Anthropology of the Paranormal

[Paranormal Anthropologist]

I'm an anthropology student conducting a study into the anthropology of the paranormal. I'm interested in views on the media's portrayal of the paranormal in comparison to eye witness statements and community beliefs. I won't use any content unless consent is provided and I won't be recording anyone's personal details. 

I'd like to start by asking how people feel about shows like Most Haunted and the way they conduct ghost hunting and paranormal investigations. Thoughts? 

[Piney]

15 minutes ago, Paranormal Anthropologist said:

I'd like to start by asking how people feel about shows like Most Haunted and the way they conduct ghost hunting and paranormal investigations. Thoughts? 

As with any other group in the spotlight. Frauds.  

Liars prosper and people are loved for lying and hated for telling the truth. Then again, the truth isn't what most people want to hear.

I'm a multi-generational Kiimochknii (Algonquian Shaman) whose been around the paranormal for 40 years. If somebody asks for help with a problem. I want no ghost hunters. No pictures or videos. Just let me help. You call in a ghost hunter or "pay-to-pray" psychic, I'm out. 

[Paranormal Anthropologist]

11 minutes ago, Piney said:

As with any other group in the spotlight. Frauds.  

Liars prosper and people are loved for lying and hated for telling the truth. Then again, the truth isn't what most people want to hear.

I'm a multi-generational Kiimochknii (Algonquian Shaman) whose been around the paranormal for 40 years. If somebody asks for help with a problem. I want no ghost hunters. No pictures or videos. Just let me help. You call in a ghost hunter or "pay-to-pray" psychic, I'm out. 

Hi Piney, 

Thank you for the response! Do you feel like the investigators on these television shows are portraying a false representation of the paranormal community?  

[Piney]

6 minutes ago, Paranormal Anthropologist said:

Hi Piney, 

Thank you for the response! Do you feel like the investigators on these television shows are portraying a false representation of the paranormal community?  

 I knew local investigators that were serious but psychological factors always come in to play. In a nutshell people always make more out of what is actually going on. People see what they want to see. Hear what they want to hear. Exaggerate. A prime example is Zak Bagans. He can make a mountain out of a ant hill. His whole "demon house" circus was just that a "circus". 

 I think they are the rule, but have a better line of horse****. 

 Nothing in the paranormal world can hurt anybody unless they themselves allow it. Nothing is dangerous. People are a danger to themselves in the case of the paranormal. I was a "token shaman" for many archaeologists for 20 years. I kept many things considered "off". I would let my children handle them. But then again, I taught my children not to fear the unknown or the dark.

 

[acute]

Shows like Most Haunted are entertainment, not research. If there's no actual evidence collected, they have to manufacture something.

It seems to me that very few people (even on this website) have had genuine paranormal experiences. The prevailing view of (eg) mediums is that they are charlatans and con artists. However, if you have been a member of a Spiritualist Church and sat regularly in an 'awareness circle' or 'development circle' you will know this is not the case.

[papageorge1]

1 hour ago, Paranormal Anthropologist said:

 

I'd like to start by asking how people feel about shows like Most Haunted and the way they conduct ghost hunting and paranormal investigations. Thoughts? 

I think they do a pretty good job of investigating and being entertaining. Both of those things are their mission. 

I think the anti-paranormal people are too negative. They say ‘where is the evidence’ but always have a cynical sneer aimed at those that actually try to collect it.

[oldrover]

1 hour ago, Paranormal Anthropologist said:

I'm an anthropology student conducting a study into the anthropology of the paranormal. I'm interested in views on the media's portrayal of the paranormal in comparison to eye witness statements and community beliefs. I won't use any content unless consent is provided and I won't be recording anyone's personal details. 

I'd like to start by asking how people feel about shows like Most Haunted and the way they conduct ghost hunting and paranormal investigations. Thoughts? 

Most Haunted was simply a format to create a money making TV programme. As an aside the first series featured an apparently sceprical parapsychologist, (Jason Carl?) who stated he'd never seen a ghost etc, but who'd appeared some years earlier on the British 90s satellite programne Ghosthunters. In which he'd excitedly recounted his many experiences at the baunted location he was renting out to tours. As I say a show, nothing more. 

Are there legitimately objective grouos out there? Can there be? Are the SPR any better for example?  

[acute]

Physical Mediumship is an interesting area to look at, and I don't mean Victorian fakery with cheesecloth for ectoplasm.  It isn't spoken about much, because of the abundant ridicule of the subject. It is done by groups of experienced mediums, in private, and the results can be astounding.

[papageorge1]

7 minutes ago, acute said:

The prevailing view of (eg) mediums is that they are charlatans and con artists. However, if you have been a member of a Spiritualist Church and sat regularly in an 'awareness circle' or 'development circle' you will know this is not the case.

I think investigators are similar to channelers in that they are painted with a bad reputation by the so-called ‘skeptic’ crowd but when you actually dig deeper into the serious ones you will often come away impressed.

The blanket cynicism is really a defense mechanism by skeptics challenged by a real world that is very difficult to understand.

[Minimalists]

We are all challenged by a real world not just anyone group or specific people....And to the OP I am wondering what anthropology has to do with the paranormal?

Edited March 10, 2019 by Alien Origins

[acute]

2 hours ago, Paranormal Anthropologist said:

I'm interested in views on the media's portrayal of the paranormal in comparison to eye witness statements and community beliefs.

I think the media trashes the paranormal in a blanket way. If you believe in ghosts -- maybe because you have first-hand experience of them -- it is somehow assumed that you believe in Little Green Men, Slender Man, and the Earth being flat.

 

"This programme is for entertainment purposes only."  What's that all about? Isn't every programme (except the news) for entertainment purposes?

 

Edited March 10, 2019 by acute

[Imaginarynumber1]

3 hours ago, Alien Origins said:

We are all challenged by a real world not just anyone group or specific people....And to the OP I am wondering what anthropology has to do with the paranormal?

It could quite easily fit into cultural anthropology 

The most boring of the anthropologies

Edited March 10, 2019 by Imaginarynumber1

[Alchopwn]

On 3/11/2019 at 4:53 AM, Paranormal Anthropologist said:

I'm an anthropology student conducting a study into the anthropology of the paranormal. I'm interested in views on the media's portrayal of the paranormal in comparison to eye witness statements and community beliefs. I won't use any content unless consent is provided and I won't be recording anyone's personal details. I'd like to start by asking how people feel about shows like Most Haunted and the way they conduct ghost hunting and paranormal investigations. Thoughts? 

I resent shows like "Most Haunted".  I think interesting work has been done by parapsychology as a discipline, and shows like that merely serve to muddy the water in the name of entertainment.  I see plenty of skeptics who won't accept any evidence, even if it is gathered in good faith and with appropriate methodology unless it debunks the supernatural at every turn.  I also see believing "muggles", generally of the religious variety, who believe every damned thing, even peanut butter demons, without any evidence whatsoever other than heresay testimony.  As a result, the whole area is fraught, and no real investigation can be done and taken seriously, and then the topic degenerates into "entertainment".

[+Desertrat56]

On 3/10/2019 at 11:53 AM, Paranormal Anthropologist said:

I'm an anthropology student conducting a study into the anthropology of the paranormal. I'm interested in views on the media's portrayal of the paranormal in comparison to eye witness statements and community beliefs. I won't use any content unless consent is provided and I won't be recording anyone's personal details. 

I'd like to start by asking how people feel about shows like Most Haunted and the way they conduct ghost hunting and paranormal investigations. Thoughts? 

They are entertainment.  There is a lot that does not get shown when those shows air and it is probably how they coach their interviewees, edit the answers and the film.  Just a bunch of tripe.

[+Desertrat56]

@Paranormal Anthropologist  Maybe you would get better information talking to natives (aboriginals).  You could get some good information on paranormal beliefs and interpretations of experiences that have been passed down for thousands of years and you could maybe do some research to find out the effect of the euopean influence on those beliefs and experiences.  Like the Navajo belief that a chindi lingers so it is best to just seal up the hogan and build a new one when someone dies.  Coyote myth and other shapeshifter experiences, etc.

[Kenemet]

I was involved with the psychic world in the 1960's. and I think of the shows as something on the order of TV wrestling or Roller Derby.  They're beyond silly and strictly for entertainment.

[Kenemet]

On 3/10/2019 at 3:08 PM, Alien Origins said:

We are all challenged by a real world not just anyone group or specific people....And to the OP I am wondering what anthropology has to do with the paranormal?

Anthropologists study the beliefs and practices of groups... so, for example, one famous study was one of the "snake handling" churches in America.  Studies have been done of groups like science fiction fans, anime fans, and I think (if memory serves) even the Insane Clown Posse (Juggalo) fans.

[Kenemet]

12 hours ago, Alchopwn said:

I resent shows like "Most Haunted".  I think interesting work has been done by parapsychology as a discipline, and shows like that merely serve to muddy the water in the name of entertainment.  I see plenty of skeptics who won't accept any evidence, even if it is gathered in good faith and with appropriate methodology unless it debunks the supernatural at every turn.  I also see believing "muggles", generally of the religious variety, who believe every damned thing, even peanut butter demons, without any evidence whatsoever other than heresay testimony.  As a result, the whole area is fraught, and no real investigation can be done and taken seriously, and then the topic degenerates into "entertainment".

We should also add those who are seeking financial remuneration... ghost tour leaders, and people who sell charms (some of them) and things like "haunted dolls" or "ghost in a bottle" on Ebay (example: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Haunted-19-inch-tall-Doll-spirit-Vessel-Supernatural-Paranormal-power/153507886461?hash=item23bdc8757d:g:m7AAAOSwV-xc8C~q or https://www.ebay.com/itm/Wicca-Haunted-Paranormal-Lovely-Dark-Fallen-Angel-Deceptive-Spirit-Aurora/153511545128?hash=item23be004928:g:qdUAAOSwBg5cyeGH )

[Alchopwn]

10 hours ago, Kenemet said:

We should also add those who are seeking financial remuneration... ghost tour leaders, and people who sell charms (some of them) and things like "haunted dolls" or "ghost in a bottle" on Ebay (example: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Haunted-19-inch-tall-Doll-spirit-Vessel-Supernatural-Paranormal-power/153507886461?hash=item23bdc8757d:g:m7AAAOSwV-xc8C~q or https://www.ebay.com/itm/Wicca-Haunted-Paranormal-Lovely-Dark-Fallen-Angel-Deceptive-Spirit-Aurora/153511545128?hash=item23be004928:g:qdUAAOSwBg5cyeGH )

To be fair, I have quite enjoyed a few ghoul tours I have been on, but the sellers of supernatural trinkets should be held to account.  None of that caveat ad emptor should apply. 

[GlitterRose]

On 6/4/2019 at 3:58 AM, Alchopwn said:

I resent shows like "Most Haunted".  I think interesting work has been done by parapsychology as a discipline, and shows like that merely serve to muddy the water in the name of entertainment.  I see plenty of skeptics who won't accept any evidence, even if it is gathered in good faith and with appropriate methodology unless it debunks the supernatural at every turn.  I also see believing "muggles", generally of the religious variety, who believe every damned thing, even peanut butter demons, without any evidence whatsoever other than heresay testimony.  As a result, the whole area is fraught, and no real investigation can be done and taken seriously, and then the topic degenerates into "entertainment".