Sooo...what is Slenderman's deal?

[Strain42]

I've got some idea about his history, I know where he originated from, etc. etc. but there is one thing that just kinda stops me from finding him to be scary...

And that's because I just don't know what it is that he does. Almost every other Boogeyman style monster, there is some motive behind why they do what they do. Whether it's eating people, or collecting faces or making furniture out of bones or whatever. When I have an idea just what it is the monster wants to do and why, it makes more sense to me, and I feel I have a reason why I should find this frightening.

Slender seems to just...I don't get what he does. Does he even kill people?

I know this all seems weird to ask but...I just don't really get what's up with him.

 

[yuval152]

He's some creepy guy without a face that eats kids and kills people, the only reason he's popular is because of the game(He also had an youtube show), and I think he was also talked alot on the something awful forums.

 

[DoPo]

He is mysterious. People are easily scared of the unknown. Also memetic scariness. That's about it, I guess.

the only reason he's popular is because of the game,

Wait, wasn't it the other way around - he got popular so the game was made?

 

[yuval152]

He is mysterious. People are easily scared of the unknown. Also memetic scariness. That's about it, I guess.

the only reason he's popular is because of the game,

Wait, wasn't it the other way around - he got popular so the game was made?

No, at the beginning he was popular because he was talked alot on something awful forums and had some sort of show going on, but the game tossed his popularity super high.

 

[Mr Cwtchy]

Frankly I think a monster like the Slenderman is scarier because we don't know exactly he does what he does, or why. There are a bunch of theories but because his behaviour differs depending on the source, it adds an element of mysteriousness. Paranoia and general loss of sanity in people who come into contact with him is arguable, but even that may be self-inflicted rather than something actively caused by the Slenderman himself.

Basically, I don't bloody know.

No at the beginning he was popular because he was talked alot on something awful forums and some sort of show going on, but the game tossed his popularity super high.

Not really. His first popularity spike was with the start of the internet series 'Marble Hornets'. Since then a number of other internet series of a similar vein have sprung up and have been a source of parody by people such as LittleKuriboh. He was already very well known at this point.

Slender may have increased the Slenderman's popularity, but it is not where it started.

 

[yuval152]

Frankly I think a monster like the Slenderman is scarier because we don't know exactly he does what he does, or why. There are a bunch of theories but because his behaviour differs depending on the source, it adds an element of mysteriousness. Paranoia and general loss of sanity in people who come into contact with him is arguable, but even that may be self-inflicted rather than something actively caused by the Slenderman himself.

Basically, I don't bloody know.

No at the beginning he was popular because he was talked alot on something awful forums and some sort of show going on, but the game tossed his popularity super high.

Not really. His first popularity spike was with the start of the internet series 'Marble Hornets'. Since then a number of other internet series of a similar vein have sprung up and have been a source of parody by people such as LittleKuriboh. He was already very well known at this point.

Slender may have increased the Slenderman's popularity, but it is not where it started.

But it says right here [http://marblehornets.wikidot.com/slender-man] that he was made on something awful forums, or I didn't understand your post?

 

[ediblemitten]

Frankly I think a monster like the Slenderman is scarier because we don't know exactly he does what he does, or why. There are a bunch of theories but because his behaviour differs depending on the source, it adds an element of mysteriousness. Paranoia and general loss of sanity in people who come into contact with him is arguable, but even that may be self-inflicted rather than something actively caused by the Slenderman himself.

Basically, I don't bloody know.

No at the beginning he was popular because he was talked alot on something awful forums and some sort of show going on, but the game tossed his popularity super high.

Not really. His first popularity spike was with the start of the internet series 'Marble Hornets'. Since then a number of other internet series of a similar vein have sprung up and have been a source of parody by people such as LittleKuriboh. He was already very well known at this point.

Slender may have increased the Slenderman's popularity, but it is not where it started.

But it says right here [http://marblehornets.wikidot.com/slender-man] that he was made on something awful forums, or I didn't understand your post?

His post says that while Slenderman was originally created on the Something Awful forums, it was Marble Hornets that created his first popularity spike a few years back. The game basically reinvigorated his popularity, in a way.

 

[itsthesheppy]

I gotta say I've never found him scary.

 

[yuval152]

snip

Now this makes much more sense, thanks for clarifying.

 

[GenericAmerican]

I don't get it either.

I've seen worse things than a tall guy in a suit.

 

[Mr Cwtchy]

His post says that while Slenderman was originally created on the Something Awful forums, it was Marble Hornets that created his first popularity spike a few years back. The game basically reinvigorated his popularity, in a way.

Yes, but what I'm arguing is that his popularity was already 'super high' as they described it. I suspect most people who liked or played Slender were already at least vaguely aware of the mythos.

 

[LordofSquirrels]

Creepypasta like this seems to have been coming out with more frequency lately; Slender and Hospice are both games that creep me out, but the Slender Man himself isn't so much scary anymore for me.

Jeff the Killer, on the other hand... -_-

 

[Lucem712]

He scares me, but mostly the mental factor after watching 'Marble Hornets' where he's just...watching them sleep..waiting, God. It gets me. I think the lack of purpose gets me too, there's no way you can humanize him or identify with him.

 

[yuval152]

snip

snip

Wait a second, I did mention that he had some sort of show going on.

Therefore, cats.

snip

Do you know how many super-famous youtubers made videos about the game?

 

[IamQ]

What I think is strange is how people only now talk about him. I've known about that creepy pasta since around 2009.

 

[DugMachine]

He was creepy at the start but now he's way overused and the creepy factor is starting to slip away with all the comics and memes. The game was fun for a good scare or two and Marble Hornets was scary as shit when I first watched it.

What I think is funnier though is why people can't just accept his origin from the Something awful forums. I keep seeing stupid shit that he's some mythological creature from Europe back in medieval times or something... yeah no just stop and take it for what it is.

What I think is strange is how people only now talk about him. I've known about that creepy pasta since around 2009.

Also, this.

 

[Shock and Awe]

There really is no set motive. Slenderman is scary because he is that special kind of "other". He is somewhat like us in that he is fairly humanoid, but he just different enough to be something entirely different at the same time. The fact we do not know his motivation is part of this idea of "other" that aids in the fear it creates.