Historical and cultural effects on the ghost experience

[Dr B]

There is plenty of research studying the historical and cultural effects on the interpretations of the ghost experience and haunt-type phenomena (and very interesting it is as well).

For example, the shift from seeing hooded figures, nuns, monks, etc to ambiguous raps, bangs and orbs. By far this is influenced Hollywood and media and this progression / change over time is interesting to note.

I just wondered, based on what we know looking backwards, whether we might be able to look forward and make some tentative / speculative predictions as to how the ghost experience / haunt-type experience might develop over the next 100years.

My hunch is those of you into science fiction (be it film or books) might have a few suggestions - as that genre has had a big impact in the past.

[dalriada]

Mobile phones with messages from the dead...

Computers achieve consciousness and all the ills that mind is heir to-OBES NDES, religious ecstasy, the creation of Gods, religion and the ability to lie to us in a really really convincing way (although maybe this last one has happened and we just haven't figured it out yet)

Obsolete websites resurrecting themselves from the dead and inflicting vicious viruses and undead spam on the word.

"Hauntings" from particularly resonant pieces of computer code

Deceased humans begin haunting the online virtual worlds they frequented in life

One of the actors from the new Ghostbusters movie snuffs it and rumours of their ghostly presence (or a "curse") start to circulate...

Babies born via assisted reproduction with the sperm/ova of the long-deceased having a special link to "the otherside" (eat your hearts out indigo kids!)

A new breed of vampires that suck out your stem cells

Cloned organisms eerily echo events and copy characteristics from the lives of the "original", twin telepathy studies now seem old-hat and new theories of reincarnation start to develop. Lots of airport best-sellers written on the subject and a few Hollywood Movies...

[Dr B]

Mobile phones with messages from the dead...

I've already heard of phone calls from the dead - didnt the SPR do something on these claims? If it happens to you - reverse the charges!

Linking it to mobile phones will make it more modern.

Computers achieve consciousness and all the ills that mind is heir to-OBES NDES, religious ecstasy,

I do wonder to what extent technology will be involved in these ideas - so its a good point

[DaveWood]

I'm very much a subscriber to the idea that the broad media portrayal of hauntings has a direct impact on the hauntings people report.

There could well be a seachange in how the media portrays hauntings, my personal opinion is that it's likely to be a retrograde step to traditional apparitions.

There appeared to be quite slow change in this country between the mid to late 1800s and the late 1900s. It only seems to be the past 10-15 years that has seen a major shift.

People mention technology changing perceptions of hauntings, which seems a natural conclusion. However hereto the media portrayals of technology-related hauntings - anything from Poltergeist to White Noise - doesn't seem to have had much impact on the general public.

[Admin]

By far this is influenced Hollywood and media and this progression / change over time is interesting to note.

Isn't there an article somewhere about "why ghosts wear clothes" (possibly by Paul Lee) which showed the change in cultural experiences of ghosts being based on what was then the current literature and later Hollywood interpretations of ghosts?

Does anyone know the article I mean as I looked for it once before and couldn't locate it.

[Harryprice]

I'm sure I read somewhere that someone was getting emails from the dead. I'm afraid I can't remember where nor can I remember the details. I think it had a fairly simple obvious natural explanation which is probably why I don't remember much about it.

I guess as virtual reality becomes more mainstream, beyond just games, it has great potential for ghosts to appear.

[Harryprice]

People mention technology changing perceptions of hauntings, which seems a natural conclusion. However hereto the media portrayals of technology-related hauntings - anything from Poltergeist to White Noise - doesn't seem to have had much impact on the general public.

Not sure I agree with the bit about White Noise. EVP was only studied by a tiny number of people before that film came out. Now it is mainstream, featuring in most ghost hunts. It is possible that this is primarliy because of things like Most Haunted, rather than the film, because the modern version of EVP hardly ever uses actual white noise.

[Floppit]

Out of interest...

Have ghosts started to drive cars yet or are they still stuck on horses? I can't help but wonder if the headless taxi driver would ever catch on - or the head/hoodless hoodie on a scooter trump the highwayman astride his trusty steed!

[Julia]

It's a complete mystery to me why headless horsemen caught on the first place, unless we're meant to assume that they were executed by beheading.

[DaveWood]

Not sure I agree with the bit about White Noise. EVP was only studied by a tiny number of people before that film came out. Now it is mainstream, featuring in most ghost hunts. It is possible that this is primarliy because of things like Most Haunted, rather than the film, because the modern version of EVP hardly ever uses actual white noise.

I was careful to talk about public perception of hauntings.

People engaging in ghost hunts will grasp at any technological straws.

There are occasions where technology becomes a factor (e.g. the Spellchecker case written up by the SPR a few years ago) but not the norm.

[Harryprice]

It's a complete mystery to me why headless horsemen caught on the first place, unless we're meant to assume that they were executed by beheading.

I'm not convinced anyone has EVER seen a headless horseman. Sure there are stories but are they any more than legends? If anyone knows of a real, recent case I'd be interested to hear about it.

[Trinoc]

Out of interest...

Have ghosts started to drive cars yet or are they still stuck on horses? I can't help but wonder if the headless taxi driver would ever catch on - or the head/hoodless hoodie on a scooter trump the highwayman astride his trusty steed!

Surely there has to be at least one Country & Western song about a ghostly truck driver.

[Matt]

I think mobile phones are definitely on the up.

I've spoken to a woman who showed me an image of her dead son captured on her mobile phone camera.

Looked to me like someone on the tv set but I had no desire to directly contradict her.

[DaveWood]

Ghost photos are nothing new, although the device used inevitably changes because of easy access. And again the last 10-15 years brought new things in the shape of orbs.

However I still feel it was the same media popularising the concept of orbs that made them so widespread amongst the public, well after the technology change allowed wider capture.

[Croydon Bob]

I've already heard of phone calls from the dead - didnt the SPR do something on these claims? If it happens to you - reverse the charges!

I once met a woman who claimed that her dead son was leaving messages on their phone, "hello, I'm not in at the moment but if you'd like to leave a message...". She was completely serious. A very sad case and a very awkward situation.