I'm a guy who likes to watch something cool, creepy and

"I'm a guy who likes to watch something cool, creepy and suspenseful and there is no show to watch as an adult that would scare me at for even four seconds." With these words, Todd McFarlane speaks to the diminishing power of fear and suspense in adulthood, reflecting on the way in which life, with its complexities and experiences, can dull the sharp edge of childhood terror. As a young child, many are haunted by fears, drawn to tales that unsettle the mind and send a chill down the spine. But as we age, these fears often lose their grip, replaced by a deeper understanding of the world. McFarlane’s statement highlights a universal truth: as we grow older, we become less susceptible to the fears that once ruled us, and the things that once felt terrifying often no longer have the same power to shake us.

In the ancient world, fear was an essential part of human experience, both practical and mythological. The Greeks, with their rich traditions of mythology, often explored themes of fear and the supernatural. Heroes like Heracles and Odysseus faced terrifying challenges—monsters, gods, and the unknown—but they overcame these fears through strength, wisdom, and courage. The ancients understood that fear, when confronted and understood, could be transformed from something paralyzing into a force that could inspire growth and resilience. Similarly, McFarlane's comment speaks to the reality of adulthood: we face fewer fears that are purely external and instead wrestle with more subtle, internal fears—mortality, purpose, and identity—which are often far more complex and nuanced than the simple terrors of childhood.

The legend of Persephone, abducted by Hades into the underworld, speaks to a key aspect of fear—the unknown. As a young girl, Persephone was terrified of the underworld, a realm she could neither understand nor control. Yet, as she spent more time there, she grew accustomed to its darkness. Her fear was transformed into a powerful role as queen of the underworld, a position she would come to rule with wisdom. Just as Persephone’s fear shifted from terror to mastery, McFarlane's words reflect the inevitability of growing beyond the simple fears that once governed us. The unknown, as we age, no longer holds the same allure of fear, but becomes something we seek to understand and master, just as Persephone did.

In history, many figures were driven by a fear of the unknown and the uncontrollable. The early explorers, like Christopher Columbus, faced an ocean that was both a literal and symbolic representation of the unknown. It was the fear of what lay beyond the horizon that drove them to push forward, despite their doubts and trepidation. But once the unknown was navigated, once the new lands were discovered, that same fear became familiar. Columbus no longer had the same fear that drove him to the edge of the world—his fear transformed into knowledge, and with it, the power to navigate new realms of possibility. McFarlane’s comment similarly highlights how, as we gain knowledge and experience, the things that once scared us lose their power to intimidate.

McFarlane’s reflection also touches upon the idea of nostalgia—the longing for the fearful thrill of youth. Just as a child might find excitement in the unknown and suspense, the adult often finds that these same experiences fail to invoke the same intensity. The heroic adventures of childhood—whether in the world of fantasy or real-life thrills—become distant memories. The childhood innocence that made things like monsters, ghosts, or dark forests terrifying is replaced by the awareness that these fears are no longer relevant. The pursuit of thrill changes with age, and adults may find themselves seeking new kinds of excitement, whether through intellectual challenges or the exploration of deeper existential questions.

The lesson that McFarlane’s words impart is one of growth and maturity. As we age, the things that once held us captive in fear often lose their grip. What was once terrifying becomes mundane, and what seemed like the most uncontrollable forces are now understood with the clarity of experience. This does not mean that life no longer holds mystery or adventure, but rather that our relationship with fear evolves. The real challenge of adulthood lies in the internal struggles we face, the fears we cannot always see or conquer through external means, but which require reflection and understanding. The terror of childhood gives way to the wisdom of knowing that we, like the ancient heroes, must face what comes, not with a heart full of fear, but with a mind ready to understand and overcome.

In practical terms, we are called to embrace the growth that comes with age, to recognize that our fears are no longer shaped by what we do not know, but by how we choose to respond to the challenges that life presents. As we face the complexities of adult life, we must not only seek to conquer fear, but to understand it, to recognize its limits, and to use it as a tool for personal development. Just as the ancient heroes faced the unknown and emerged victorious, so must we, in our own lives, face the shadows of our fears, not with the terror of youth, but with the strength of those who have grown wiser through experience.