Bustle: 19 Things That Are Only Creepy If You Grew Up In the ‘90s

[froodle]

‘90s nostalgia would have it that the ‘90s were one of the best decades. However, I would also argue that they were one of the creepiest decades, because, I mean… just look at all the nightmare fuel that came out of them. It’s funny, though, looking back on most of it — because nearly all of these things are only creepy if you grew up in the ‘90s.

I recall having vivid nightmares inspired by so many of these people, items, and pop culture phenomena when I was a kid: I dreamed of turning into a giant piece of fruit and being stuck that way forever; I dreamed of being chased by the ‘90s miniseries version of Pennywise; I dreamed of ghosts and goblins and ghouls and monsters the way they were depicted in the media I consumed during the day. At the time — due largely, I believe, to where we were at in our technological development — these images were the pinnacle of fear.

But the things that scared us back then don’t really have the same effect on the generations that came after us; they grew up with much more realistic-looking special effects than we did, and their tolerance for freaky stuff is often much higher simply due to having had more access to it through the internet. The most terrifying images that came out of the ‘90s seem almost quaint now — and we can only describe the fear they inspired by gesturing vaguely and saying, “You just kind of had to be there.”

But still. You remember, right? You remember what it feltlike when you turned the television on and saw a clown waving at a passing car.You remember turning away from a book because the illustrations made you feel a little queasy. You remember it all.

Some things are just impossible to forget.

Thanks to Eerie Indiana, I live in fear of ATMs becoming sentient.