The slenderman myth

[JesseCuster]

These can't all be fake, can they?

The answer is yes.

[acute]

Slender Man is no match for Considerable Man!

[JesseCuster]

OMG!

The Operator is out there. Everywhere.

Edited March 6, 2013 by Archimedes

[Crystal Rose]

the operator? what is that about?

[JesseCuster]

the operator? what is that about?

Another name for Slender Man. I've also heard him called the Administrator like he's some sort of weird inter-dimensional bureaucrat.

Operator symbol and graffiti. Some people say the operator symbol helps keep him away. Some say it attracts him. Some say he is capricious and cruel and toys with people who think symbols mean anything to him.

Edited March 6, 2013 by Archimedes

[Rocketgirl]

The slenderman myth is a good one...I must admit. But seriously, the people who believe that slenderman exists need to take a dose of reality. He's not real, however, this could make for an interesting paper about myths and legends for those who might be studying myths and legends in school.

[Podo]

The Slenderman phenomenon is interesting because it allows those of us not inclined to believe insane stories to watch the creation of a folktale. I'm sure that situations such as this have happened many times in the course of human history. Someone creates an idea that scares someone else. That person tells the story, who tells it to someone else, and so on. Eventually the story loses context, someone takes it for reality, and "sees" the thing. Then, reports come in on the validity of the claim (entirely fabricated), and a legend is born.

Is Slenderman real? Of course not. He's still a great story, a great invention, and a fascinating phenomenon to observe.

[acute]

The Slenderman phenomenon is interesting because it allows those of us not inclined to believe insane stories to watch the creation of a folktale.

I am still pushing my 'Considerable Man' myth.

He dresses all in black to make himself look slimmer.

He has a fat face, fat body, fat limbs, and he chases you for a very short time.

[JesseCuster]

Hmm...

[Rocketgirl]

I am still pushing my 'Considerable Man' myth.

He dresses all in black to make himself look slimmer.

He has a fat face, fat body, fat limbs, and he chases you for a very short time.

And he could hang out at people's houses and eat all their food when they are not there. Then watch their tv and leave it on after he leaves someone's house.

[Q-C]

Could Considerable Man conceivably become Slender Man and vise versa?

It's only a matter of diet and exercise.

Maybe then you'd get Yo-Yo Man.

[Night Walker]

Im down for that, where do we start?

This is unchartered territory - there are no set guidelines for creating a legend so the best we can do is to try to understand how this one (and others) took hold. So in the tradition of paranormal research lets just make it up as we go along and see what happens. However we should be aware that the very act of openly discussing how to create a legend may be detrimental to the process of actually creating one. But if we perhaps learn something and have some fun whilst doing so then it won't be a complete waste of time.

Can the demographic that Slenderman appeals to be identified?

What is the appeal of Slenderman? (ie What is his particular market niche?)

What are Slenderman's similarities to other bogey-figures?

What are the differences to other bogey-figures?

Here's my take:

Imagery and symbolism are imporatant in that they give form to ambiguity.

Slenderman is a man (never a woman) so that generally stresses parental authority and discipline (rather than nurturing and caring). Similarly he always appears in a black suit and tie which again stresses a very formal authority. Most people live in city and suburban areas so the formation of a bogey-figure in formal attire is completely appropriate.

Authority can be very scary in itself in that it dictates codes of behaviour (laws), modes of acceptable thought (morals and science), and has the ability to reprimand and punish at its own whim. In effect, authority can legitimately do terrible things to you (take you away from your loved ones, condemn you to Hell, inflict pain, and even take your life) which creates feelings of fear and helplessness. The alternate terms for Slenderman - Administrator and Operator - again suggest bureaucratic authority and planned procedural efficiency as key themes.

Slenderman is depicted with long and sometimes multiple insect-like arms or alternatively tentacles which signifies a great reach (nowhere to hide) and the all-pervasive touch of corruption - literally the long-arm-of-the-law (power of authority) and the tentacles-of-crime (power of outlaw) there is nowhere that is safe. Furthermore the combination of human features with insect- or cephalopod-features (two orders of animals which in themselves are traditional sources of fear and are so widely alien from the familiar mammilian-experience) creates a very unsettling and unreconcilable image.

I could keep going but I am content to get the ball rolling and invite the perceptions and interpretations of others...

Edited March 8, 2013 by Night Walker

[Q-C]

Wow, Night Walker! I now believer in him just from your detailed psychological profile of Slender Man's persona.

Excellent ball roll!

Further, about this new myth be created "in situ":

I'd like to know where he is likely to be seen.

Who is most likely to see him?

Why does he appear to some? Does he foretell of something?

Edited March 8, 2013 by QuiteContrary

[JesseCuster]

You know what...

I can imagine a new Internet urban myth called 'Considerable Man' or 'Fat Man' or '<insert euphemism for fat here> Man'.

Look out for 'blob man' or 'fat man' or 'considerable man' or '<whatever> man' in the near future.

Boink.

[acute]

Hmm...

OMG!!!

Irrefutable evidence of Considerable Man!

Good work, Archimedes.

[Night Walker]

Further, about this new myth be created "in situ":

I'd like to know where he is likely to be seen.

Who is most likely to see him?

Why does he appear to some? Does he foretell of something?

I think that the key is to find the right demographic - ie one with the need for a new bogey-figure.

What is the demographic of Slenderman and why was he the right fit for this niche? Slenderman is a completely internet-driven phenomena - it has not yet reached the wider world of newspaper reports, scholarly reviews, or even popular entertainment (even Slenderman comics appears to be internet-based rather than paper-based).

It would appear that Slenderman's demographic (ie who is most likely to see him) is young urbanised technology-savy fantasy fans and paranormal buffs from industrialised western nations.

The need for such a bogey stems from the lack of suitability from the existing bogey-genre: Bigfoot is for the woods, witches are now legitimately spiritual or religious and no longer scary, ghosts can still be scary (perhaps less so nowadays) but are not sinister and lack physical means to inflict physical torment, demons are exclusively for religious-types (although the Slenderman lore does attempt to establish links with demonology), and aliens are somewhat passe and burdened by the 70 or so years of "nuttiness" from that particular subculture.

A new source of fear was needed by urbanised youths for the ritualised performance of legend-tripping (an important if largely unacknowledged cultural rite of passage) - something that differentiates their generation from those previous generations. Slenderman fits the bill - the right bogey at the right time. Quite literally, Slenderman is a creation of this generation, by this generation, and for this generation.

The proliferation of Slenderman artwork (online) also suggests that he fills an important creative function and this should not be overlooked.

In order to create a new bogey of our own I think we first need to find the right demographic that needs a new bogey (traditional bogeys being unsuitable). Perhaps it may be easier to find a needy demographic and rework an already existing bogey.

Perhaps the UM community already has its own unique bogey which we could breathe new life into in order to make it legendary...

[ReaperS_ParadoX]

But what is the Question

[Night Walker]

[Night Walker]

What is the demographic of Slenderman and why was he the right fit for this niche? Slenderman is a completely internet-driven phenomena - it has not yet reached the wider world of newspaper reports, scholarly reviews, or even popular entertainment (even Slenderman comics appears to be internet-based rather than paper-based).

Slenderman cultural infiltration survey as at 9th of March 2013:

Amazon.com shows a total of 118 listings when searching for "Slenderman"

Books: 34; Paperbacks: 9; Kindle: 25

Slenderman: From Fiction to Fact by Robin S. Swope(Jun 1, 2012) is listed in both Religion & Spirituality and Politics & Social Sciences.

101 Amazing Slenderman Facts by Jack Goldstein and Jimmy Russell(Oct 2, 2012) is Kindle only and also listed in Politics & Social Sciences but is humour/satire.

The remaining titles are listed in various fictional categories.

Kindle Store: 29 - all fictional categories.

Apps for Android: 18

Clothing & Accessories: 23 - including full Slenderrman costumes (large and small) and blank morph masks.

Shoes: 2 - actually full body lycra suits in adult and children sizes

Video Games: 1

MP3 Albums: 3 (1 is not Slenderman related); MP3 Songs: 9

Movies: 3 (1 is not Slenderman related)

Hylo Starring Shannon Maria Jones, Leonard Dozier, Katie Dougherty, et al.(2013)

Windigo(2011)

Sports & Outdoors: 2 - full body lycra suit and a 3-hole ski mask

Toys & Games: 2 - full body lycra suit and a fake arm

Home & Kitchen: 1 - Slenderman poster

Ebay.com shows 182 worldwide results for "Slenderman"

Clothing, Shoes, & Accessories: 137

Home & Garden: 30

Books, Magazines: 5

Collectables: 2

Toys, Hobbies: 4

Movies listed elsewhere on the internet:

Slenderman: The Movie - http://www.slendermanfilm.com/ - not yet released

Entity (2013) - http://theslenderman...iki/ENTITY(2013)

The Slenderman - http://www.officials...ermanmovie.com/

The Tall Man (2012) - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1658837/ - starring Jessica Biel

Will do a similar search in a years time to see how Slendy has progressed...

[Gummug]

But I know slenderman is real, 'cuz I saw him in the movie, "Rise of the Guardians"....oh, wait...that was the boogeyman....never mind....

[Gummug]

You know what...

I can imagine a new Internet urban myth called 'Considerable Man' or 'Fat Man' or '<insert euphemism for fat here> Man'.

Look out for 'blob man' or 'fat man' or 'considerable man' or '<whatever> man' in the near future.

Boink.

How about, "weight-challenged man" or "lard-challenged man"...hmmm...no, that latter doesn't sound too good, does it?

[Fstop]

_{Here is a thought: Because of the tupila effect, it is possible that every detail, every story, and everything we say about this "not true" entity, we are the cause of the problem. Therefore, we ourselves are causing more pain, suffering, people dying, expecally innocent children. So, soon our little brothers, our nieces, our children and those around us will soon be dead. All because we contributed to the tuplia effect.}

Please show us even ONE documented death attributed to Slenderman. Just one.

[BeastieRunner]

I posted this in the Urban Legends thread, but maybe it would be more useful here. It's a nice little overview into the Slenderman mythology:

The Slender Man is a constructed myth created at the Something Awful Forums in a thread entitled "Create Paranormal Images" in 2009. It has since transcended into a meme of sorts.

Tokemus, on 04 July 2009 - 11:15 AM, said:

Slender Man just recently appeared on the net. For those of you that haven't heard of it, the whole thing started on somethingawful forums (http://forums.someth...3#post361861415 Slender Man starts on Victor Surge's post and continues on to the last page) and has grabbed the attention of numerous people. Just last month this man (http://www.youtube.c...r/MarbleHornets) posted a mini-series of Slender Man. Even though they're made by an amateur, they catch that creepy feeling that Slender Man offers. The whole thing seems to prey on your primordial fears. The very embodiment of what terrified you as a child, yet seemingly so normal it almost seems like it could be real. Read the entire thread in the somethingawful link, watch the videos by MH, and discuss. Ladies and gentlemen, I think we've found the next big thing in horror.

From http://marblehornets...om/slender-man:

The Slender Man was the nickname given to a mysterious character seen in the background of several pictures in a SomethingAwful thread. The posts themselves were centered around children, and a certain man with a slender figure in the background of several pictures, sometimes appearing to have long, spindly, tentacle-like extraneous appendages.

The Slender Man was discovered at the Something Awful Forums in a thread centered around photos from a singular fire which killed many children in the 1980s. He is described as wearing a black suit and black hat and as the name suggests, appears very thin and able to stretch his limbs and torso to inhuman lengths in order to induce fear and ensnare his prey. Once his arms are outstretched, his victims are put into something of a hypnotized state, where they are utterly helpless to stop themselves from walking into them.

Whether he absorbs, kills, or mearly takes his victims to an undiclosed location or dimension is also unknown as there are never any bodys or evidence left behind in his wake to deduce a definite conclusion. Not much is known at this time, but his objective and habitat are fairly clearly agreed-upon. He has the need to kidnap children, and is seen right before the disappearance of a child or multiple children. He seems to prefer fog enshrouded streets and wooded areas as a way to conceal himself from being noticed. It should also be noted that children have been able to see him when no other adults in the vicinity could, though adults have also been known to see him at times. Children also have dreams or nightmares concerning The Slender Man before their disappearance. A disputed concept regarding the Slender Man is whether or not he can be seen by those other than his victims—many believe that if you see Slender Man then you are a target or prey, though there is no certain proof of this.

Even though The Slender Man is fairly new in the media, people have already claimed sightings. He appears mostly at night, and most always peering out of wooded areas or near rivers. He has also been reported to peek inside left open windows and to walk out in front of lone motorists on long uninhabited roads. The Slender Man or men, have appeared everywhere from Japan, Norway, and America to name a growing few. He's even made it on Coast to Coast.

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There has also been talk that Slender Man is a tulpa. A tulpa is a thoughtform, or being created from the collective thoughts of separate individuals. This comes from the belief in Tibetan Buddhism and Bon that a "being" may be created by a 'psychospiritual' complex of mind, energy or consciousness manifested either consciously or unconsciously, by a sentient being or in concert (wikipedia). Basically, the belief is that Slender Man is a manifestation of mental energy according this theory.

Another theory states that Slender Man is a physical being, not a thoughtform, whose existence and powers are in part reliant on physics and understood science. Since this explanation seeks a physical explanation and not a pseudo-scientific explanation, advocates of this "Quantum Theory" often believe that The Slender Man is a trans-dimensional or perhaps even a fourth dimensional being, capable of moving freely through space-time. Other versions suggest that the Slender Man is a Schrodinger's Cat of sorts, capable of both existing and not existing anywhere in space-time, and choosing to exist where needed.

A third theory asserts that the game creators (which I'll be touching on later) created the tulpa to exist in-game. This is called "Core Theory" and is constantly being tweaked over at Slender Nation. You can read more about it here.

Marble Hornets is an Alternate Reality Game (ARG) based upon the Slender Man mythos. It was the first Slender Man ARG to be created, and set the trend for those that followed, as well as bringing Slender Man to a wider audience. From Slender Man wiki:

MH gains its name from Alex's film project, Marble Hornets. The early entries in the series are clips from the filming tapes used in creating the Marble Hornets film. Alex ended the project due to seeing Slenderman (known in MH as The Operator) frequently, and handed the tapes over to his friend and MH narrator Jay. Alex told Jay to burn the tapes, but, being a good friend, Jay did not and instead posted them on Youtube. Alex disappeared afterwards.

Early entries consisted of tapes from the Marble Hornets film and of those taken by Alex who obsessively recorded himself in order to capture Slenderman stalking him. Eventually, the entries turn to videos taken by Jay, catalouging his efforts to discover Alex's whereabouts and unravel the mystery surrounding The Operator. Over time, Jay follows leads to old buildings, former homes, etc, but generally finds little to nothing.

He begins to encounter two figures- Masky, the video series' Proxy, and The Operator itself, who seemingly work together to antagonize Jay and separate him from Alex. Jay continues into the mystery willingly placing himself in danger to find the problem. Some videos recieve cryptic responses from a separate Youtube channel called totheark, which makes threats, predictions, and statements concerning the ongoings of the entries as they progress.

Link to get you started watching:

https://www.youtube....UI&feature=plcp

Twitter feed for when you catch up:

https://twitter.com/marblehornets

There are also other ARGs out there, here is a partial list of Vlogs:

EverymanHYBRID

TribeTwelve

The Andersen Journals

There are numerous blogs and tumblr's as well.

More links and information:

http://knowyourmeme....mes/slender-man (the best overview IMHO)

http://theslenderman...iki/Slender_Man

http://slendernation.forumotion.com/

Hope that helps!

Edited March 11, 2013 by BeastieRunner