Isn't it weird how dim lighting and shadows can be romantic with candles, but it can also be unnerving with street lights?
by 
Daevid
ANSWERS: 1
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I think these are the same feelings, just different contexts. To me it seems like the "romantic" side of this is actually about the candles adding a sense of mystery or the unknown to the experience. It is mystery in a controlled setting which means that it isn't too much mystery...but just enough that it remains comfortable. In that context, the mystery is also assumed to have a positive outcome which means it heightens anticipation of reward. Take the same thing and move it out of the controlled environment of your home and the dimness creates a mystery that is threatening because there is too much of it. Too many terrible things and questions arise in uncontrolled shadows - which hearkens back to the fundamental fear of darkness...which is really a fear of the unknown. As an analogy...press your finger onto your forearm and apply a little pressure and you'll likely feel pleasure. Apply more pressure and eventually the same source stimulus will turn pleasure into pain.
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