Speaker 1: Okay, so imagine this. You find like a hidden door
in your airbnb and it leads you to like a
huge abandoned shopping mall. Kind of spooky, right, but also
like kind of cool. And that's like the weird thing
about liminal spaces, and that's exactly what we're going to
be looking at today in this deep dive.
Speaker 2: Yeah, it is really interesting how these spaces, like both
like physical spaces and psychological spaces, can like make you
feel so many different things all at once.
Speaker 1: Yeah, for sure, we've got a bunch of different sources
today talking about all kinds stuff like deserted malls, weird tiktoks,
even like some creepy internet horror stories. Already get in
the chills just thinking about it. But maybe before we
get too spooked, we just like start with the basics.
What exactly is a liminal space?
Speaker 2: Well, a liminal space can be a thought of as
like a threshold, a place of transition, or like an
in between state. And it's where like what's familiar suddenly
becomes unfamiliar and like the rules that we're used to
don't seem to apply anymore. Thing about like an empty
air per terminal late at night, or like a school
hallway after all the kids have gone home.
Speaker 1: It's funny you should mention airports. I always found those
moving walkways, especially when they're empty, to be like weirdly unsettling.
You're going somewhere, but it's also like you're just stuck
in this weird state of motion.
Speaker 2: Yeah, that's a great example. It's that feeling of being
neither here nor there, of being caught in like a
moment of transition, and that can be like a trigger
for that something's not quite right kind of feeling.
Speaker 1: Yeah, for sure. So our first source actually jumps right
into this feeling mm hmm with a story about a
woman who finds a hidden, abandoned mall through a door
in her airbnb. I mean, talk about an unexpected vacation.
Speaker 2: Yeah, here exactly. And what I find really fascinating about
that story it's not just like the discovery itself, yeah,
but the woman's reaction. She describes it as this overwhelming
sense of excitement, like she's stumbled upon like a secret world,
but at the same time she's totally creeped out. She
keeps saying how the silence is like deafening, and how
she felt like she was being watched, even though she
knew she completely alone.
Speaker 1: It's like that primal part of our brain is like
screaming at us danger.
Speaker 2: This is not where you're supposed to be, even if
like logically we know there's no real threat exactly.
Speaker 1: And that's where the concept of cognitive dissonance comes in.
We're looking at a space that we recognize, like it's
a shopping mall, yeah, but it's totally empty without any
of the context that we're expecting. It's this conflict between
what we expect and what we actually see that leads
to that uneasy feeling.
Speaker 2: Right, And I think that dissonance is even stronger when
we're talking about places that are usually super busy, like
imagine walking through Times Square in New York City, but
it's completely deserted. It's like a snapshot of a world
that just stopped working totally.
Speaker 1: And it's that sense of disruption, that break from what
we expect that makes these spaces so compelling and let's
be honest, a little bit scary. But it's not just
abandoned places that can make you feel that way. Another
source looks at this TikToker Javier, who claims that he's
posting from the year twenty twenty seven, where he's seemingly
the last man on earth. Oh yeah, Javier. His videos
are wild, empty Spanish cities, perfect beaches with no one around.
He even like walks through these fancy hotels like he
owns the place. It's like something right out of a
post apocalyptic movie, but without the whole mad Max thing.
Speaker 2: Yeah. His story, whether it's true or not, really plays
into our fascination with being alone and with the unknown.
There's something really alluring about a world without rules, where
you can go wherever you want without any consequences. It's
like a blank canvas for your imagination.
Speaker 1: Yeah, and I think it also connects to our anxieties
about the future, climate change, pandemics, political unrest. It's not
hard to imagine a scenario where like society collapses and
we're left with these eerie reminders of what used to be.
Speaker 2: It's a pretty bleak thought. But even if Javier is
just messing with us, it raises some interesting questions about
why these kinds of stories are so popular. What is
it about being alone, about being the last person on
earth that captures our imagination.
Speaker 1: Maybe it's a desire to escape or like wanting a
simpler life without so much chaos. Or maybe it's something darker,
like a morbid curiosity about what happens after everything falls apart.
I'm not sure. It definitely makes you think.
Speaker 2: Yeah, for sure. And speaking of things that make you think,
let's talk about something that takes this feeling of unease
to a whole new level. The back Rooms.
Speaker 1: Okay, yeah, this one's definitely creeping me out. For those
of you who haven't gone deep into internet horror, can
you give us a quick overview of what the Backrooms
is all about?
Speaker 2: Basically, the back Rooms started as an Internet urban legend,
this creepy story that's spread like wildfire online. The idea
is that you can accidentally no clip out of reality,
like you glitch through the fabric of existence and end
up trapped in the back rooms.
Speaker 1: And what exactly are the back rooms?
Speaker 2: Imagine like an endless maze of empty office spaces, dingy
yellow wallpaper, buzzing fluorescent lights, damp carpets that go on forever.
It's a totally mundane place, but also super unsettling. You're
completely alone, but there's this constant feeling of being watched,
like something's lurky, just out of sight.
Speaker 1: So it's like they took the most boring, soul crushing
environment possible and turned it into a nightmare. No wonder
it's become so popular in like creepy pastas and online horror.
Speaker 2: And what's especially interesting is that the back rooms, unlike
abandoned malls or deserted cities, isn't based on any real place.
It's totally made up, but it taps into a very
real and universal fear, the fear of being lost, trapped,
and forgotten. And it's not even just like the fear
of being like physically trapped. The backrooms can be seen
as like a metaphor too, for that feeling of being stuck,
you know, like in a dead end job or life
that just feels empty. It's that fear of just doing
the same thing over and over, of being trapped in
a cycle you can't break free from.
Speaker 1: You know, it's interesting you say that, I've always been
drawn to stories about people who find themselves in these
crazy situations, like what would I do if I woke
up and everyone's gone, or if I like walk through
a portal to another dimension.
Speaker 2: I think that shows just how much humans crave like
novelty and adventure. We want those experiences that shit things up,
that challenge how we see the world.
Speaker 1: It's like we're programmed to seek out the unknown, even
if it scares us a little bit. But I'm also
curious about, like the flip side of that. Why are
we so drawn to these like creepy and unsettling depictions
of liminal spaces. What is it about abandoned malls and
deserted cities and these endless office nightmares that captures our imaginations.
Speaker 2: Maybe it's a way for us to face our fears. Yeah,
but in a safe way, you know. By like exploring
these spaces through stories, images, and videos, we can kind
of experience the thrill of the unknown without actually putting
ourselves in danger.
Speaker 1: Right, It's like watching a horror movie. You get the
adrenaline rush without having to actually face a monster exactly.
Speaker 2: And I think there's also something cathartic about it. By
immersing ourselves in these unsettling stories, we can work through
our own anxieties about being alone, about loss, about how
fragile life really is.
Speaker 1: It's like those stories give us a safe way to
explore the darker parts of being human without having to
actually deal with them in our own lives.
Speaker 2: Yeah, that's a good way to put it. But it's
not all about fear and anxiety. Liminal spaces can also
make you feel a sense of wonder and possibility. Think
about like standing on top of a mountain and looking
out at a huge landscape that goes on forever, or
the amazing silence of a night sky full of stars.
Speaker 1: Oh yeah, those are great examples. It's like those spaces
remind us just how big the universe is and how
small we are in comparison. It's humbling and exhilarating all
at the same.
Speaker 2: Time, exactly. Liminal spaces can make us see things differently,
challenge our ideas, and remind us that there's always more
to discover and learn and experience.
Speaker 1: And speaking of learning, we mentioned earlier that the term
liminal space is actually coined way back in nineteen oh
eight by this anthropologist Arnold van Gennep in his book
Writes a Passage That's Right.
Speaker 2: His work focused on the rituals and ceremonies that societies
use to mark transitions from one stage of life to another,
like coming of age rituals, weddings, funerals. These are all
liminal experiences that have been a part of human culture
or for centuries.
Speaker 1: So this isn't just some new Internet trend. It's something
that humans have been dealing with for as long as
we've been around, exactly.
Speaker 2: And I think that's why these ideas are still so
relevant today, Even in our super connected, technologically advanced world.
We're still searching for meaning, for connection, for a sense
of belonging in a world that can feel really chaotic
and overwhelming.
Speaker 1: And maybe these liminal spaces, whether there are actual places
or just states of mind, give us a glimpse of
something beyond the every day, something that reminds us of
the mystery and wonder that's still out there.
Speaker 2: You know, when you were talking about those rates of passage,
it made me think about my own experience spending abroad
in college.
Speaker 1: Oh really, I'd love to hear about it.
Speaker 2: Well. I was living in this tiny village in Japan,
completely immersed in a culture that was so different from
anything I knew. I remember feeling so lost at first,
like I was in a dream. The language, the customs,
even the food, it was all so unfamiliar.
Speaker 1: It sounds like you were in a liminal space in
every sense of the world.
Speaker 2: I totally was, but looking back, it was one of
the most transformative experiences of my life. I had to
confront my own assumptions, adapt to new ways of thinking
and being, and connect with people on a much deeper level.
Speaker 1: And in that way, your experience is kind of like
those ancient rites of passage. You're stepping outside your comfort zone, yeah,
crossing a threshold into a new world, and coming out
the other side changed in a fundamental way.
Speaker 2: It's amazing how those experiences, the ones that really challenge us,
are often the ones we end up cherishing the most.
Speaker 1: It's like, we need those moments of being lost and
confuse to really appreciate what we have to gain a
new perspective on our lives and our place in the world.
Speaker 2: And I think that's a really important lesson, especially in
a world that's always pushing us to stay connected, to
be productive, to never slow down. Maybe we need to
make time for those liminal moments, those pauses in our
everyday lives, to let ourselves get a little lost, to
wander off the beaten path and see where we end up.
Speaker 1: All of that, it's like giving ourselves permission to explore,
to be curious to embrace the unknown. But before we
get too carried away with our own philosophical thoughts, let's
bring it back to our listeners. Yes, idea, we've talked
about a lot of different aspects of liminal spaces today,
from abandoned malls and creepy tiktoks to ancient rituals and
the psychology of fear. What does all this mean for us,
the people navigating our own liminal spaces in the real world. Yeah,
so we've been like all over the place with these
liminal spaces, from creepy abandoned places to like these deep
philosophical ideas. But how does all this apply to like
our everyday lives.
Speaker 2: Well, I think the first thing is to remember that
liminality isn't just about like spooky buildings or internet stories.
It's a really basic part of being human. We're always
in transition, you know, moving between different stages of life,
different roles, different identities.
Speaker 1: It's like we're constantly no clipping through different versions of ourselves.
Maybe that's why those backgroom stories are so popular. They
kind of tap into that fear we all have about
who we are and where we belong.
Speaker 2: That's a really interesting connection. And if we can accept
that liminality is just part of life, then maybe we
can start to see those in between times not as
something to be scared of, but as chances for growth
and change.
Speaker 1: So instead of like dreading those times when things are uncertain,
we should just embrace them.
Speaker 2: Exactly. Think about it. When we're in a liminal space,
the old rules don't work anymore and the new ones
haven't really formed yet. It's a time when we can
question things, try out new ways of being, and discover
things about ourselves we didn't even know we're there.
Speaker 1: It's kind of like when you're traveling in a foreign
country and you have to step outside your comfort zone.
You have to figure out new places, communicate in a
different language, yeah, and adapt to new customs.
Speaker 2: Right, And in that process you often find out that
you're much stronger and more resourceful than you ever thought
you were.
Speaker 1: I remember when I first moved to a big city
after college. I was so overwhelmed by everything, the pace
of life, the crowds, the constant noise. But I also
felt this amazing sense of energy, like anything was possible.
Speaker 2: That feeling of possibility is like a trademark of liminal spaces.
It's a time when we're open to new experiences, new connections,
new ways of seeing the world.
Speaker 1: And it's not just about personal growth either. Liminal spaces
can also have a huge impact on society as a whole.
Speaker 2: Definitely think about those big moments in history, revolutions, social movements,
major shifts in thinking. Those are all examples of collective
liminal experiences where old systems break down and new ones
take their place.
Speaker 1: It's like society itself is no clipping into a new reality,
and those transitions are rarely smooth or easy. There's often conflict, uncertainty,
even chaos, But it's from.
Speaker 2: That chaos that real innovation and progress can happen.
Speaker 1: So how do we deal with these collective liminal spaces,
especially in a world that feels so divided and uncertain
right now?
Speaker 2: I think it starts with empathy and trying to understand
each other. We need to be open to hearing different
points to view, to challenge our own biases, and to
find common ground even when it seems impossible.
Speaker 1: It's about recognizing that we're all in this together, even
if we're on different paths and going through different transitions.
Speaker 2: And maybe, just maybe if we embrace those liminal moments,
those times of uncertainty and discomfort, we can create a
world that's more fair, more equal, and more compassionate.
Speaker 1: That's a really powerful thought. So as we wrap up
our deep dive into the world of liminal spaces, what's
like the one big thing you want our listeners to
take away from this?
Speaker 2: I think it's this, don't be afraid of the in between,
embrace those times of uncertainty and change, because it's in
those liminal spaces, those moments of transition, that we really
discover who we are and what we're capable of becoming.
Speaker 1: I love that. And on that note, Yeah, we've come
to the end of our exploration. I hope you enjoyed
this journey into this strange, unsettling, and ultimately transformative world
of liminal spaces. Until next time, keep exploring, keep asking questions,
and keep embracing the miss three