Anthropology of the Paranormal

[Paranormal Anthropologist 2]

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 28,512]

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 2]

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 28,512]

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 31,075]

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 2,427]

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 5,052]

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 31,075]

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 2,427]

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.

[Alien Origins 1,748]

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 by Alien Origins

[acute 31,075]

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 by acute

[Imaginarynumber1 17,601]

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 by Imaginarynumber1