Spooky Season 2022
Explore and have fun!
Hello everyone!
The leaves are falling, the air has a chill, it’s dark before 7 pm, and scary stories are creeping into your news feeds. I made myself available to reporters who wanted a grounded but upbeat view of this spooky season and I wanted to share what happened.
But before I do, I admit that I’m feeling really down on media these days, particularly huge, previously respected outlets that used to do better. Instead, everything is about dumb headlines, clicks, and engagement. We are missing nuance, reason, and a sense of what is actually important these days. That’s the very scary story that is happening every day. I’m not sure what I can do about it other than try to be that person who says the reasonable things, votes, and otherwise participates in society that is very disfunctional at this point in history. Sorry for the downer - but keep reading, keep thinking, and keep speaking up, more than ever.
“How do cryptozoologists feel about cryptocurrency? “
First, a while ago, a correspondent from The Verge interviewed me about my Pop Goes the Cryptid content that included a discussion about cryptozoology vs cryptocurrency. It’s a thing! That is finally out as a segment in the VergeCast and as a written piece. It includes an interview with Loren Coleman who once called me “his nemesis”. In this context, I don’t think we’re disagreeing. But I’m sounding like the less grumpy one about it.
Here is the Article and here is the Audio:
'“The Dos and Don’ts of Living in a Haunted House”
I was happy to contribute some expertise about why having a haunted house may not be a stigma anymore. The New York Times reported contacted me again this year after we had a nice exchange last year about what appears to be a rise in paranormal belief. This year, her questions focused on why younger people seem particularly interested in ghosts and haunted places. Does it have to do with the decline in organized religious belief? With paranormal media? With COVID and deaths of those close to us? Yeah, probably. And certainly more. Social things are always complicated. We are in a time of paranormal belief acceptance. It’s OK to be fan of this stuff and acceptable to believe in supernatural concepts.
Read the article here.
“Paranormal Vortex Areas”
Meanwhile, I have a new post out on Spooky Geology about Paranormal Vortex areas. Everyone has heard of the Bermuda Triangle. The myth of disappearances there, while totally bogus, still has traction today. The manufacturing and propogation of the legend that the “triangle” area was special or weird was highly successful. It launched the idea that other places around the world were “mysterious” or “paranormal”. Additional legends were developed and pushed and today we have dozens of world-famous “vortex” areas that draw in tourists and visitor dollars. Read all about it.
Book recommendation:
North American Monsters: A contemporary legend casebook (Review)
David J. Puglia (editor)
2022, Utah State Univ Press. 356 pp
If you need a reference for paranormal investigators playing up the “sciencey” aspects, but you’re curious about what exactly they are doing, my book is still around to help you with that.
Scientifical Americans: The Culture of Amateur Paranormal Researchers
Sharon A. Hill
2017, McFarland.
Find out more here.
See some books for sale at my Pango used books store and on ebay.