If it looks like it's paranormal, and smells like it's paranormal... is it paranormal? This article is not about attempting to prove or disprove the belief of the paranormal. Rather, it is about people having their beliefs steered in a specific direction based solely on the influences of social media.
I've picked out a few different categories and their associated story headlines:
ALIENS/UFOs
- Harvard scientist says alien spaceships could outnumber humans by more than 140,000 to one.
- Experiencer recalls Grey Alien incident while deer hunting in Wisconsin.
- Why do we assume Extraterrestrials might want to visit us?
- Reptile/Human Entity encountered.
- What does a pale humanoid crawler sound like?
- Tall, glowing, white humanoid encountered.
- Brit astronaut saw four 'UFOs' on ISS before realizing it was urine
Countries where you're most likely to encounter a UFO – and how long for:
Ireland was #1, followed by France, Spain, Germany and Netherlands in the top five. Monaco is #1 when it comes to alien enthusiasts' reporting with the longest sightings, lasting an average of 45 minutes. There is no official U.S. military endorsement for the existence of aliens, however a copy of a now declassified, Majestic 12 document including drawings concerning Roswell is included in this article.
Bigfoot
- Little bigfoot played with camper's car before 10ft dad stormed over.
- Hundreds have vanished from National Parks. Is bigfoot to blame?
- Oklahoma lawmaker introduces bill for a bigfoot hunting season.
- Bigfoot or Moose?
- Bigfoot, Black Bear or Something Else? Northern New Jersey Encounter
- Bigfoot-like monkey man caught in viral video
Bigfoot has been involved in an official FBI investigation. In 2019, the FBI released its four-decade-old file on a Bigfoot inquiry. Having been supplied a sample of several suspected bigfoot hairs to be examined, the conclusion was they were from the deer family. A copy of this report is included in this article. There is nothing to date to indicate an evidence based factual endorsement of the reality of Bigfoot by the U.S. Government.
Cryptids
- Shapeshifter men attack female conference attendee
- Wolf boy encountered
- Winged bird-man sighted
- Possible Reptilian Shapeshifter Encountered on Small Town Street
- Werewolf encountered on city street
- Winged humanoid lands in front of driver
- flying mantis-like entity spotted
- Huge, translucent Manta Ray shaped entity observed
- 'Evil' blood-sucking creature drains 50 livestock dry and vanishes without trace
Just about every country in the world has reports of and lays claim to its own monster of legend or folklore. Among the most popular are the Loch Ness Monster and Himalayan Yeti. A copy of a report is included in this article covering the permit to hunt Yeti and also offering a reward for photograph proof or capture of the cryptid. The world still awaits conclusive proof of these and others.
Ghosts
- Do Demons, zombies and jinns exist? Ghost photographers say they have proof.
- Regulars claim ghost of hanged prostitute terrorizes Missouri bar
- Girl, mom claim ghost photobombed selfie
- Was a Ghost Spotted at The Hotel That Inspired 'The Shining'?
- Alcatraz Prison Ghost Caught On Camera, Tourist Claims
Data gathered from every state in the U.S. for periods covering approximately 48 years of data, the world's #1 Poker Community, CardsChat.com accomplished this to try and set the odds of seeing ghosts in the state a gambler resides in (yes, people will bet on just about anything). Between the years 1972-2020, a total of 62,482 alleged ghost sightings were reported in the U.S. Texas was #1 with a total of 7,099, however setting the odds also took into account each state's current population. By doing this, Illinois had the highest probability of having an encounter with a so-called ghost. Rounding out the top ten in order were: Maine, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Vermont, Wyoming, Montana, West Virginia, and Kansas. The U.S. state with the least probability of a ghost sighting was Florida, followed in order by: Arizona, New York, Nevada, New Jersey, Delaware, Connecticut, Hawaii, Maryland, and Colorado.
Across the U.S., the top-10 list for most haunted locations, three of which I have investigated are:
1. The Lalaurie Mansion, New Orleans, Louisiana
2. The Shanghai Tunnels, Portland, Oregon
3. Eastern State Penitentiary, Philadelphia
4. R.M.S. Queen Mary, Long Beach, California
5. Lizzie Borden Bed and Breakfast, Fall River, Massachusetts
6. The Stanley Hotel, Estes Park, Colorado
7. Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum, Weston, West Virginia
8. Winchester Mystery House, San Jose, California
9. Hotel Monte Vista, Flagstaff, Arizona
10. St. Augustine Lighthouse, Florida
The majority of the paranormal non-human club appear to be predominately misogynistic in nature. Tales of the murdered wife, little girls walking and laughing, 'ghost girl in white nightie' are few and far between. Sometimes, though the women exact revenge as evidenced by this headline: "Irish woman married to the ghost of a pirate divorces him through exorcism." With origins dating back to Greek and Roman mythology, the folktale of 'the big, bad wolf and Little Red Riding Hood' takes on new life with this current day reporting of "Intense Upright Canine Encounter at Grandma's house." For the after hours, adults only club, is anyone out there keeping an incubus vs succubus tally? A betting man would wager there are more reporting of succubus occurrences than incubus ones. Are you listening on this one, CardsChat.com? A illustration of a typical incubus attack is included in this article.
Even the meaning of the word "ghost" itself has expanded into a myriad of descriptions associated with places that are abandoned or events unexplained such as ghost towns or ghost ships, one of the most famous retired ships alleged to be haunted being the HMS Queen Mary. There are ghost guns, the ghost Employment rule, or popular sayings that infer as likely a chance of something happening as you would have actually seeing a ghost. These sayings include: "doesn't stand a ghost of a chance," or "give up the ghost." Then there is the "ghost writer", who like an anomalous entity, is unidentified. If you are becoming persona non grata in certain situations, you might receive the threat "I'll ghost you, m-fer."
Due to the saturation of paranormal TV shows today, any reports of strange noises, odors or fragrances, objects mysteriously being moved, et. al., already include the possibility of blame placed on ghosts.
Let's not leave out the founding fathers of the U.S. Benjamin Franklin's ghost was reportedly been seen near the library of the American Philosophical Society in Philadelphia, PA, even going so far as to claim some witnessing his statue coming to life and dancing in the street. Even at the White House, there have been numerous accounts where guests and heads of state have reported seeing the ghost of Abraham Lincoln or 'felt his presence.'
Ghost reporting have been recorded as far back as the first century A.D., one example of which was made by 'Pliny the Younger,' a noted great Roman author and statesman. He created letters depicting ghost stories during the Roman Empire heyday. One has to wonder if Dickens' Spirit of Christmas was somewhat inspired by Pliny's reporting of the specter of an old man with a long beard, dragging around and rattling chains in his house.
One of the first, if not the first reporting of a poltergeist throwing objects and starting fires originated at a farmhouse in Germany in 856 A.D.
All of the above, however does not preclude the possibility of the existence of the paranormal. Just as every witnessed UFO cannot be attributed to aliens, I prefer not to categorize my own alleged paranormal experiences as 'ghosts,' instead describing them as "unexplained." The photos included in this article are my own of this 'unexplained' category. They include an dark, anthropomorphic figure staring out behind me in Antelope Canyon, AZ, a reflection in an old mirror of a woman not present in the room when the photo was taken in a former brothel in Cripple Creek, CO., a white misty figure at a civil war fort in Florida, a white mist appearing in an abandoned railroad tunnel in Manitou Springs, CO., a misty apparition encountered during an investigation in a home's basement in Pueblo, CO., and a Colonial-dressed soldier who wasn't present when the picture was taken at Fort Pulaski in state of Georgia. Playing devils advocate, I've included the popular but easily debunked stick-figure that is produced by the limitations of the SLS-type ghost hunting camera setup. I've also included a copy of the FBI report findings on the analyzing of the alleged bigfoot hairs reported in this article.
Is it "even money" that ghosts are real or is it a "crap shoot" to contend that they are "bluffing." Some may "double down" in their unwavering belief of the paranormal. In the "spirit" of gambling, I'll "book odds" that it will all come down to "all or nothing." 'Side bets" anyone?
- MoonJoey