Ghosts, Real or Hoax?

As one takes a trip to the movies, a popular genre to watch is "horror". This type of movie ranges from slasher flicks, to monster movies, to even psychological thrillers. One of the most popular types though is the "ghost film". This consists of a spirit, either demonic or human in nature, terrorizing the living to the extremes. Where did this idea come from though? Let's try to find out.

The idea of ghosts has been around since ancient times. While there is much speculation on the exact time when these undead spirits first came about, the general idea is that they first were thought of by some of the earliest people - such as cavemen. Most people who think about ghosts imagine a comical figure, to some a "floating bed sheet" with eyes cut for the head.

In the United States alone, ghosts are a very popular idea. When we go to most American-made horror movies, they involve ghosts. Many authors, such as Stephen King and H.P. Lovecraft write extensively on ghosts, and become very popular because of it. The common idea of a "campfire story" in our country usually involves either human murderers, but more popularly ghosts. Does this make it real though?

Phasmaphobia is the scientific term for a fear of ghosts. People experiencing this phobia have symptoms of anxiety when watching horror movies or telling stories that feature ghosts. They also can see ghosts in places where most normal people would otherwise not, such as a supermarket or a school. (http://phobias.about.com/od/phobiaslist/a/phasmaphobia.htm). Some people believe that this phobia could relate to a general fear of death, but for many it is just limited to ghosts.

Why then should we, as a collection of "normal" people, believe that something so irrational as ghosts are real? Well, to these "Phasmaphobia" patients, these ghosts are something very real indeed. To them, they exist everywhere. From their beds, to their televisions, these ghosts appear to them as very much existing spectral beings. Is it too farfetched for them to be right though? You have to decide that for yourself.

Besides Phasmaphobia patients, many people see ghosts in other places. Just googling the word "Ghost" can come up with literally hundreds of supposed ghost pictures, ranging from realistic to nearly laughable. These pictures can either be some people's claim to fame, or actual believers trying to spread their message. While some take these pictures as proof of the afterlife, most consider them to be simple hoaxes.

EVP is another thing that many people look to as proof to ghosts. EVP stands for "Electronic Voice Phenomena". It is when general recording equipment supposedly picks up a paranormal voice; a whisper or phrase from "beyond the grave". The supporters of EVP say that it is ghosts that attempt to communicate with us humans from beyond the grave, and can only do so via extremely sensitive radio equipment. Non-believers state that it is simply hoaxes; nothing more than the people trying to fabricate actual proof. Either way, EVP is one of the more popular forms of "ghost proof", gaining popularity in many movies and television shows.( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronic_voice_phenomena)

Thirdly, "ghost sightings" occur everyday around our nation. There is not much to explain here; people either "see ghosts" or think they see them. Unless you experience this phenomena yourself, it's hard to believe these people who say they've seen it. I myself swear I've seen a ghost, but most people shrug of this idea as falsehood.

Do you believe ghosts are real or a hoax? After looking at all the "proof", we must make the logical decision for ourselves. Never in our history has something so greatly affected our horror culture as to take something, perhaps even a myth, and root it so firmly into our minds as the truth. Whether or not these ways to prove the reality of ghosts are hoaxes or not, we know for sure that ghosts are, and will forever be part of our society.