But Why Do We Create Monsters? | Part 1: Fear, Power & Projection in the Modern Age
But Why? Real talk on messy minds, and messier systems
This is Part 1 of our special Halloween series: Monsters as Mirrors
What if our monsters say more about us than them?
In this episode, Kristin and Laura explore how monsters are a social mirror...a way for powerful systems to project fear, control bodies, and avoid accountability. From witches to AI, we unpack how "the monster" is used to enforce social boundaries, uphold hierarchies, and distract from systemic rot.
We dive into:
Why power needs monsters
The psychology of disgust, projection, and containment
The “gendered monster” (hello, feminazi, hysteric, witch)
The monstering of trans people in today’s culture wars
Immigration panic as moral drama
Why it’s not AI we should fear, but who’s controlling it
Monster narratives in Harry Potter, Stranger Things, Beauty & the Beast, and more
This is a funny, furious, psychologically rich dive into how systems displace blame, turn people into problems, and manufacture fear to maintain control.