Skepticism

A Skeptical Ghost Hunter?

   Why do I love ghost stories? Because like horror movies they provide a temporary sort of terror, yet you know that you are safe. People go to horror films because they want to be frightened or they wouldn't do it twice. You choose your entertainment because you want it to affect you.  I can watch a horror film like "Nightmare on Elm Street" and enjoy the movie; even though I know that Freddy Kruger isn't real. The same is true with ghost stories. I really do appreciate them, especially if there is some historical element that is attached to the story. However, like horror movies, if the conversation changes to a discussion about if the stories are actually true, that is another matter. 

   One of the characteristics that distinguish paranormal narratives is that they emphasize mystery and the indeterminate, which  invites interpretation of various kinds. From my perspective, the answer to the question "Do you believe" belongs to the people that are telling or listening to a story of a paranormal experience. They decide to want to believe or even if they're going to engage with it concerning any type of belief at all. What I do is take the paranormal narratives seriously. I pay attention to them and treat them analytically. It is that love of ghost stories that gives me additional insight. I become fascinated by the elements of the stories themselves. How were they created? Why do some last while others are forgotten? How do they morph over time as they pass from one storyteller to another? However, in the end, I am still skeptical. The fun is in discovery and solving the mystery.