Post by Haunter 360 on Aug 18, 2014 21:49:09 GMT -5
Hi all, figured a new thread would be necessary if we wanted to explore this subject.
First off, just a heads-up, this thread won't be everyone's cup of tea. If people are happy with solidly believing in only scientifically-proven facts and have little-to-no patience for what some deem to be superstitious hocus pocus (We don't blame you if that's the case, you're in the majority worldwide), don't bother wasting your time here - Unless you're gonna be open-minded and actually helpful, or at least put forward your rational explanations as theories rather than going 'this is true and you are wrong', going around telling people why they're dumb is only going to get people annoyed with you. Plus, I don't want people leaving their comfort zone - It's nice to have your view on life sorted out, not everyone wants that niggling doubt.
Now that I've given fair warning, let me introduce this thread proper by explaining my own reason for interest in the subject.
Over the years, for the most part, reality seemed very cut-and-dry to me. Science was how the world works, scientists know practically everything about science (At least, everything likely to affect our lives), therefore humanity knows practically everything. Ghosts and magic existed only in fantasy, and thus, with no unknown to explore, I tended to just conjure up new realms with my imagination.
Then I started noticing things. Odds things. Stories trickling out of the woodwork - Possession, precognition, ghosts, and other such. Generally I put it down to the usual rational explanations - Hallucinations through sonic frequencies or toxins in the air, mental disorders, etc, but sometimes these explanations didn't quite... Work. Rational people talking about witnessing demons. People talking about seeing ghosts on a daily basis, when there was really no motivation to lie. And it got me thinking - Is there something society tries to hide through scepticism? Some unknown genre of science that intellectuals have yet to confront?
Now, given the nature of the subject, there's no way to be 100% certain one way or the other - It could all be nonsense, or those who encounter it could be so fearful of ridicule that they never mention the elephant in the room. Regardless of the uncertainty, I see this as no reason to NOT pursue such a potentially fascinating topic purely for fear of looking silly. If looking silly was a genuine demotivator, mankind wouldn't have even invented fire by now. True, it could all be untrue, buuut I'd rather not risk the possibility of allowing the arrogance of intellectuals to blind me from an unexplored side of our world.
Anyway, in summary, there's a lot of big questions in life. Not philosophical questions, questions that don't fit into socially-acceptable situations. Sooo, here's where we talk about the supernatural, about beliefs, about theories, dreams, and other such things. Because I think there's more to life than what popular opinion seems to say.
Personally, I've not got much info, mind, it's hard to compile facts on this taboo subject. For now, IIII'll just add my current limited amount of general subjects that I've heard of (But lack solid info on for the most part), and hope other people have some more information. Feel free to ask for me to further elaborate if need be.
People Who See Ghosts
Totes based Edgar off of this phenomenon. People who apparently see ghosts don't tend to draw much attention to it, since... Well, no one's gonna believe them. The forms these ghosts appear to them in differs on the individual, hinting that there's different levels of this ability. Needless to say, I'm not one such individual, although I've heard of a fair few.
Ghosts
Incorporeal spirits of the dead, roaming the Earth to fulfill some unfulfilled need. I imagine they differ as much as people do, but I'm hardly qualified to guess.
Shadow People
We've discussed these guys on Just Chat, and will probably discuss them again. All I've got are general theories I've gathered from across the net, I'm not able to see them.
The Hat Man
A particular type of shadow person that manifests as a man in a gaucho hat. His role is similar to the standard shadow people, and whilst details on his appearance differs, the general idea is the same. Unlike shadow people, apparently he's less inclined to act directly. Usually he seems to just observe from a distance, then leave.
The Gift Of Prophecy
Differs greatly. Sometimes abstract images that carry a deeper meaning, sometimes a message for a particular person, sometimes genuine visions of the future that play out that a pre-written script. Some versions our given, others people seem to be born with. Either way, seeing the future doesn't seem to change how the events pan out.
Ghostly Possession
Theory holds that certain actions can allow people to invite ghosts inside, controlling their bodies like, well, a ventriloquist, I guess. The host changes stance, personality, accent - And depending on the ghost possessing, can get pretty rowdy. Only works if the ghost is allowed inside, akin to the old folklore that supernatural creatures can only enter a house with permission.
Demonic Possession
Different to ghostly possession, the host is instead affected by something seemingly non-human - They might not be the same as our traditional stereotype of demons, but whatever they are, they're harmful, aggressive, and unwilling to leave. From the sources I've heard, generally demons are much, much harder to remove, requiring a genuine specialist - I'd say the biggest weapon against this is, to risk sounding corny, goodness, since that's the logical answer to anything that is genuinely malevolent. Apparently it's a risk of magic-using, since certain magics attempt to invoke these things, whatever they are.
Magic
Dangerous. Magic is the term I'll be applying to pretty much all the pseudo-sciences, particularly those involving rituals and summonings, whether they be for good or bad. It's a dangerous topic, because from what I gather it's an unknown science, so if anyone ever comes across like, I dunno, a spell or ritual or whatever, feel free to PM it to me, but please don't make it public - Better safe than sorry.
Hypnotism
Saw some guy doing it at a convention, so I'm pretty sure it's real. Super-creepy though, and nobody seems to pay much attention to it, which is risky considering its ramifications.
The Euphonia
Rumoured device supposedly invented by Joseph Faber in 1846 as his magnum opis, a Victorian-era invention that replicated human speech with bellows and switches.
Body, Spirit, Soul
The old question of whether or not we're just fleshy machines. Body is, well, just that - Mind, organs, skin and bone. Spirit is apparently some incorporeal energy that grows with the individual. Soul is, you guessed it, the immortal essence of our very being, I think. Or am I getting Spirit and Soul's meanings mixed up? I always do that.
Hitori Kakurenbo
Better known as Hide & Seek Alone. An internet legend, it's apparently some form of necromancy redesigned as a game. Normaly, I wouldn't include it, only I haven't seen it debunked yet, which is um... Kind of worrying, considering that there's a lot of people on the internet who love debunking these sorts of things.
Infinity
The biggest irritation to many theoretical physicists, seen by them as an error. Why? Because it's infinity - Infinity is endless. A lot of scientists dislike it, because it's the bane of their purpose - It's too big to ever be fully understood. But, they all know that it has to exist, because every sign points to it. Infinity means either one of two things - Either our existence is on a perpetual loop that repeats itself flawlessly, or every single possibility and impossibility is fact (Because even the smallest difference multiplied by infinity makes for infinite results). Figured I should include this, since it ties in.
First off, just a heads-up, this thread won't be everyone's cup of tea. If people are happy with solidly believing in only scientifically-proven facts and have little-to-no patience for what some deem to be superstitious hocus pocus (We don't blame you if that's the case, you're in the majority worldwide), don't bother wasting your time here - Unless you're gonna be open-minded and actually helpful, or at least put forward your rational explanations as theories rather than going 'this is true and you are wrong', going around telling people why they're dumb is only going to get people annoyed with you. Plus, I don't want people leaving their comfort zone - It's nice to have your view on life sorted out, not everyone wants that niggling doubt.
Now that I've given fair warning, let me introduce this thread proper by explaining my own reason for interest in the subject.
Over the years, for the most part, reality seemed very cut-and-dry to me. Science was how the world works, scientists know practically everything about science (At least, everything likely to affect our lives), therefore humanity knows practically everything. Ghosts and magic existed only in fantasy, and thus, with no unknown to explore, I tended to just conjure up new realms with my imagination.
Then I started noticing things. Odds things. Stories trickling out of the woodwork - Possession, precognition, ghosts, and other such. Generally I put it down to the usual rational explanations - Hallucinations through sonic frequencies or toxins in the air, mental disorders, etc, but sometimes these explanations didn't quite... Work. Rational people talking about witnessing demons. People talking about seeing ghosts on a daily basis, when there was really no motivation to lie. And it got me thinking - Is there something society tries to hide through scepticism? Some unknown genre of science that intellectuals have yet to confront?
Now, given the nature of the subject, there's no way to be 100% certain one way or the other - It could all be nonsense, or those who encounter it could be so fearful of ridicule that they never mention the elephant in the room. Regardless of the uncertainty, I see this as no reason to NOT pursue such a potentially fascinating topic purely for fear of looking silly. If looking silly was a genuine demotivator, mankind wouldn't have even invented fire by now. True, it could all be untrue, buuut I'd rather not risk the possibility of allowing the arrogance of intellectuals to blind me from an unexplored side of our world.
Anyway, in summary, there's a lot of big questions in life. Not philosophical questions, questions that don't fit into socially-acceptable situations. Sooo, here's where we talk about the supernatural, about beliefs, about theories, dreams, and other such things. Because I think there's more to life than what popular opinion seems to say.
Personally, I've not got much info, mind, it's hard to compile facts on this taboo subject. For now, IIII'll just add my current limited amount of general subjects that I've heard of (But lack solid info on for the most part), and hope other people have some more information. Feel free to ask for me to further elaborate if need be.
People Who See Ghosts
Totes based Edgar off of this phenomenon. People who apparently see ghosts don't tend to draw much attention to it, since... Well, no one's gonna believe them. The forms these ghosts appear to them in differs on the individual, hinting that there's different levels of this ability. Needless to say, I'm not one such individual, although I've heard of a fair few.
Ghosts
Incorporeal spirits of the dead, roaming the Earth to fulfill some unfulfilled need. I imagine they differ as much as people do, but I'm hardly qualified to guess.
Shadow People
We've discussed these guys on Just Chat, and will probably discuss them again. All I've got are general theories I've gathered from across the net, I'm not able to see them.
The Hat Man
A particular type of shadow person that manifests as a man in a gaucho hat. His role is similar to the standard shadow people, and whilst details on his appearance differs, the general idea is the same. Unlike shadow people, apparently he's less inclined to act directly. Usually he seems to just observe from a distance, then leave.
The Gift Of Prophecy
Differs greatly. Sometimes abstract images that carry a deeper meaning, sometimes a message for a particular person, sometimes genuine visions of the future that play out that a pre-written script. Some versions our given, others people seem to be born with. Either way, seeing the future doesn't seem to change how the events pan out.
Ghostly Possession
Theory holds that certain actions can allow people to invite ghosts inside, controlling their bodies like, well, a ventriloquist, I guess. The host changes stance, personality, accent - And depending on the ghost possessing, can get pretty rowdy. Only works if the ghost is allowed inside, akin to the old folklore that supernatural creatures can only enter a house with permission.
Demonic Possession
Different to ghostly possession, the host is instead affected by something seemingly non-human - They might not be the same as our traditional stereotype of demons, but whatever they are, they're harmful, aggressive, and unwilling to leave. From the sources I've heard, generally demons are much, much harder to remove, requiring a genuine specialist - I'd say the biggest weapon against this is, to risk sounding corny, goodness, since that's the logical answer to anything that is genuinely malevolent. Apparently it's a risk of magic-using, since certain magics attempt to invoke these things, whatever they are.
Magic
Dangerous. Magic is the term I'll be applying to pretty much all the pseudo-sciences, particularly those involving rituals and summonings, whether they be for good or bad. It's a dangerous topic, because from what I gather it's an unknown science, so if anyone ever comes across like, I dunno, a spell or ritual or whatever, feel free to PM it to me, but please don't make it public - Better safe than sorry.
Hypnotism
Saw some guy doing it at a convention, so I'm pretty sure it's real. Super-creepy though, and nobody seems to pay much attention to it, which is risky considering its ramifications.
The Euphonia
Rumoured device supposedly invented by Joseph Faber in 1846 as his magnum opis, a Victorian-era invention that replicated human speech with bellows and switches.
Body, Spirit, Soul
The old question of whether or not we're just fleshy machines. Body is, well, just that - Mind, organs, skin and bone. Spirit is apparently some incorporeal energy that grows with the individual. Soul is, you guessed it, the immortal essence of our very being, I think. Or am I getting Spirit and Soul's meanings mixed up? I always do that.
Hitori Kakurenbo
Better known as Hide & Seek Alone. An internet legend, it's apparently some form of necromancy redesigned as a game. Normaly, I wouldn't include it, only I haven't seen it debunked yet, which is um... Kind of worrying, considering that there's a lot of people on the internet who love debunking these sorts of things.
Infinity
The biggest irritation to many theoretical physicists, seen by them as an error. Why? Because it's infinity - Infinity is endless. A lot of scientists dislike it, because it's the bane of their purpose - It's too big to ever be fully understood. But, they all know that it has to exist, because every sign points to it. Infinity means either one of two things - Either our existence is on a perpetual loop that repeats itself flawlessly, or every single possibility and impossibility is fact (Because even the smallest difference multiplied by infinity makes for infinite results). Figured I should include this, since it ties in.
