Vampires, Freud, and Apple Pie

Well, as usual I'm up late and kind of in tune with my thought processes so I thought I;d blog before I lose the cognitions in the light of day. I happened to catch a documentary on the History Channel about vampirism, that's right, vampires. Although the legends and modern science debunkings were pretty nifty (a forensic biologist went through debunking all of the tell-tale vampire signs, including the disease known as prophyria, which can cause a craving for vblood.....anyway, I regress). However, I was pretty shocked by the discussion of modern-day "vampires." Basically they feed off of other people's "life forces" or, occassionally, blood (although the "Vampiric Code of Ethics" discourages this). Anyway, it was pretty weird.

However, what I found most....interesting, is how this lifestyle is perceived as normal and part of our American culture of diversity. Let's talk straight for a bit and think about it---adults dressing-up in costumes on a daily basis and claiming to "need to feed" off of other people's auras.... Not exactly what I nor most folk call normal, but then again their just outcasts, right? Well, not exactly.

Ideas like this make me hearken back to Freud's declaration of religion as "mass hysteria." Although being a God-fearing man myself, I tend to agree with Freud, but with the modification that most religions can be a form of mass hysteria, and some are outright forms of mass hysteria. What religions you might ask? Well, generally any type of religion that seeks to objectify people is a good start. Cannibals, human sacrifices, vampires, skinheads, et al, are all pretty much out, as they see a need to selfishly sacrifice the other in order that they might survive (in contrast to what might be called the sacrifice of Christ for mankind, something which is regrettable to Christians, but an example of self sacrifice FOR the other). Any religion that seeks to regress what little progress we've made in our...oh....few thousand years as a species...is right out. Religions that promote peace, brotherhood, and virtue are comendable, at least, from a psychological standpoint. Even now, when our brothers and sisters die in remote parts of the globe, or just a few miles away, we can be encouraged by he fact that there are men and women who seek to end senseless violence and embrace peace and brotherhood. Any religion that propogates hate, bigotry, and murder is of no use to man.

Just thought I'd throw in that little reflection on Freud, religion, and "diversity." I love America, and this is why I care. I love a country where the descendant of a serf and the descendant of a lord can work side-by-side for a better country. However, I also fear a world where either works solely for his own benefit...