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Demons: A Summary

·         (57%) believe in the existence of the devil

·         (51%) believe in possession by evil spirits.

·         “Born-again” Christians are the most likely to both believe in the devil (86%) and possession (72%).

·         Women are more likely than men to believe in the devil (61% to 53%) and demon possession (54% to 49%).

·         A majority of all age groups believe the devil exists, with 45-64 year olds having the highest percentage of believers (62%) and the 30-44 range having the highest percentage of skeptics (30%).

·         Republicans are more likely to believe in the devil than are Democrats (65% to 55%)

·         Black (72%) and Hispanic (60%) Americans are more likely than whites (54%) to believe Satan is real.

·         The college educated and those with less than a high school education are least likely to believe (48% and 49%)

·         high school grads, those with some college, and post graduates are most likely to believe (63%, 58%, and 51%).

·         Belief is highest in the South (64%) and Midwest (56%).

·         Few Americans believe that possession occurs “very frequently” (6%) or “frequently” (9%). The exception is Muslim Americans, 60% of whom believe demon possession occurs frequently.

·         The definition of demons is diverse, and though Christianity believes that all demons are evil creations of the fallen angels and Lucifer, and includes pagan gods, demons in other cultures and religions are not necessarily evil.

·         We cannot be sure if exorcisms are being performed on people who are actually possessed or people who are mentally ill, and it is greatly debated

·         The Charlie Charlie demon summoning game became a social media phenomena in 2015 that was widely popular among children and young adults

·         A blurry picture of a figure that appears to be a demon went viral, with many speculating as to what the figure could actually be.

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Here is a social media demon sensation that started right here in Tucson, Arizona. This photo, supposedly taken by a man named Richard Christianson, went viral, with thousands of shares and plenty of speculation as to what the shadowy figure could be - the main belief being a demon. Snopes writes “Richard Christianson, said it was taken on the south side of Tucson, Arizona, at 7:48 p.m. on New Year’s Day. He declined to provide any further information about its origins.”

(Source: https://www.snopes.com/news/2017/01/04/facebook-photograph-demon/)

Several news articles who also posted information about this story claim that Christianson was not happy that people were speculating or doubting his photo, and included his somewhat snarky responses, such as when asked if he was the one who snapped the picture, and he responded with “Really ?? No I found it at a goodwill on half-priced Saturday. Stupid ass people... I’m done !” 

While Christianson’s attitude does not help with proving the idea that he really shot a picture of a demon, the thousands of people who shared the photograph and engaged in lengthy conversations regarding the identity of the figure demonstrates just how powerful and controversial the concept of a demon can be on social media. 

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So does the belief in demons extend into social media? Yes, actually, and it comes in the form of a social media craze/challenge - not unlike the cinnamon challenge. This is a game that can be traced back to schoolyards in Spanish-speaking countries, but became suddenly popular through social media sites like Vine sometime in 2015. The steps are as follows:

“Step 1: Open your Vine and get the camera rolling. (If you don’t have Vine, you ARE too old for this.) Step 2: Draw an X on a piece of paper. Step 3: Label two of the resulting quadrants “no,” and the other two “yes.” Step 4: Place two overlapping pencils on each axis of your grid, crossing them in the middle. Step 5: Say “Charlie, Charlie, are you there?” and ask a question. (i.e., “is one of my friends going to die soon,” “will I go to prom next May.” ) Step 6: Scream, probably.”

According to a Washington Post article, no one is really sure why this “demon summoning game” suddenly became popular, but is it much to the disdain of many schools, educators, parents, and Christian communities who, as stated in this video, believe that demons are not a toy and should not be taken lightly. However, according to the Washington Post, there is no real evidence that a Mexican demon named Charlie exists, as the article states, “per various corners of the Spanish-speaking Internet: a child who committed suicide, the victim of a fatal car accident, or a pagan Mexican deity who now convenes with the Christian devil. The Mexican deity bit, at least, is demonstrably untrue.”

(Source: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-intersect/wp/2015/05/26/the-complete-true-story-of-charlie-charlie-the-demonic-teen-game-overtaking-the-internet/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.65c92a12c364)

Interestingly, this social media game both demonstrates that demons are seen as a fun joke as well as a serious problem in America. Most of the people playing the game are students, as young as kindergarten who pick up the idea from older siblings. But while the challenge appears to be full of laughs in the beginning, the result of the pencil moving across the axis of the grid can strike real fear in players, who may go to bed believing that Charlie is haunting them because they forgot to say “Goodbye Charlie” at the end of the game. 

This is very similar to the Ouija Board phenomena, which, while most commonly used to communicate with spirits and ghosts, can accidentally be used to “summon a demon.” While the Charlie Charlie challenge does not yet have a movie created from it yet, the Ouija Board game has several, and people who play the game often feel real fear. 

So what does this Charlie Charlie case demonstrate? That Americans in general truly believe that even a children’s game of using pencils to ask a demon questions is dangerous (even if there is no evidence or lore that such a demon exists), and that even children and young adults who are unsure of their beliefs can feel real fear at the concept of talking to a demon. 

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http://weekinweird.com/2016/07/27/listen-to-the-rare-uncut-recordings-of-the-67-terrifying-exorcisms-of-anneliese-michel/

WARNING: The contents in this video may be very disturbing to some.  Listen with caution. 

Note: Skip to an hour and a half into the video to hear the audio of the exorcisms. 

As we discussed in the last post, the belief in demons also leads to a belief in demonic possession. This ties into many people’s concept of ghosts, and what we saw implied in the Amityville Horror - that the house was on an ancient indian burial ground that resulted in a ghostly/demonic possession that caused DeFoe to kill his family and continued to haunt/possess families thereafter. However, as far as this research has concluded about paranormal beliefs, most people do not associate ghosts with the ideas of “evil” and “possession,” which (though the lines there are blurry) is going to be the basis of separation between ghost and demon for this project. 

The video above is of one of the most popular exorcism story to date: Anneliese Michel, the 24-year-old German woman who died after undergoing a grueling series of Catholic exorcisms. It also sparks the debate: Was Anneliese actually possessed, or was she mentally ill? 

First, we need to examine the actual act of the exorcism. According to Live Science, “The idea that invading spirits are inherently evil is largely a Judeo-Christian concept; many religions and belief systems accept possession by both beneficent and malevolent entities for short periods of time as uncommon — and not especially alarming — aspects of spiritual life.” This is where we see the distinction between Christian demon belief and other religions belief in demons, discussed in the last post. 

The article goes further to state that whether or not people are actually possessed when an exorcism takes place is largely based on belief, because, as with ghosts, there is not scientific evidence to confirm or deny the existence of demons (specifically Christian demons). They do note that exorcisms are not just olden day concepts, but are still performed today (and not just on haunted houses), stating:

 “While many Americans think of real exorcisms as relics of the Dark Ages, exorcisms continue to be performed, often on people who are emotionally and mentally disturbed. Whether those undergoing the exorcism are truly possessed by spirits or demons is another matter entirely. Exorcisms are done on people of strong religious faith. To the extent that exorcisms "work," it is due to the power of suggestion and psychology: If you believe you're possessed (and that an exorcism will cure you), then it just might.”

There is also a harsh reality to exorcisms. Many very religions persons might seek help from a Priest when a family member starts acting distressed or out of the normal. There have been known anti-Gay exorcisms.

To learn more about anti-LGBT exorcisms, click here: http://www.slate.com/blogs/outward/2014/05/16/gay_exorcisms_are_horrifying.html

Most importantly, the lengths that Priests might go to expel a demon - realistic or not - can be incredibly dangerous. Live Science notes instances such as 

“In 2003, an autistic 8-year-old boy in Milwaukee, Wis., was killed during an exorcism by church members who blamed an invading demon for his disability; in 2005 a young nun in Romania died at the hands of a priest during an exorcism after being bound to a cross, gagged, and left for days without food or water in an effort to expel demons. And on Christmas Day 2010 in London, England, a 14-year-old boy named Kristy Bamu was beaten and drowned to death by relatives trying to exorcise an evil spirit from the boy.”

(Source: https://www.livescience.com/27727-exorcism-facts-and-fiction.html)

Ironically, a ceremony meant to expel evil sometimes brings about even more evil. This is the idea that is brought up in many of the comments on this particular video about the exorcism of Anneliese.

One commenter under the video writes:

“ LOOKING AT THIS FROM A COMPLETELY ANALYTICAL VIEW POINT, THE FOLLOWING IS MERELY MY OWN OPINION: 

From all I've heard and read from these "exorcisms", as well as Anneliese's history - something tells me that she was suicidal (as one video has already confirmed), but she decided to go out with flare. Something in her voice sounds like she's completely aware of what's going on and is merely going along with whatever the priest says or does. Something tells me that she intentionally starved and injured  herself, as well as pretend to be possessed  - as a  PROTEST against her (some say abusive) upbringing, as well as against her own parents...”

The comment continues to analyze her actions and voices in the audio as simply a depressed, suicidal young woman. Many other commenters agree, writing:

“If you hear interviews of mental patients untreated, and the exorcism tape here, it's one and the same. This girl should have been committed into psychiatric help. “ 

“So a mentally ill 23 year old girl was subjected to the "civilized" equivalent of witch doctors waving charms and fetishes at her and deprived of food, and then she died. Hmmm, how'd that happen? Really though, what a tragedy that her parents didn't insist on proper mental health care for their child, who clearly was deeply disturbed.“

For those interested, this is an attempted translation of the audio in German to English: http://www.dominicanidaho.org/analisemichelle.html

These exorcisms took place in 1975, which is disturbingly not too long ago. However, not a lot was known (or even acknowledged) about mental illness, even in the 70s. Doctors are more aware now, there are names and diagnoses for different mental illness and disorders, and not everybody gets throw into an institution or forced to go through an exorcism nowadays. 

(Personal Note: My mother, born in 1966, grew up in a tight-knit community of Seventh Day Adventists (which is a sect of Christianity). She suffered from childhood epilepsy with petty-mal seizures which stopped by the time she reached puberty. Even though these seizures only resulted in her “fainting” - meaning that she did not have the movements associated with the gran-mal seizures - she was said to have been possessed. She was ostracized by the church and community, and other children were not allowed to play with her). 

Would Anneliese have gone through an exorcism in current times? Was she mentally ill or actually possessed? We can only speculate. 

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Demons: Part 1

So, what are demons? And how are they different from ghosts? 

It’s interesting, the original idea for this project did not include delving into demonic research, primary because demons are an aspect of religion (mostly Christianity) and therefore far more complex than ghosts. One can assume that those who believe in demons therefore believe in God and Angels, which limits the demographic of believers to only Christians and Catholics. 

However, a 2013 survey by YouGov, as reported by the Gospel Coalition, finds that “(57%) believe in the existence of the devil and a slight majority (51%) believe in possession by evil spirits. Regardless of religious identity levels of belief top 50%, except for Jews, who theologically reject the idea of a sentient Satan. “Born-again” Christians are the most likely to both believe in the devil (86%) and possession (72%).” 

The article further goes to list some interesting statistics:

1. Women are more likely than men to believe in the devil (61% to 53%) and demon possession (54% to 49%).

2. A majority of all age groups believe the devil exists, with 45-64 year olds having the highest percentage of believers (62%) and the 30-44 range having the highest percentage of skeptics (30%).

3. Republicans are more likely to believe in the devil than are Democrats (65% to 55%)

4. Black (72%) and Hispanic (60%) Americans are more likely than whites (54%) to believe Satan is real.

5. The college educated and those with less than a high school education are least likely to believe (48% and 49%) while high school grads, those with some college, and post graduates are most likely to believe (63%, 58%, and 51%).

6. Belief is highest in the South (64%) and Midwest (56%).

7. “Born again” Christians, Protestants, and Catholics are most likely to believe the devil exists (86%, 70%, and 66%) and demon possession is possible (72%, 59%, and 59%), while Jewish and Muslim Americans are the least likely religious groups to believe Satan is real (17% and 25%). Muslims are more likely to believe someone can be possessed an evil spirit (49%) than believe in the devil.

8. Few Americans believe that possession occurs “very frequently” (6%) or “frequently” (9%). The exception is Muslim Americans, 60% of whom believe demon possession occurs frequently.

(Source: https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/survey-majority-of-americans-believe-in-the-existence-of-satan-and-demon-po/)

(Source: https://today.yougov.com/news/2013/09/17/half-americans-believe-possession-devil/)

This goes against initial assumptions about the belief in demons, and explains why there is so much crossover between demons and ghosts. In an earlier post, we discussed the differences between a ghost and a poltergeist, two paranormal entities commonly thought to be the same thing. Demons are also often lumped in with ghosts, at least when it comes to sinister hauntings. Even Amityville horror, though proven most likely to be a hoax anyway, seemed to dance on the line between ghost and demons, suggesting that they are interchangeable. But ghosts and demons are very different paranormal creations, with a huge distinction being that the belief in ghosts appears as more of a cultural tradition, whereas the belief in demons in religious. 

So what is a demon?

Well, according to some facets of Christianity, any pagan god or goddess, as well as all of the fallen angels. Essentially, the belief in demons means believing in angels, as well as fallen angels, Lucifer, and Satan - distinguished because Lucifer was his angel name, and Satan, or the devil, is what he is referred to now, as a fallen angel. 

“In Christian tradition, demons are evil angels (Revelation 12:7-9), and have the same characteristics as their good angel counterparts: spiritual, immutable and immortal. Demons are not omniscient, but each one has a specific knowledge (sometimes on more than one subject). Their power is limited to that which God allows, so they are not omnipotent. No reference has been made about omnipresence, so it is as yet unclear if they can be in different places at the same time, but according to the tradition of the medieval witches' Sabbath, two conclusions can be reached: either the Devil can be in different places at the same time, or he sends an emissary in his name. Christian demonology states that the mission of the demons is to induce humans to sin, often by testing their faith in God. Christian tradition holds that temptations come from three sources: the world, the flesh, and the devil.”

(Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_demonology)

So, according to the Christian Bible, demons are simply fallen angels who make humans sin. But demons – unfortunately – do not only exist in the Christian religion. Though Christian demons are the most well-known kind, with most people’s first thought being “Call a Priest to perform an exorcism,” demons are actually quite diverse. Even Christianity itself created more demons when it declared all Pagan gods as demons!

Japanese Buddhism claims its own type of demon as well, a Jikininki, also referred to as “human-eating ghosts,” which are the spirits of greedy and selfish humans cursed after death to find and eat human corpses.

(Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jikininki)

But this makes the distinction between ghost and demon even more difficult to see! If the Jikininki is a human-eating ghost, created from the spirits of the selfish, why is it categorized as a demon? And what about Rakshasa, a Hindu religion demon, that shape-shifts, preys on humans at night, and sometimes sucks all the milk out of cows? According to Encyclopedia Britannica, “not all rakshasas are equally evil; some are more akin to yakshas, or yakṣas (nature spirits), while others are similar to asuras, the traditional opponents of the gods. The term rakshasa, however, generally applies to those demons who haunt cemeteries, eat the flesh of men, and drink the milk of cows dry as if by magic.”

(Source: https://www.britannica.com/topic/rakshasa)

This means that not all demons are evil. Which complicates things, because the actual dictionary definition of DEMON is “an evil spirit or devil, especially one thought to possess a person or act as a tormentor in hell.”

This distinction actually exists because Christianity is the dominate religion in the Western world. Just as the difference between a ghost and a demon is unclear with the Jikininki, the difference between evil and a “natural spirit” is unclear with the Rakshasa because the Christian definition of demon cannot encompass all religions. Not only that, but demons existed before Christianity, in Greek Religion.

According to Encyclopedia Britannica:

“Demon, also spelled daemon, Classical Greek daimon, in Greek religion, a supernatural power. In Homer the term is used almost interchangeably with theos for a god. The distinction there is that theos emphasizes the personality of the god, and demon his activity. Hence, the term demon was regularly applied to sudden or unexpected supernatural interventions not due to any particular deity. It became commonly the power determining a person’s fate, and a mortal could have a personal demon. As early as Hesiod (c. 700 BC), the dead of the Golden Age became demons; and later philosophical speculation envisaged these as lower than the gods (possibly mortal) but as superior to humanity.”

(Source: https://www.britannica.com/topic/demon-Greek-religion)

This is why demons are so difficult to define, because there are countless explanations for demons, and they differ across religions. Though the most popular idea in America is the Christian notion, demons cannot really be shoved into any particular category – which is also why they are frequently used to define ghosts as well. If a ghosts perceived actions are evil, then the ghost must therefore be a demon, because ghosts are not inherently evil, they are supposed to just be spirits stuck on the earth. But then the idea of a poltergeist comes into the mix, making it harder to distinguish between a ghost, a poltergeist, and a demon.

After all, paganism is not a dead religion with many people still practicing today, and according to Christianity their gods are demons (another reason that “paganism” and “Satanism” are thought to be synonymous, when in fact, they are very different).

Thus, this project is not going to attempt to define “demon,” but rather look at how the concept of “demon” is defined across social media, and whether or not a belief in demons impacts online communities.

For more demon idea, click here: https://www.ranker.com/list/terrifying-religious-demons/jenniferlennon

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Ghosts: A Summary

Here is a summary of the ways in which ghosts impact social media:

·         According to a 2017 survey, 52% of Americans believe that places can be haunted by spirits, which is a 15% increase from a 2005 survey

·         Ghost sightings have been recorded throughout history since the beginning of time, and exist in almost every single culture

·         There is no scientific evidence that ghosts exist – but there is also no scientific proof that ghosts do not exist, only theories for the phenomenon

·         The belief in ghosts has extended into social media in multiple ways:

o   Digital ghosts: when a person dies but their spirit lives forever through their social media accounts

o   Ghosting: a popular new phenomena where a person will disappear from a relationship or website without warning or explanation, and never return.

o   The idea that bad things happen in America because it has been built on thousands of ancient burial grounds, which is simultaneously a true belief, a common media subject, and a popular joke.

o   People who are dying are often visited by the ghosts of their family and friends, which leads to more stipulation and stories on social media about their family members encounter with ghosts (prior to death).

o   Amityville horror probably contributed to the increase in the belief that homes can be haunted

o   There are five genres of ghost videos on YouTube – separate from movies and TV shows – and all of them point to a public obsession with the concept of ghosts.

We still do not know if ghosts are real or not!

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Ghosts: Part 3

Tragedies, such as school shootings or people murdering their families, could be because America is built on thousands of ancient burial grounds. Lots of people have seen Amityville Horror, and though it is well-known because of the book and movie, it is based on historical events. “On November 13, 1974, Ronald DeFeo Jr. shot and killed six members of his family at 112 Ocean Avenue, a large Dutch Colonial house situated in a suburban neighborhood in Amityville, on the south shore of Long Island, New York. He was convicted of second-degree murder in November 1975. In December 1975, George and Kathy Lutz and their three children moved into the house. After 28 days, the Lutzes left the house, claiming to have been terrorized by paranormal phenomena while living there.”

(Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Amityville_Horror)

In the movie we watch George Lutz struggle with what appears to be a form of demonic possession, and though the actions of the ghosts were likely exaggerated, it was a paranormal haunting that led to Lutz’s desire to kill his family (and then himself). The experiences of the Lutz family were described in the book, and are as follows:

George would wake up around 3:15 every     morning and would go out to check the boathouse. Later he would learn that     this was the estimated time of the DeFeo killings.

The house was     plagued by swarms of flies despite the winter weather.

Kathy had     vivid nightmares about the murders and discovered the order in which they     occurred and the rooms where they took place. The Lutz children also began     sleeping on their stomachs, in the same way that the dead bodies in the     DeFeo murders had been found.

Kathy would     feel a sensation as if "being embraced" in a loving manner, by     an unseen force.

George     discovered a small hidden room (around four feet by five feet) behind     shelving in the basement. The walls were painted red and the room did not     appear in the blueprints of the house. The room came to be known as     "The Red Room." This room had a profound effect on their dog     Harry, who refused to go near it and cowered as if sensing something     ominous.

There were     cold spots and odors of perfume and excrement in     areas of the house where no wind drafts or piping would explain the     source.

While tending     to the fire, George and Kathy saw the image of a demon with     half his head blown out. It was burned into the soot in the back of the     fireplace.

The Lutzes'     5-year-old daughter, Missy, developed an imaginary friend named     "Jodie," a demonic pig-like creature with glowing red eyes.

In the early     morning hours of Christmas Day 1975, George looked up at the house after     checking on the boathouse and saw Jodie standing behind Missy at her     bedroom window. When he ran up to her room he found her fast asleep with     her small rocking chair slowly rocking back and forth.

George would     wake up to the sound of the front door slamming. He would race downstairs     to find the dog sleeping soundly at the front door. Nobody else heard the     sound although it was loud enough to wake the house.

George would     hear what was described as a "marching band tuning up" or what     sounded like a clock radio playing not quite on frequency. When he went     downstairs the noise would cease.

George     realized that he bore a strong resemblance to Ronald DeFeo, Jr. and began drinking     at The Witches' Brew, the bar where DeFeo was once a regular     customer.

When closing     Missy's window, which Missy said Jodie climbed out of, Kathy saw red eyes     glowing at her.

While in bed,     Kathy received red welts on her chest caused by an unseen force and was     levitated two feet in the air.

Locks, doors     and windows in the house were damaged by an unseen force.

Cloven hoof     prints attributed to an enormous pig appeared in the snow outside the     house January 1, 1976.

Green     gelatin-like slime oozed from walls in the hall and also from the keyhole     of the playroom door in the attic.

A 12-inch     (30 cm) crucifix, hung in the living room by Kathy, revolved until it     was upside down and gave off a sour smell.

George     tripped over a 4-foot-high (1.2 m) China lion ornament in the living     room and found bite marks on one of his ankles. Later this lion would     reappear in the living room after George had moved it back upstairs into     the sewing room.

George saw     Kathy transform into an old woman of 90: "the hair wild a shocking     white, the face a mass of wrinkles and ugly lines, and saliva dripping     from the toothless mouth."

Missy would     sing constantly while in her room. Whenever she left the room she would     stop singing and upon returning she would resume singing where she left     off.

On one     occasion Kathy heard what sounded like a window being opened and closed     through the sewing room door even though she was sure no one was in there.

There was controversy regarding this story that involved many lawsuits and even a famous polygraph test for George and Kathy Lutz (of which the results were deemed that the couple was not lying). During a documentary 25 years later, George himself said “I believe this has stayed alive for 25 years because it's a true story. It doesn't mean that everything that has ever been said about it is true. It's certainly not a hoax. It's real easy to call something a hoax. I wish it was. It's not.” Since, arguably, all evidence points to these events being true, and therefore the horror of DeFeo killing his family potentially being caused by being haunted.

Colin Dickey writes in The New Republic:

“There are haunted bridges and haunted alleyways, haunted parks and haunted parking lots. But in the United States, the most common—the most primal—haunted place is a house. Home ownership has always been intertwined with the American dream; we have magnified this simple property decision in part because it represents safety and security. The haunted house is a violation of this comfort, the American dream gone horribly wrong. And in the last few decades, the most common cause for a house’s haunting—a problem cited so frequently it’s almost become a cliché—is the Indian burial ground.”

(Source: https://newrepublic.com/article/137856/suburban-horror-indian-burial-ground)

Dickey discusses the idea that the Amityville Horror was a hoax, stating:

“While George and Kathleen Lutz were trying to find out why their new home was so haunted, a member of the Amityville Historical Society revealed to them that the site of their home had once been used by the Shinnecock Indians “as an enclosure for the sick, mad, and dying. These unfortunates were penned up until they died of exposure.” Anson further claimed that “the Shinnecock did not use this tract as a consecrated burial mound because they believed it to be infested with demons,” but when paranormal researcher Hans Holzer and psychic medium Ethel Johnson-Meyers investigated the Amityville house, Johnson-Meyers channeled the spirit of a Shinnecock Indian chief, who told her the house stood on an ancient Indian burial ground.

None of this has held up under any kind of scrutiny: the Shinnecock lived some fifty miles from Amityville, and according to writer Ric Osuna (who spent years unearthing the facts about Amityville), the nearest human remains that have been found to date are over a mile from the house. Nor would the Shinnecock—or any other Native people—have treated their sick and dying in such a callous, brutal fashion. But then, the entire Amityville Horror narrative was, it now seems likely, an elaborate hoax: in 1978 the Lutzes sued two clairvoyants and several writers working on alternative histories of the house, alleging invasion of privacy. In the course of the trial, William Weber, Ronald DeFeo’s defense attorney, testified that the entire story had been concocted by him and the Lutzes and that he had provided the couple with salient details of the DeFeo murders to substantiate their account.”

And thus, the idea that Amityville was based on a true story becomes even more of a stretch, and the argument that Defoe was simply taken over by ghosts when he killed his family becomes less justified. However, this sparked immediate popularity. Suddenly, everyone believed that the explanations for weird actions in their homes was because they were built on ancient burial grounds. It has become a fascination for Americans, sparking countless movies, books – especially by Stephen King – and general controversies.

The sad truth, however, is that America – while fascinated with and horrified by the consequences of building on ancient Indian burial grounds – does not care too much about true burial grounds. According the PBS, “in 1998, crews building a Wal-Mart outside Nashville found an Indian cemetery. Despite protests, the remains of 154 men, women, and children were unceremoniously removed.”

(Source: http://www.pbs.org/opb/historydetectives/feature/indian-burial-grounds/)

No stories have come up regarding that particular Wal-Mart being haunted, in the 20 years it has existed. And just as much as building on ancient burial grounds has become a popular belief for ghosts and hauntings, it has also become a joke. The Onion, a popular satire blog, posted a video entitled “Report: Economy Failing Because U.S. Built On Ancient Indian Burial Grounds.” It is a joke that frequents social media posts and everyday conversations, and though some take the matter seriously, it is no explanation for the failing U.S. economy, why DeFoe killed his entire family, or why people today are picking up guns and shooting at crowds of adults and children.

But ghosts, as we have already learned, are not capable of possession – even ghosts who are angry about a Wal-Mart being built on their burial ground. Next, we will examine the impact of demons on social media.

(Source: https://www.theonion.com/report-economy-failing-because-u-s-built-on-ancient-i-1819595022)

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This is the last genre of Youtube ghost videos, and is given the name the “What?” genre, simply because it is dedicated to videos that really cannot be explained. Often times these are for people who claim that ghosts are real, but give explanations that are so outlandish and (frequently) against all popular ideas of ghosts or previous evidence about ghosts, that it makes no sense. These videos do not actually belong to paranormal research, as they are often broken down to people who probably have psychological issues, but is nonetheless a way in which paranormal beliefs does impact social media.

In truth, many of these people may be making claims such as the woman above (and this is absolutely in no offense to her) simply because it gets them attention. If you talk about ghosts almost anywhere - in public, on social media, even places where the conversation would be uncomfortable such as funerals - you are going to get people’s attention and they are going to start talking about it. Normally, they give their opinions or beliefs, or they tear down your opinions or beliefs. The best way to make sure that once you have that attention all of it gets directed to you is to say something crazy. It’s hard to talk about the existence of ghosts (or lack-there-of) when presented with the idea that this woman has sex with a ghost (or multiple ghosts), and that apparently these encounters are so wonderful she has given up men. 

This is only one explanation for why these types of videos exist, but fortunately this genre is much smaller than the other genres. 

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One of the most interesting branches of the comedy genre in terms of ghost videos is the extension of this comedy into the popular app Vine. This video is a Vine compilation of how ghost comedy is frequently used, and was a very popular phenomena that many viners and a lot of Youtubers still use. 

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This is a rather long video, but it captures the third genre in Youtube ghost videos mentioned below: Ghost hunting. Of course there are movies and TV shows and documentaries and books and all sorts of media dedicated to hunting ghosts, but this genre extends into Youtube because it shows how anybody and everybody can ghost hunt (and many, who usually have no interest in the paranormal in their lives) do choose to hunt ghosts at one point. Often times Youtubers will either go on tours and then react when evidence of a ghost appears, or use a Ouija board to communicate with ghosts in their house, or conduct their own research of their house being haunted using cameras. 

Often times the attitudes of the people in the videos changes over time, with people frequently starting off like it is a joke, laughing, messing around, having a good time (similar to every movie about ghost hunting) and then, when “evidence” starts appearing, these become scared, uncomfortable, distressed, or VERY LOUD. This genre of Youtube ghost videos does blend into the fourth genre, which is Comedy, because often times Youtubers create spoof videos about ghost huntings, where everything is made-up or exaggerated, and they make fun of the people in the movies or other videos who believe that these ghosts are real. This is not the only type of video in the comedy genre, but it is a very popular one. 

We will give an example of the Youtube ghost comedy genre next. 

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This is a great video that illustrates the media obsession with ghosts - specifically in video form. More than any other media site, Youtube has an obsession with ghosts, with a simple Youtube search of the word producing  About 53,500,000 results. Though this video attempts to take a scientific approach and explain real ghost sightings, it is only one “genre” of ghost videos present on Youtube. In the next posts, I will give an example of each genre. 

The first video, posted below, is part of the “Explanation Genre.” This genre attempts to explain the existence of ghosts (or prove that they do not exist), and frequently uses the world “scientific evidence.” There are countless videos in this genre, many of which are repetitive because there is not much to be explained about ghosts when only theories exist.

This video is part of the “Story-Telling Genre,” which uses either real or fake stories to talk about ghosts. Some of these videos are far more dramatic, with the intention of scaring viewers or at least giving them goose-bumps, but this video’s tone is also common, where the stories are told with correlating pictures and videos that set up a realistic approach to ghost stories and attempts to convince viewers that these stories are evidence that ghosts are real. And of course, many of these videos tend to cut across paranormal categories and try to prove that not only are ghosts real, but so are all other paranormal forms (most commonly demons).

The other genres will follow above:

3. Ghost Hunting Genre

4. Comedy Genre

5. The “What?” Genre

Please note: These genres are excluding songs about ghosts, music videos that have ghosts in them, and movies and TV shows about ghosts. Those are considered separate from the Youtube community for the purpose of this project and only prove how far the idea of ghosts has stretched. 

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“Not a single ghost or haunting has been authenticated by science.” This video attempts to explain whether ghosts are real or not, and decides there is no scientific proof. However, this video attempts to explain why people believe that they see ghosts, which is a good start to the popular ghost videos we are going to examine next.

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Ghosts: Part 2

The concept of ghosts is one that is versatile, with many different meanings that no longer only refers to the haunting spirits ancient tribes held ceremonies to keep away. As described in the last post, today people use the idea of ghosts in multiple ways, including the immortal spirit of those who have passed away, forever on social media, or the idea of ghosting – in relationships or online – where a person simply disappears without a trace or explanation. A long-standing belief that exists simultaneously as a joke and as an assertion states that the tragedies in America happen because the country is built upon thousands of ancient burial grounds.

Another concept of ghosts can be found in nursing homes all over the world, where patients, especially those suffering from Alzheimer’s or Dementia, will start seeing ghosts near the end of their lives. It is a difficult concept for the living to handle, especially those who do not believe in ghosts, and is not one that is easily dismissed as “psychological.” In the Washington Post, Steven Petrow writes about his experience with his dying mother, who, in the last six months of her life, saw her own mother and even struggled to care for what she described to be a hurting baby, who Petrow later found out she believed was herself.

“[These visions] are very common among dying patients in hospice situations,” Rebecca Valla, a psychiatrist in Winston-Salem, N.C., who specializes in treating terminally ill patients, wrote in an email. “Those who are dying and seem to be in and out of this world and the ‘next’ one often find their deceased loved ones present, and they communicate with them. In many cases, the predeceased loved ones seem [to the dying person] to be aiding them in their ‘transition’ to the next world.”

(Source: https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/at-the-end-of-her-life-my-mother-started-seeing-ghosts-and-it-freaked-me-out/2017/07/21/af8a7c40-56b5-11e7-a204-ad706461fa4f_story.html?utm_term=.a44fc915e121)

Are these the actual ghosts of family members, come to help their loved ones transition? Or is it a simple psychological phenomena? If it is psychological, has it been created through society’s obsession with the concept of ghosts?

A website dedicated to helping people understand death and handle the passing of a family member, called Dying Matters, writes:

“Dying people often feel compelled to confront and resolve unfinished issues from their past, particularly with family members. They may want to write a letter or send an email, or meet with the person in question. They may also have a desire to visit childhood haunts or go through old family photographs. These experiences can be profoundly healing, and often enable the person to let go and die at peace.

It is also not uncommon in the weeks or days before death for a dying person to speak of being ‘visited’ by dead relatives, friends, groups of children, religious figures or even favorite pets. They will say these apparitions have come to “collect” them or help them let go.

The person may also talk about moving in and out of ‘reality’, and describe other-worldly realms. They may speak of embarking on a journey, or may suddenly stare at a point in the room or turn towards the window and experience a sense of amazement, joy or wonder.

Even when semi-conscious and unable to communicate with those sitting with them, it may appear that they are reaching out to take hold of something and then feeling it between their fingers as if puzzled.

They may also appear to be thinking deeply, as if they are being ‘shown’ information that they may not have considered before. Dying people, and those who witness these end of life experiences, usually describe them with loving, reassuring words such as calming, soothing, greeting, comforting, beautiful, and readying.

It is not known how many dying people have such visions and experiences, but research suggests that end of life visions and dreams hold profound meaning for dying people, helping them to come to terms with their dying process.”

(Source: https://www.dyingmatters.org/page/spiritual-aspects-death)

This article lists these experiences as end of life visions, which neither confirms nor denies the idea that these visiting ghosts are real. It makes sense for those who are dying to more easily see and communicate with the dead, but only to those who believe ghosts are real. Not only is this experience comforting for the dying, but it can also be helpful for the living family members, who may get the sense that they have not truly lost their loved one, but rather passed them onto other loved ones who are already dead. It may also help them believe that, when their time comes, others will come to get them as well. Death does not seem so scary with this concept of ghosts.

However, this is only one idea of personal ghosts, in which dying people are only visited by the ghosts of their family. What about the psychological concept of the ghosts of our past? Even Dying Matters acknowledges that at death people often feel compelled to face and resolve the ghosts of their past, but not all people wait till death to deal with their personal ghosts.  

In “Reasons to Believe in Ghosts in America,” Nathan Heller goes on a ghost tour in Georgia, and writes in an article in the New Yorker that he believes in a different type of ghost – the kind of haunting that all humans experience. It’s frequently stated that when a person goes to therapy it is because their past is haunting them, a kind of personal ghost that exists for everyone. This type of haunting extends to everyone, and as Halloween was approaching when he went on his ghost tour, Heller writes:

“One of the perverse reckonings of recent months has been the exhumation human terrors. We have watched people with guns kill more than any spectre could. We have seen the proof of racism and hatred on prime-time TV. This is the vilest time in recent memory, but it is, perhaps, one in which we are able to avoid a spookier future. The task is to face and to name what’s being dug up—to stare down the demons. I still do not believe in ghosts, but I do believe in haunting in the world.”

(Source: https://www.newyorker.com/culture/cultural-comment/reasons-to-believe-in-ghosts-in-america)

Only written a year ago, his point still stands today. So can we blame ghosts for the senseless shootings taking place in schools across America? Can we blame ghosts for racism? Sexism? Is the recent string of allegations against famous men – and women – coincidental, or is it ghosts being brought to light? And if so, what kind of ghosts are these? If we go based off of Heller’s concept of ghosts – an idea that many people believe is true, whether it is a metaphor or not – we believe that personal ghosts are the main driver for all of these tragedies. It is not a difficult concept to believe, since this idea of ghosts does not involve a spirit opening up cupboards or slamming doors. The idea of personal ghosts is a metaphoric explanation for deep psychological troubles, and it makes sense that someone haunted by their own past might find negative ways to deal with their ghosts – like shooting children or joining the KKK. That does not make these actions in any way excusable, but it does offer an explanation for everyone who looks at senseless acts and wonders why.

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Ghosts: Part 1

Ghosts have been around since nearly the beginning of time, since the concept of death has certainly been around that long. It has been a natural belief for humans for so long that many people - even today - perform rituals to prevent ghosts from haunting them. Though the idea of ghosts has become less sacred nowadays, used quite frequently as a scare tactic in horror movies, haunted houses, pranks, and even decorations for Halloween, the existence of these things proves that the idea of ghosts has cemented itself into human minds. 

An article on the history of ghosts on History.com (posted here: https://www.history.com/topics/halloween/historical-ghost-stories) examines the complex relationship between humans and ghosts.

To begin, “In the first century A.D., the great Roman author and statesman Pliny the Younger recorded one of the first notable ghost stories in his letters... [he]  reported that the specter of an old man with a long beard, rattling chains, was haunting his house in Athens. “ Though there is also information about Greek writer Lucian and his memorable ghost stories, it is hard to claim this as the beginning of an elaborate myth. These writings were not widespread enough (or taught enough in education) to convince the entire world of the existence of ghosts. 

In 856 A.D. another ghost sighting was recorded, this time of a poltergeist, haunting a farmhouse in Germany. The difference between a poltergeist and a ghost, as explained by DIfference.net  is that a ghost is considered to be the spirit of a deceased human who refuses to leave the world of the living, while a poltergeist is said to be energy that is controlled (knowingly or unknowingly) by a living person. Ghosts are passive souls of the dead, and poltergeists are aggressive. 

(Source: http://www.differencebetween.net/miscellaneous/difference-between-ghost-and-poltergeist/)

What History.com fails to discuss in their article is the existence of ghosts almost universally across cultures. This History article focuses mainly on Ancient Greek and modern Western cultures, but does not delve into all the different other cultural beliefs. For example, a quick Google search brings up Thai cultural beliefs in ghosts, stating “Thai spirits or ghosts are known generically as phi (ผี). A large proportion of these spirits are nocturnal. Except for the well-known Pret, most ghosts were traditionally not represented in paintings or drawings, hence they are purely based on stories of the oral tradition (Source 1).” Furthermore, to demonstrate differences, Chinese cultural beliefs in ghosts are more elaborate and formed through a combination of many cultural beliefs. The Wikipedia page says “According to traditional beliefs a ghost is the spirit form of a person who has died. Ghosts are typically malevolent and will cause harm to the living if provoked. Many Chinese folk beliefs about ghosts have been adopted into the mythologies and folklore of neighboring cultures, notably Korea, Japan and Southeast Asia. Beliefs about ghosts are closely associated with Chinese ancestor worship, where much have been incorporated into Buddhism and in turn influenced and created uniquely Chinese Buddhist beliefs about the supernatural (Source 2).”

(Source 1: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghosts_in_Thai_culture)

(Source 2: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghosts_in_Chinese_culture)

So, are ghosts real? This blog will not attempt to answer that question. What can be said, however, is that universal beliefs across cultures - especially in the times prior to technology, rapid communication, and travel - generally means two things: Either 1, ghosts are very real because they have been experienced universally by humans, or 2, human psychology is that which creates explanations for the unexplainable, such a death, and can lead to an imagining of ideas and the creation of beliefs universally because all humans think and cope in similar ways. 

One thing to focus on, when looking at these questions, is the “the ancient idea that a person’s spirit exists separately from his or her body, and may continue to exist after that person dies.” This belief does not necessarily say that a person’s spirit must be in physical form, and thus stems the idea of a digital ghost: what happens when a person with social media account(s) dies, and their online presence lives on forever. 

Michael Hedrick writes about his experience on Thought Catalog, after an acquaintance of his took his own life. Countless people posting memories and tagging pictures of him on his Facebook page, after death, brought Hedrick to the realization that though his friend “D” had passed away, he - and  3,995,000 other people - would continue to have their essence - their spirit - alive on social media. This is an experience that, in the age of media and connections, is very common. Even years after a person has passed away, someone might tag them or bring up a memory or memorial of them, and the living that see if will be reminded of that person’s spirit. 

Whether the ancient belief in actual ghosts is real or not, social media has certainly created digital ghosts, for better or worse. 

(Source: https://thoughtcatalog.com/michael-hedrick/2013/02/digital-ghosts-death-and-social-media/)

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Paranormal Beliefs

In order to examine how paranormal beliefs influence media, we have to look at what paranormal beliefs people hold. For this project, I will be looking at mainly American beliefs over the years.

To begin, a survey taken in 2005 demonstrated the specifics of American beliefs more than a decade ago, which was taken by Gallup News Service. The article notes that there was little change from a similar survey taken in 2001. The results are:

41% believe in ESP (Extrasensory perception).

37% believe that house can be haunted. 

32% believe in ghosts/that spirits of dead people can come back in certain places/situations

31% believe in telepathy/communication between minds without using traditional senses

26% believe in clairvoyance/the power of the mind to know the past and predict the future

25% believe in astrology, or that the position of the stars and planets can affect people's lives

21% believe that people can communicate mentally with someone who has died

21% believe in witches

20% believe in reincarnation, that is, the rebirth of the soul in a new body after death

9% Channeling/allowing a 'spirit-being' to temporarily assume control of body

This information was taken from: http://news.gallup.com/poll/16915/three-four-americans-believe-paranormal.aspx

Many found this information disheartening for 2005 Americans, since skepticism was very much encouraged in regards to the paranormal. It was thought to be irrational to believe in ghosts, and this intense skepticism was expected to lower these percentages over following decades. However, a survey from 2017 proved slightly different:

55% believe that ancient, advanced civilizations, such as Atlantis, once existed 52% believe that places can be haunted by spirits 35% believe that aliens have visited Earth in our ancient past 26% believe that aliens have come to Earth in modern times 25% believe some people can move objects with their minds 19% believe that fortune tellers and psychics can foresee the future 16% believe that Bigfoot is a real creature

This information can be found: https://blogs.chapman.edu/wilkinson/2017/10/11/paranormal-america-2017/

This survey from Chapman University shows that there has been a 15% increase in the belief that places (houses) can be haunted, but a 6% decrease in the belief in telepathy. There was a 3% decrease in the belief in the ability to see the future as well, but we also notice that suddenly beliefs in aliens are very prominent in paranormal surveys, and that more than half of the population believe in aliens and ghosts. It also notes that people who believe the most in the paranormal are: “Lower income, report themselves as highly religious, attend religious services infrequently, female, conservative, either single or cohabitating, “Other race” – not white, black or Hispanic, living in a rural area, and a west coast resident.” 

This information seems to be contradictory, since the most popular social media users do not appear to be highly religious, conservative, or mainly a part of rural life. However, now that this information has been established, we will be able to analyze the demographics of the major paranormal influences on social media, and see where some of these beliefs begin and end. 

In the coming weeks, I will analyze paranormal beliefs by category, beginning with: Ghosts. 

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Beginning of Research

Since Buzzfeed is an infamous website - either loved or hated but nonetheless a broad reaching website - it makes sense to analyze their approach to paranormal ideas. To begin, this article looks at photographs that have “ghosts” or “demons” present, and offers a history or explanation below the photos.

https://www.buzzfeed.com/beckybarnicoat/scariest-photos-of-ghosts-on-the-internet

This first photo example seems like a stretch in terms of paranormal evidence, considering the only history for the photo is the year. The texts points out the leg and eyes of what appears to be a small child hiding behind the man, and though the child is presented as a ghost, without more context, it could simply be a child hiding behind someone at the wedding. The rest of the photographs list sources (such as Reddit), and given histories and explanations in quotes. 

The “realness” of these photos, however, is not what is truly important. Buzzfeed establishes commentary on these photographs as though they are true, undeniable evidence that the paranormal exists. However, the entire tone of the post almost seems comedic - quotes like “and now, never sleep again,” or repition of the word “nope” seems to handle the idea of paranormal evidence with both melodrama and comedy. These reactions seem purposely overdone, while also appearing to mock the idea that such photographs could change people’s daily lives or beliefs. If presented with true evidence of the paranormal, it is hard to believe a person’s reaction would be “nope” repeatedly, unless it was in response to a demon rushing toward them down a dark hallway (then maybe).

This is also the general tone of most Buzzfeed articles - comedy and melodrama, placing doubtless importance of everything from pictures of cats to paranormal ideas. That does not mean this reaction is not important. Since Buzzfeed is a major part of current social media and digital culture, it is important to note this reaction to the idea of paranormal. Whether the tone of the article mocks these photographs or not, the idea that ghosts and demons could truly exist does not seem to weigh heavily on the mind of the writers of this article. This article has drawn sources from the internet and thrown them into a list, apathetic to the idea that the photos may actually be paranormal evidence. In this way, it appears there is a common distancing from the topic of the paranormal - reactions are over-the-top and comedic to stray away from actually analyzing the possibility that these things may be real.

Of course, that could be because there is a stigma attached to the belief, and no one wants to be called crazy - but that can be analyzed with the next post.