Rick Springfield’s 80s anthem wasn’t just a pop hit — it was a warning. Don’t Talk to Strangers echoed a primal instinct, a survival command passed down from shadows older than civilization. He sang of danger cloaked in a smile, of seduction with a knife behind its back. But that message… it’s dead now. Buried beneath the glittering rot of modern slogans: Be inclusive. Don’t judge. Tolerate. Accept.

Now, the doors are wide open. Strangers are welcomed in with blindfolds on, red flags ignored, instincts dulled. The very thing Springfield cautioned against has become a virtue. And we wonder why the world feels colder, darker, more dangerous. Maybe the song was more prophecy than pop. Maybe Don’t Talk to Strangers was the last flicker before the blackout.