I've allways enjoyed vampire tales. I even have a few I have written myself. What I find sad though is this new "modern day vampire". When you read old mythology or even classic vampire novels you have a whole different vampire than what is displayed in todays culture. One example would be how the modern vampire is very lusty, slick styled and sad hearted. Compared to the classic vampire which was a vile monstrosity created from a dead corpse thats only goal was to drink the blood of the living.

What I have allways wondered is if these real modern day vampires truly believe themselves to be undead monsters or if it is just some fantasy costume game they play like the Star Trek guy who dresses up like a klingon?

One thing that has allways puzzled me is why the vampires powers and weaknesses have changed? Is it so these real life vampires can pretend easier or is this the real thing?

All opinions and answers will be much appreciated.

i think most modern vampires are fakes...they just want attention or something

Vampire tales have been around for many years, and they have just adapted along with the rest of the world. Anne Rice is probably the most modern example. She re-wrote the old-world vampire into the modern world. Now we have people who have adopted the "feel" and "style" and integrated into their lives. Often they act like these fictional characters, blending old fashion and modern styles, doing the "goth" thing.
Are they real? Well, sure, but that does not mean they are truly vampires. There is no evidence of any real vampires that I am aware of. I think it's a myth or legend, and since it has some appealing qualities to it, it's been adopted by some people as a fashion. Eternal life, great power, wealth, sexuality, among other things are what so many people see as the "pro's" of being vampires. The "cons", like being hunted and killed, needing human blood to survive, dissolving in sunlight and being DEAD, they tend not to emulate all that much. Go figure.

There are no real undead.
Modern Vampires are just dressed up people. Nothing more.
There never where real vampires in the mythical sense of the word.

But if you ever talk with one of these real modern vampires they do believe they are what they claim they are. Down to drinking blood and hiding from the sun. I think it has a lot to do with the Goth/Emo lifestyle. You dont fit in so make it your life goal to never fit into anything but a sad hatefull existence. That is why I think most of the people from these groups go for the vampire delusion. It gives them a sense of delusional supremancy over the social ladder they were "kicked" off of. Much like Dracula or any other vampire type had over people of all social classes in their novels and movies.

That is because they are disallusioned with there own life. It is much more common for teenagers, but that is because teenagers are usually lacking in mental stability due to hormanal inbalance.

For the life of me, I can't remember the medical term of a person who believes they have to drink blood to survive, it is some sort of deficiency that makes those who belief they need to drink blood to live.

Anyway, do I think modern vampires are "real", no. I don't believe they exsisted in history either.

But I do feel that there are such people who could be labeled as psychic vampires. (is that the term?). When you're just around a really negative person who drains all the energy out of you, or when you're at a concert crowded by 10,000 people and you get that tingly sensation over your entire body with each scream or cheer.

Are you thinking of Porphyria? This is what Wikipedia (ah, all hail the great Wiki!) had to say about it:

Porphyria Source

As for if I believe in "real" vampires, that live forever & have to drink the blood of the living & all that jazz? Nope. Just not possible. This is part of the reason: source

And finally, as for Goth/Emo "vampires". Lots of make-up and interesting clothes. It's just a style choice. Anyone that tries to convince you that they're a "real" vampire probably needs medicating.

I agree with you here. I myself am dealing with such a teenager in my step-daughter. She's no vampire but she does mingle in the Emo type lifestyle of poor me, everyone hates me so I'm going to hate everyone back. I do my best to support her ideals but it is true that she doesnt know what the hell she's getting into because she goes in and out of the lifestyle. I try to help her get out of this moody attitude towards everything but its hard because there is so much outter influence comming out this day to be Emo. I think its a ridiculous way to live but then again I feel that I cant force her to be something or act out in a way that is not herself. Then again truthfully she is not personally Emo. She just feels that since no-body wants her in a social atmosphere that this is her only alternative. I guess all I can do is give her advice and let her choose her own path. I guess that it just bothers me that someone could think so little of themselves or others to take this attitude and make it a lifestyle.

Thank you! Yep, that is it. Wikipedia is godly, eh .

All great points. Thanks for posting. I guess it all comes down to separating fantasy from reality. and I'll do a backflip when they create a anti-goth pill.

I know eh? It's getting a bit silly, how much and how quickly I run to the all-knowing Wikipedia... I could honestly sit & read it all day; just keep on hitting the links in the articles... Um... actually... I have more of a life than that! I swear!


LOL ya, you & me & anyone above the age of about 17 will be doing back flips, I think! In all fairness though, the teenage 'angst' of the 2000s looks a whole lot better than when I went through it (the early 90s)... even if we DID have better music then!

yea the music was good

joking i do hate emo kids though, and i would love 2 become a vampire hunter

It is just the trendy thing to do I guess.

Believe me, the people who really think they are vampires are annoying as hell. I've been into vampires as long as I can remember but I've never thrown on a cape and started swooping.

A few years ago I started my website full of Dark or vampire inspired poetry. I called my site "Tragic Vampire". Not long after that I dropped the Vampire part because it was attracting all kinds of fans who really pushed the Vampire theme too far. They'd write me and warn me about the "mortals" who were after us and blah, blah, blah...

I got an e-mail from a girl who called herself "The Vampire Damien" who wanted to chain me up and make me her Vampire sex slave. The e-mail was sent from a library computer in Tennessee. She even left her phone number.

I've received e-mails from Lestat, Armand, Vlad and even one named buffyh8r1.

I love everything about vampires, I think the whole idea is entrancing. Dark poetry, romantic, tragic.

I just can't do it full time.

Emo kids are all into emotions and feelings. Lots of touching and open same sex kissing....... not being alone.

I'd be more worried my child was depressed if they started to spend large amounts of time cut off from society and friends.

Vampires, I believe in the psychic/ energy ones. Some people just seem to zap all energy from you.

Oh, reeeeaaalllllyyy?????

Well, I'll sacrifice myself, to save you the torment, if need be. Just say the word.

Wow, Thanks man!

I feel like I know a lot about this. I was depressed and had really bad anxiety all through growing up.. Im not sure where it started, some of my therapists think its a chemical imbalance (wrong), others a past life residual (could be true), others my energy field (thats definitely a part of it.) anyways. When you are young, and in high school, your so naive and impressionable. I meean we all know that. Breakfast Club is a great example of this dilemma. You cant even make friends with other "groups" or your group will disown you. Anyways. When it comes to your step-daughter (?) getting into the EMO fad, that really sucks and I'm sorry for her. I was TOTALLY goth in high school, had the same problems that emo kids have now. I didn't want to be a jock, i didn't want to be preppy, i didn't want to do hard drugs, I just didnt fit in anywhere. When I met goth kids I was like, "wow this will work for now." but that was the thing. It worked then, but when I got out of high school it was not worth staying in a group like that. It might be that she just needs to have some social group while she's in high school, but hopefully when she goes to college (shes gonna go to college right?) she will learn that people are all different and they don't need to dress up in some uniform just to make friends. also, she probably doesnt have enough self esteem to realize that you don't need to dress a certain way to attract friends. does she have any extra curricular activites that she can makes friends with? band? orchestra? drama? art? um, music of any kind? ballet? Im trying to think of activities where the kids in them come from all kinds of "groups". Man high school sucks, and I wish I could have told myself then to just stay calm and be patient. I made stupid mistakes, but I learned from them.

I really hate emo, I have no idea what you can do to help them realize they dont need to be emo, but I wish you a lot of luck getting them out of that phase. Emo is retarded music, a retarded culture, and really its just a bunch of kids who looked up to my generation and wanted to wear black and be spooky too. so they made emo. its retarded. i was called a goth cause emo music didnt exist yet. who made up emo anyways? god they should die.

WOW!
Keep it up, you make me look tame and reserved. I'll never be banned as long as people keep saying things like

I can't say my opinion is far from the same though.

I agree. there's nothing better than good ol' true alternative rock. From Cranberries to MXPX to NIN. It's all good.

Apreciate the comments. I thinking of cutting your reply and sending it to her in a email to just show her that EMO is as ridiculous as you and me (and others) state it is. Its not that I have a problem with the style it more of the poor me depression rocks attitude. Thats what allways puts her down is this attitude that she "HAS" to hate other groups and she HAS to not fit in. She is very talented and smart. She just doesnt use it because she feels that in order to be emo she has to act missrable and the invisible emo group that is allways watching her keeps her in line. Not that she sees "invisible people" or hears voices or anything like that. Its more like she feels that in order to claim this fad she has to act it out in public. At home she's entirely diffrent until she's told no or gets in trouble for something. Then her life sucks and every thing sucks and so on. One battle we have is that in her eyes and from the social group of my friends and from school I'm "preppy". So I allready dont have a clue cause I was in a cool crowd. I do think that she'll grow out of it though, and until then all I can do is show her I care and support her. Thanks for the reply.

Emo is one of those new fancy terms do describe an enstranged state of mind. Hey I used to be depressed often (still am to this day), but I found out long ago that feeling sorry for yourself isn't gonna snap you out of it (even though it's the ez thing to do).

Vampirism fascinates me, must be because unconsciously the powers they allegedly have are desiring. But as for living it; c'mon, I know fancy and fantasy when I see it. Hence those people that dress up I would categorize in the same group as those that dress up for role-playing fantasy.
Those that truly believe they are vampires (and don't just say so because it sounds as if they are "cool") need a mental checkup.

To each his fantasy. As for writers; I like the Brian Lumley Stories as well as Ann Rice's

Thanks for the reply. I believe that their is a problem this day with separating fantasy from fiction. As a writer myself I worry about someone taking a character or fantasy world I've created to the extrieme and harming some one or themselves due to dilusional influence. I think it is a responsability for a writer or creator of fiction to put out that it is fiction and their is no realistic point to the fantasy world or characters in the work. Problem I see though is that instead of helping the problem creators publishers and producers seem to care more about keeping the "crazed" fan to make more money and this is just adding to the problem. Because who is really going to buy a $5,000.00 peice of movie memrobilia if they dont really believe that it will make them like the character they idolize like the adds say?

that whole emo thing bothers me to no end...its just annoying to no end

Thanks for the reply. By the way, why does it bother you?

Ahem. *momentarily hijacks thread back to vampirism*

Classic vampires are baddonkey. The mythology surrounding them is great and chock full of good and Win. I pray that we never read Dracula in high school before I get out, so I don't get disgusted with it.

But, then it gets popular. Then weird people get involved.

In short, modern vampires who claim to drink blood =* Furries who dress up in fur suits.

Vampires who reject all tradition and claim to feed of psychic energy = People who get off on deluding themselves that just because a person is happy and projects a good attitude means you're stealing their life force. Charge you lazor, O fools.

*No insult to furries, insult to fursuits.

EDJIT: Modern vampires(especially women) being more or less ****s has it's roots way back in Carmilla. After Carmilla, the notion of lesbian vampires got out of hand and turned into the fodder for cheap porn and annoying stereotypes.

I'll sum it up as best I can..."modern vampires" are idiots.

They are not supernatural in any sense of the word. They are normal people. They drink just enough blood so they don't vomit it back up and share needles, injecting themselves with eachothers blood. That's what makes them idiots.

One good arse-kicking will shake em out of their moronic fantasies.

You have some good points on the topic. One question I was thinking about just now was this. What about those who study black magic and the occult? Since vampires, gouls, zombies, and other undead creatures are considered as creations from black magic. Is there spells or incantations to perhaps transform into or raise up such undead creatures? All answers and opinions appreciated.

Whoops sorry about that....lol

I personally like the way goths look. I think it's hot. If some hot goth guy (or chick for that matter) wants to sink his fangs into my neck, why fight it??



Oh yeah!

Seems a lot of "vampires" these days can be found hanging out at the local Hot Topic with their bad hairstyles, girl pants (on guys), skin tight shirts and their "deep" brooding expressions.

Some of these kids, especially the guys, MUST just live on only blood because I've never seen so many skinny people in my life. I guess it's the style among boys as well these days to compete with skeletons in the wieght catagory. Maybe all the emo kids will only suck blood from each other. Hopefully this will result in them becoming extinct.

^^^
I disagree. I have to say that I think that the emo look is HOT!
Give me a guy with an emo haircut anyday...
woot.

I don't understnad why people are so against the emo look. There is still the gothic communities, the preppy communities etc, so it's not like that they are wannabes. In fact, from my experience, the lines between emo and goth sometimes blur.

And anyone who says emo music is bad? Booeigh to you. Remember, it was said that rock and roll will kill you...
(yeah, I'm a fan - so what?)

Anyway, lots of people seem to believe that they are vampires. YOu only have to look at some of the chatrooms/forums (not here at UM, of course) to see that.

I think most mordern vampires are fakes that just want the attention. Although i'm not saying that they don't exist which they probably do. Same goes for werewolves i definetly believe in them since the legends go all the way back to roman times and with all the sightings and unexplained animal attacks in europe in during the middle ages and into the 1800's. Plus there have been sightings in illinois and wisconsin recently. And the thing is they've been around long enough to know how to blend into modern day society. Things is that people don't realize that there is always some truths to myths and legends, It comes from somewhere.

Eww, to each their own! lol. I don't like my guys wearing girl pants, I don't like greasy combed over hair, and I don't like guys screaming about nonsense. Whatever floats your boat though The preppy community is almost just as bad though.

The goth community does tend to blur with the emo community because a lot of them are just stupid teens trying to look dark and mysterious or trying to be "different"

I think anyone who tries to be something is a wannabee. If you are yourself, you never have to try to be anything but who you are. Who you are may dress like an emo, but dressing like that just to fit in and to feel better than the poor mindless "sheeples" makes you more the same.

Ok, EMO hair cuts are just hair cuts from the eighties kind of tweaked a little. so in reality, you liked the eighties and like it still.

Emo is the new goth, there aren't goths anymore. They started the emo fad and it had exploded thanks to these stupid metal bands that all wear black all the time. My boyfriend wears a metal shirt, black pants, huge boots every single day. I hate it. But I still love him. and I always say, at least hes not emo!!

Emo music is TOTALLY HORRIBLE> and the reason is that these kids dont know a damn thing about writing music or making good music. THe last time we had any good music was the early nineties. 1996 was a great year for music. After that, it's just gone down hill. I dont think it will ever get any better either. Emo kids dont know what the hell they are doing. Look at the white stripes. Hmm I think ill hit this drum, and then you play guitar like sh** and we;ll make millions! Its horrible.

And these vampire people are just low self esteem idiots looking a group that will accept them. Out of all social groups, its the easiest to be goth/emo/vampire/whatever it is. All you have to do is wear black clothes a lot and act gloomy when its needed. SOme emo kids and goth kids arent even gloomy. Its so bizarre. Emo is like a mixture of all the black wearing cultures that came before this generation. They saw metal heads, goths, people that listened to the Cure/Depeche Mode/etc, punks and mixed it all up into this conglomerated emo thing. They wear at least one thing from one of those genres. Heres a perfect emo outfit: Punk shoes (tall heel thats the same height all around, checker board pattern), goth pants (have strappy things all over and zippers and sh**), metal band shirt (any crappy emo/metal band), goth bracelets/punk leather gear (either works), spikey punk haircut/emo haicut/long BLACK hair, makeup of course. Everything has to be black. Any kind of group where you all wear the same uniform is ridiculous to me. I dont identify with it at all. I wish my boyfriend hadn't of fallen for that crap. When he used to skateboard still, he dressed like a skater. Now that he quit skateboarding and weed and only plays guitar, he dresses like a metal head. Its retarded.

All of this stuff we are talking about is retarded. Maybe your daughter should take a sociology class. That might help her realize how petty and stupid and worthless all of these "groups" are and how pointless and shallow it is to fit into one of them.

Yeah lets not have tolerance for anyone!

Hate all around!

Hell yeah! I'll take seconds!

Lol, at least thats equality!

Sorry couldn't resist.

I knew it!

Sorry, whose daughter are you reffering to?

Look, how this deteriorated in to "I hate" and "I like" disen't really matter anymore, does it. The fact of the matter is that there is no known disease that makes the sufferer physically need to drink blood...it a compulsion or a fetish, nothing more. Anyone who tells you they are an ancient-this or elder-that are a**-hats and have completely lost their grip a loooooong time ago. Now, there a people that do drink blood that don't dress like they just walked out of wardrobe of the movie The Crow, they dress and act just like you or I, and they have donors whom they cut(either with a sterilized razor or scalpel not with ridiculous teeth filed into points or pointed-caps) and drink their blood from...this can also include rituals that are also sexual in nature....but at no time do these people claim to be anything more than what they were born on to this Earth to be and the "Vampyre/donor" relationship is one that is taken very seriously...no games at all...everything else is ridiculous, poser, wannabe, attention-starved crap......people who drink blood and call themselves Vampyre LOATHE these types of "lifestylers".

There are PLENTY of websites where people who want to escape reality for awhile go to masquerade(sound familiar?) themselves in a cloak if "mystery" and "intrigue" and wish others to fear them for what they claim to be..or..what they NEED to be, to make their lives seem less mundane and give themselves a sense of excitement that may otherwise be lacking. If you really want to know about the real blood-drinking people who call themselves Vampyre, your gonna have to get up-close and personal.

1996 was a great year for music?

get out of the past and branch out a little, theres more music being made nowadays than what you see on mtv, maybe you don't like the current style but beauty and art is in the eye of the beholder, there is no BAD art

I do like how you descibe the way emo's dress you hit it right on the button that its a mixture but I do think theres plenty of goths still around

Perhaps some should do a bit more research as to what a real vampire is, or at least possibly can be. We are not emo, goth nor any other social label. We are humans, not undead nor truly immortal. Some may live longer than an average human but, even then a vampire has no superpower like that in fiction. Not every real vampire needs blood, some do.
We do not all hate our lives, some do have issues but so do all of us, vampire or not. As for me, I love my life and see my needs as little different that any other condition which requires life long medication for me to be as healthy as possible, I simply need blood rather than an injection or tablet and, yes I do feel the effect of having to do without as would anyone needing a substance to maintain health.
If you met me on the street, you wouldn't know me to be more than any other person walking past you. I most often wear denims and a short sleeve shirt, a coat if it is cold. I prefer rock or classical music. pasta with plenty of garlic is one of my favorite meals. I am christian and crosses do not burn me. Yes I imagine a stake through my heart would kill me, it would kill you as well.

Welcome to U.M. BlueMoods, I've spoken with many Sanguine Vampyres and I've learned to have great respect for the individuals I've met that would call themselves Vampyre. Forgive me if I've misunderstood, are you saying that you(or someone you know) NEED blood to survive? I ask this beacuse each and every Vampyre that I've had the pleasure of getting to know never claimed to HAVE to drink blood to survive.....and the porphyria angle just dosen't hold water.....it's just something they WANTED to do....no "poofy" silk-shirts, no silly prosthetic fangs or canines ground-down to points, no claims of gorging themselves on blood....just people who lived a bit of an "alternative" life.

Yup, so it all equals no "real" vampires, other than those that choose to live the lifestyle. And we all know at this point how many different aspects there are to this.
Then enters BlueMood.

Oh joy! A real vampire!
This is where it takes that giant leap. No longer a "lifestyler" or one of these mall vampy goth people. Not even the blood and sex fetish thing, which I can kind of see (and certainly believe). We finally hear from someone that believes they need blood to stay healthy. Any proof? And by the way, where do you get your blood? Have you spoken to a doctor by any chance?

Very interesting..So you let me get this straight. You are saying that you NEED to drink blood in order to survive???

I'd like to talk to BlueMood about it a little more at length before I say fraud...not that he/she would care on way or the other....to be fair.

No, I would survive without blood just as an undiagnosed person with hypertension or any number of chronic illnesses survives. I would not be at my healthiest nor int the best of temperaments. it is a bit more than an alternative lifestyle, but you are correct in not prosthetic fangs or dental alterations.
Biting is at best painful and very dangerous for the donor. A bite would heal slowly and likely become quite infected. That is something I could not do to a trusted friend who is willing to give me such a gift.
I didn't awake and decide "I'll act like a vampire" over several years of questioning, experimenting and the like, I accepted that blood made me feel better and I needed it to be at my best. Do I hate or regret being a vampire? No, for me it is a fact of my life. I don't belong to a coven or house, don't attend vampire meeting of any kind, I am not aware of any others in my community. I don't flaunt what i am, it simply isn't a major issue, nor is it one the entire town needs to know. Close friends and my love know and, presented properly it is simply a part of who I am. In my home I can relax and if I need to feed, even if friends other than my donor are visiting, I ask my love or, if he is there, my donor to allow a feeding, then back to the activities of the evening.
I agree that for every real vampire, there are many role players, bloodist (those with a fetish) and lifestylers. All of these would suffer no ill effects without blood. There are also some real vampires who do not take blood, but rather take the energy we need psychically. Do a bit of research, real vampires are either sanguinarian or psi (psy). Some say classical or traditional vampires also exist, the sort that age much more slowly than the average person, that I will neither confirm or deny. We each have to decide for ourselves on those vampires.

I would say this falls into a psychological classification. Perhaps a psychological addiction, almost a habit with no real physical effects.