Since the dawn of time, humankind has long had a fascination, a romantic attraction almost, with being scared. Rome's Coliseum and Dark Ages stories of jousting with monsters tell of an ongoing addiction to fear. Preachers in the marketplace predicting gloom and doom, medieval Church folk cowering before the idea of retribution for wrongs, even Sinners at the Hands of an Angry God provide a great reminder that people pay attention to that which terrifies them.

As if those examples aren't enough, others include telling ghost stories in the dark just before bedtime, a thrilling roller coaster ride, bungee jumping, or even the thought of a visit to Norman Bates's motel. The popularity of these activities and things like them shows the need to be frightened. Another clear example of the societal fear addiction is the phenomenon of rubbernecking-passing a grizzly accident scene and having to look.

Why do people seem to need fear? What benefits do they glean from anxiety? Health experts agree that the manifestations of fear cause almost as much difficulty for individuals as being overweight. What propels people to engage in the very activities that upset them? New York psychologists, Dr. Carol Friedland suggests that people consume fearful sights and sounds in an effort to comfort themselves about their own existences. By looking at the tragic examples, they feel better about themselves. This theory better explains the roadways' rubbernecking phenomenon.