Why Creativity Isn’t Always Good & The Magic of Horror Movies at Halloween - SYSK Choice

Something You Should Know

Mike Carruthers | OmniCastMedia

Science, Social Sciences, Self-improvement, Education, Health & Fitness

4.6 • 4K Ratings

🗓️ 25 October 2025

⏱️ 51 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Your grandmother was right — you should sit up straight. Posture affects far more than your appearance. It influences your mood, productivity, and even how well you think. I begin this episode with surprising research showing how simply improving your posture can boost everything from confidence to cognitive performance. https://www.deseret.com/2023/10/24/23930242/dont-slouch-minding-your-posture-good-mental-health-productivity We often hear that creativity is the key to success — but is it really? Cultural historian Samuel Franklin says the cult of creativity might be one of the most overrated ideas in modern life. He’s the author of The Cult of Creativity: A Surprisingly Recent History (https://amzn.to/3MiaJUC), and he reveals how our obsession with being “creative” is a relatively new concept — and why, in many cases, getting things done matters more than thinking outside the box. Why do we love to be scared? Every Halloween, millions of people pay good money to feel terror in the theater. Science writer Nina Nesseth, author of Nightmare Fuel: The Science of Horror Films (https://amzn.to/46Let9l), joins me to explore why horror movies captivate us, how they affect our brains, and why this much-maligned genre deserves a lot more respect than it gets. And finally — are daily showers really necessary? Many of us can’t imagine skipping one, but dermatologists say too much cleanliness might actually backfire. I’ll explain what the science says about how often you should shower — and what happens if you overdo it. http://health.howstuffworks.com/skin-care/daily/tips/daily-shower-skin1.htm PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS!!! INDEED: Get a $75 sponsored job credit to get your jobs more visibility at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ right now! DELL: Your new Dell PC with Intel Core Ultra helps you handle a lot when your holiday to-dos get to be…a lot. Upgrade today by visiting⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://Dell.com/Deals⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ QUINCE: Layer up this fall with pieces that feel as good as they look! Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Quince.com/sysk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for free shipping on your order and 365 day returns! ON POINT: We love the On Point podcast! Listen wherever you get your podcasts! ⁠https://www.wbur.org/radio/programs/onpoint⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Today on something you should know, how your posture can affect your mood, your self-esteem,
0:07.0	even your math skills.
0:09.0	Then creativity. Everyone loves creativity, but maybe that concept has been a little overhyped.
0:16.0	I have nothing against creativity in most of the meanings that we mean it.
0:20.0	But one of the problems is that
0:21.7	it's a very vague term and it kind of always has been. For one thing, it's vague about whether
0:27.0	it is talking about art or technology or anything else. Also, how often should you take a shower?
0:35.1	And horror films, why we love them and why they don't get no respect.
0:39.3	What tends to happen is when a horror film gets critical acclaim,
0:44.3	usually someone attached to that horror film says that, no, no, this isn't a horror film.
0:49.3	That happened with The Exorcist.
0:51.3	There is a certain idea that the horror film is a lesser form of film.
0:56.1	All this today on Something You Should Know.
1:00.8	I want to tell you about a podcast I listen to. There's a new episode every weekday,
1:06.6	and I believe it can help you uncomplicate the news and better understand what's really going on in the world.
1:13.2	It's called On Point.
1:15.4	On Point is a rare public space where you hear nuanced explorations of complex topics live and in real time.
1:24.2	Host Megna Chakrabarty leads provocative conversations that will help make sense of the world with urgency, timeliness, and depth.
1:33.2	Each episode is a deeply researched, beautifully produced hour.
1:37.7	Listeners will learn, be challenged, and have some fun, too.
1:41.9	You can hear episodes of On Point every weekday,
1:45.0	wherever you get your podcast.
	...

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