkins, which isn’t in Indiana, but in central Georgia, in the town of Jackson, about an hour south of Atlanta.
Stranger Things reveals profound truths about human nature and our relationship with fear
For the final season of Stranger Things, millions of fans will plunge into the Upside Down one last time. Hawkins, Indiana, the fictional town of Netflix’s “Stranger Things,” is as central to the series’ plot as any of its main characters, making it a true pilgrimage site. Understanding why millions of people willingly immerse themselves in the terrifying world of Stranger Things reveals profound truths about human nature and our relationship with fear. It’s worth remembering that the horror genre is also one of the most popular, not only in film but also in literature.
We were recently discussing, for example, the first time stories about ghosts, Ouija boards, and mediums who communicate with the afterlife began to circulate. These are aspects that have captivated humankind since time immemorial. From ghost stories to true crime documentaries, humanity’s attraction to the macabre stems from a negativity bias. This bias is explained as the tendency to react more intensely to negative information than to positive or neutral content.
The picturesque town of 5,000 inhabitants is located in a wooded area on the outskirts of Indian Springs
As we can see, the answer to why people are drawn to these kinds of stories lies in psychological and philosophical principles that explain why we are attracted not only to entertainment but also to information. Specifically with Stranger Things, the fandom has been so intense that it has transcended the screen, leading millions of people to tune in for the premiere of the first episodes of the series to witness an epic confrontation against Vecna, who threatens the town of Hawkins and the entire world.
The search for thrills has led millions of people to become completely absorbed by the Stranger Things universe. Human beings, therefore, have an impulse to seek out intense emotions, to access terrifying content for its sheer excitement. Hence, the acquired “need” of many fans to get as close as possible to this world created in a Hollywood studio. Thus, the picturesque town of 5,000 inhabitants is located in a wooded area on the outskirts of Indian Springs, one of Georgia’s oldest state parks. And hundreds of fans of the series have flocked there.
“They really come to have fun: take a tour, grab a bite to eat, fill up their gas tanks”
All of this has led to a sudden rejuvenation of towns like the one featured in this article, attracting tourists and, consequently, more commerce. “They really come to have fun: take a tour, grab a bite to eat, fill up their gas tanks,” say the locals, who also point out that the town was once plagued by significant drug activity and desperately needed new businesses. And indeed, in Stranger Things, Hawkins is threatened by the dark universe lurking beneath the town, haunted by monsters that slowly encroach upon it.
A series based on the 80s that, in addition to its premise, has captivated so many fans of all ages with its nostalgic appeal and nostalgic nod to what life was like in another era. This combination of factors has made the series a huge success. Furthermore, research on the psychology of fear shows that those seeking stimulation actively try to find negative stimuli to increase their arousal. Hence the excitement surrounding the premiere of the new season, which is now available on Netflix.