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Vampires Today: Truth About Modern Vampirism


Merticus

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Vampires Today: The Truth About Modern Vampirism

By Joseph Laycock

1a. Advertising: Do not advertise or promote other web sites, books, products, media releases or services without express permission from a member of staff. The site is not a free advertising platform, registering an account solely for the purpose of posting promotional material will result in the suspension of your account. If you maintain a personal or other non-commercial web site you may place a short link to it in your profile signature block.

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Description: Vampires are not just the stuff of folklore and fiction. This book explores the modern world of vampirism in all its variety. Based upon extensive interviews with members of the Atlanta Vampire Alliance and others within vampire communities throughout the United States, Vampires Today looks at the many expressions of vampirism: "lifestyle vampires," those who adopt a culture and a gothic ascetic associated with the vampires of art and legend; "real vampires," those who believe they must actually consume blood and/or psychic energy for their well being; or others who self-identify in some way as vampires. Is vampirism a religion? Is it a fantasy? Is it a medical condition? Is it a little bit of each?

Throughout the world, untold numbers of people are self-identifying as "vampires" and following the ways of "vampirism." Over the years, but particularly in the past decade or so, vampirism has come under increased study, yet most scholarship has portrayed the vampire community at best as a cultural phenomenon and at worst as a religious cult. In this book, author Laycock explores the modern world of vampirism in all its variety. Having interviewed many vampires across the country, both "lifestylers" and "real," even those "reluctants" who try not to be vampires, he argues that today's vampires are best understood as an identity group and that vampirism has caused a profound change in how individuals choose to define themselves. As vampires come "out of the closet," either as followers of a "religion" or "lifestyle" or as people biologically distinct from other humans, their confrontation with mainstream society will raise questions about the definition of "normal" and what it means to be human. In this book the reader will meet "lifestyle" vampires, who adopt a culture and a gothic ascetic associated with the vampires of art and legend; and "real" vampires, who believe that they must actually consume blood and/or psychic energy for their well being. The reader will hear from members of the Atlanta Vampire Alliance and will learn about the Order of the Vampyre, the Ordo Strigoi Vii, and the Temple of the Vampire. Even before Dracula and Bella Lugosi, people have been fascinated with vampires, and this interest has continued, through Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Anne Rice's Interview with the Vampire and other novels, to HBO's new series True Blood and the recent big-screen hit Twilight. Readers will find the details of real vampire life--including vampire role-playing games, grimoires, "vampyre" balls, vampire houses like House Sahjaza and House Kheperu, the vampire "caste" system, and other details--utterly fascinating.

Edited by aquatus1
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Vampires Today: The Truth About Modern Vampirism

By Joseph Laycock

1a. Advertising: Do not advertise or promote other web sites, books, products, media releases or services without express permission from a member of staff. The site is not a free advertising platform, registering an account solely for the purpose of posting promotional material will result in the suspension of your account. If you maintain a personal or other non-commercial web site you may place a short link to it in your profile signature block.

linked-image

Description: Vampires are not just the stuff of folklore and fiction. This book explores the modern world of vampirism in all its variety. Based upon extensive interviews with members of the Atlanta Vampire Alliance and others within vampire communities throughout the United States, Vampires Today looks at the many expressions of vampirism: "lifestyle vampires," those who adopt a culture and a gothic ascetic associated with the vampires of art and legend; "real vampires," those who believe they must actually consume blood and/or psychic energy for their well being; or others who self-identify in some way as vampires. Is vampirism a religion? Is it a fantasy? Is it a medical condition? Is it a little bit of each?

Throughout the world, untold numbers of people are self-identifying as "vampires" and following the ways of "vampirism." Over the years, but particularly in the past decade or so, vampirism has come under increased study, yet most scholarship has portrayed the vampire community at best as a cultural phenomenon and at worst as a religious cult. In this book, author Laycock explores the modern world of vampirism in all its variety. Having interviewed many vampires across the country, both "lifestylers" and "real," even those "reluctants" who try not to be vampires, he argues that today's vampires are best understood as an identity group and that vampirism has caused a profound change in how individuals choose to define themselves. As vampires come "out of the closet," either as followers of a "religion" or "lifestyle" or as people biologically distinct from other humans, their confrontation with mainstream society will raise questions about the definition of "normal" and what it means to be human. In this book the reader will meet "lifestyle" vampires, who adopt a culture and a gothic ascetic associated with the vampires of art and legend; and "real" vampires, who believe that they must actually consume blood and/or psychic energy for their well being. The reader will hear from members of the Atlanta Vampire Alliance and will learn about the Order of the Vampyre, the Ordo Strigoi Vii, and the Temple of the Vampire. Even before Dracula and Bella Lugosi, people have been fascinated with vampires, and this interest has continued, through Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Anne Rice's Interview with the Vampire and other novels, to HBO's new series True Blood and the recent big-screen hit Twilight. Readers will find the details of real vampire life--including vampire role-playing games, grimoires, "vampyre" balls, vampire houses like House Sahjaza and House Kheperu, the vampire "caste" system, and other details--utterly fascinating.

This looks like a great book but when they find you out here, they will delete you..Im not tellin but someone will, cool book Edited by aquatus1
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To my knowledge this is in the appropriate section and applicable subject matter. Take care!
I dont mind, I know they are sometimes very funny about stuff here, like I said I'm not tellin...
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This looks like a best seller..

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Looks interesting. I've always found the people that "act" like Vampyre's to be interesting to say the least. :wacko: ALthough there is a large underground scene in Hollywood, CA. that has alot of people that would call themselves true Vampyres. And after being around them I know there are some that I take seriously. And everytime I have seen someone draw blood to drink the other participant was willing. And the procedure for drawing blood is more often than not done by a lancet if I'm not mistaken. Everything clean and sterile. Alot of them are normal (depending on ones defenition of normal) people with an interesting perk. Of course there are always some people to every minority that stand out due to personallity, actions, etc. but I digress.

It looks to be an interesting read.

I have always had a problem with psychic vampyres. My personallity always tends to collide with these energy eaters.

:devil:

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Looks like a well decent pearl sinker!!! Thanx for sharing! :tu:

There Is a really good doco called "Real Vampyres" twas intense, I enjoyed it.

*bites*

xcrimsonx

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  • 4 months later...

Not a problem. It will be released in about two weeks **EDIT**. If you want to read a serious academic work on vampirism and the vampire subculture then this is something you'll want to pick up and add to your library. He was also mentioned in an interview with the Washington Post and will be delivering another paper at the Association for the Sociology of Religion in August of this year.

Vampires Today: The Truth about Modern Vampirism (Hardcover)

Joseph Laycock

**Advertising: Do not advertise or promote other web sites, books, products, media releases or services without express permission from a member of staff. The site is not a free advertising platform, registering an account solely for the purpose of posting promotional material will result in the suspension of your account. If you maintain a personal or other non-commercial web site you may place a short link to it in your profile signature block.**

Edited by aquatus1
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I have to ask. Why.

There is no such thing as a "vampire lifestyle". It's confused people pretending to be something they have no idea about. If they actually knew squat about vampires they wouldn't try mimicking them in the first place.

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Merticus

This is 'de libre' so glad to see you've put some sense on this site :P

Dying Sep.

Sometimes use lancets lol but they really do not provide that great of amount unless you have a pump, various instruments are used. As for the psi problem sometimes if you have really good energy naturally others psi or not want it/to be like it. Share it with those that deserve it, but not with those that do not...as someone once told me.

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I have to ask. Why.

There is no such thing as a "vampire lifestyle". It's confused people pretending to be something they have no idea about. If they actually knew squat about vampires they wouldn't try mimicking them in the first place.

:angry: Ebony..are you really that close-minded of a person? It seems to me like you are the one who doesn't know squat. Why even bother responding?

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:angry: Ebony..are you really that close-minded of a person? It seems to me like you are the one who doesn't know squat. Why even bother responding?

Obviously.

Go do half a years (plus) research on the vampire and then come back to me.

Edited by Ebonykrow
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:angry: Ebony..are you really that close-minded of a person? It seems to me like you are the one who doesn't know squat. Why even bother responding?

Would me pointing out that 'true' vampires are nothing like Twilight help?

Because I wouldn't say that Ebony is a close-minded person, neither would I dare say that she doesn't know what's she's talking about when it comes to vampires.

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Meh... Just another coming-out-of-the-coffin book.

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:angry: Ebony..are you really that close-minded of a person? It seems to me like you are the one who doesn't know squat. Why even bother responding?

She responds because she has knowledge on the subject.

There are NO vampires. There are people who run around and role play.

HN

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She responds because she has knowledge on the subject.

There are NO vampires. There are people who run around and role play.

HN

And poorly, at that...

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Meh... Just another coming-out-of-the-coffin book.

My thoughts exactly. They seem to be coming out a lot lately, along with piles and piles of Vampire fiction, rubbish I can't sit down and read anymore. It seems people don't know how to write a good Vampire story anymore, heaven forbid a Vampire story that doesn't have sex blood and rock'n'roll...

Thanks a lot Hollywood... <_<

She responds because she has knowledge on the subject.

There are NO vampires. There are people who run around and role play.

HN

Yeah funny that.

There was a time nobody wanted to be a Vampire, now add it up with all the people who suddenly do? It's clearly not knowledge but the media that has been the prime influence.

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She responds because she has knowledge on the subject.

There are NO vampires. There are people who run around and role play.

HN

Do you have proof that there aren't any vampires? Solid, 100%, undeniable proof that there is no possible way that they exist? Besides the fact that you have never seen one? I could just as easily say there is NO god, I for one have never seen him. Does that mean that he doesn't exist?

Edited by Olara_Nightshade
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Obviously.

Go do half a years (plus) research on the vampire and then come back to me.

Half a year? I've been researching vampires since I was 13. That's about 10 years...am I allowed to speak now? And Libby I know full well that vampires do not sparkle. lol.

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Do you have proof that there aren't any vampires? Solid, 100%, undeniable proof that there is no possible way that they exist? Besides the fact that you have never seen one? I could just as easily say there is NO god, I for one have never seen him. Does that mean that he doesn't exist?

Yes. We do, actually.

The fact that a human cannot be brought back from death by black magic is simple proof enough.

Half a year? I've been researching vampires since I was 13. That's about 10 years...am I allowed to speak now? And Libby I know full well that vampires do not sparkle. lol.

...lol. Because that seems like wasted time. There honestly isn't much to learn, because it's mostly common sense.

Edited by Ebonykrow
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Do you have proof that there aren't any vampires? Solid, 100%, undeniable proof that there is no possible way that they exist?

Well, there is NO evidence of vampires. There is no way a human being can ressurect from the dead and survive on blood. Our bodies don't work that way.

If some one is claiming that there is a vampire or they are a vampire they are the party responsible for supplying evidence. That is how science works.

If you are claiming that vampires do exist you need to do two things.

1. Define vampire.

2. Provide evidence.

It's not up to me to prove something doesn't exist. There is no evidence of them and the idea goes against ALL science. So yep, I will say %100 there are no vampires. I will change my stance if some one offers evidence.

Besides the fact that you have never seen one? I could just as easily say there is NO god, I for one have never seen him. Does that mean that he doesn't exist?

Yeah, I've never seen a sleeper shark either but there is evidence of the existence of them.

God? :) You're heading the wrong way with me on that. I've never seen evidence of god(s) either so yep, he/she/it doesn't exist either.

HN

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Yes. We do, actually.

The fact that a human cannot be brought back from death by black magic is simple proof enough.

...lol. Because that seems like wasted time. There honestly isn't much to learn, because it's mostly common sense.

:D

Ya beat me to it!

HN

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I wonder how long it will be before the wannabe zombie fad kicks in?

BRRRRAAAAAAINNNNSSSSS!!!!!!

Oh wait, they'll be sexy, well dressed, articulate zombies. My mistake. :rolleyes:

:P

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I wonder how long it will be before the wannabe zombie fad kicks in?

BRRRRAAAAAAINNNNSSSSS!!!!!!

Oh wait, they'll be sexy, well dressed, articulate zombies. My mistake. :rolleyes:

:P

So you don't mind that kind of zombie? :P

And who says vampires don't sparkle??

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So you don't mind that kind of zombie? :P

And who says vampires don't sparkle??

The sexy, well dressed, articulate side? Not really.

But the rotting flesh dropping off in large chunks I can definately do without.

Funny how modern vampires always forget to include that trait, since they are, after all, DEAD.

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