fascinating to me how despite on the surface looking like a digital age evolution of a very old folkloric figure slenderman does NOT fit the technical definition of a “bogeyman” since that term implies a figure used BY ADULTS to scare children into good behavior— whereas the idea of tall pale and skinny began as something by (presumably) young adults aimed at young adults before spreading memetically thru the internet, becoming something children used to scare EACH OTHER. obviously complicated by the proliferation of cultural representations both amateur (slenderverse, et al) and commercial (the videogame) which were produced by young adults before filtering down through youtube lets plays urban legends and rumors to a younger demographic.
