|
Nothing is impossible, not even long-lived or even undead vampires who manage
to hang on for a thousand years and reach out to other people over the internet.
That said, there seems to be a steady number of people who like to join lists
of real vampires (as opposed to White Wolf lists, which are ostensibly only
for role players) and play the part of a long-lived or "immortal"
being. Some of them are possibly delusional, others know full well that they
are lying through their teeth.
As a vampirologist, conducting research on the nature and origins of the vampire
because I am a vampire who happens to be a scientific rationalist and rot it,
I can't deal with the irrational very well - I want to find a reason for why
I am what I am, and get past all the hyperbolic myths and legends and also the
wish fulfilling fantasies of the modern age - of course, I want to question
the vampires who say they are long lived. I want to bite back my outraged frustration
(oh no, not another goddamn poseur trying to leech off the real vampire community)
and ask questions. I want to know, I want to get answers, I want something I
can actually use...
However, I personally will not get involved with those who say they are long
lived. It hurts to let go an opportunity to interview someone whose situation
might shed light on my own and who might be able to give me some primary references
for my historical research. My primary field of academic study is after all
medieval and Renaissance literature, and my secondary field is the study of
the Gothic movements of Western civilization; wouldn't it be wonderful to talk
to someone who was alive and kicking during the 1790's?
The reason is fairly straightforward.
I believe that the phonies come up with "immortal" or "ancient"
personas and then join groups of real vampires because they are desperate for
attention. Vampires feed off of attention as well as blood, at least some varieties
of vampire do - I know I do. I teach partly because I love English and English
literature, partly because I love the rapt attention students give me when I
lecture and tutor. The energy I put into my teaching is more than returned by
the time my hour at the podium is over. Every time I've student-lectured as
part of a class, I've come out of the experience as high as a kite. I love,
and need, that energy I am given.
I feel that there are good ways and bad ways of attracting attention. I've
never approved of calling attention to oneself by pretending to be an ancient
being or something equally phony. It's feeding off of the gullible. Maybe the
marks deserve to be led down the primrose path, but how are real vampires to
compete with glamourous fakes? Hmm? Besides, honesty is generally a good thing.
The worst sin in my book is falseness: falseness to oneself, falseness to others.
I choose not to give attention to the phonies who solicit it. I encourage other
members of the vampire community to do likewise, save by indirect efforts such
as talking in general about the essential falseness of the concept of undeath.
If the pretenders are ignored by everybody, they eventually drift away in search
of richer food sources.
I realize that my refusing to deal with anybody who meets a certain description
means that I may eventually pass by a chance to talk with a truly ancient entity,
but that's a sacrifice I have chosen to make. For now, I no longer even want
to attempt to debunk or disprove the claims of obvious phonies. It's not that
I believe that they might actually be true (although I acknowledge that sometimes
this might actually be the case). It's that arguing, debunking, etc gives the
phonies attention, which they thrive on. Oh, I'll debunk. Loudly. I just pick
and choose my fights; and I won't fight a person who claims to be undead _mano
y mano_.
Some of these people who claim to be undead do so because they like to role
play, and they don't realize that people like us are not playing roles. Others
think it's a big practical joke, and it's funny to play practical jokes on self-identified
vampires because we're "pathetic." I don't think the role players
or the jokers need any attention either.
There is one type of person who tries to pretend to be undead: the real vampire
who desperately wants to be accepted, and wants to impress the heck out of everybody
else because s/he is afraid that otherwise, s/he won't be accepted at all. Debunking
these people directly and giving them negative attention will only drive them
away. On the other hand, if they hear the general opinions of everybody else
that "nobody real claims to be undead or immortal," they'll eventually
get a clue and realize that they will be far more accepted if they introduce
their real selves. This is my last and greatest argument for opposing direct
opposition to the would-be undead. Again, debunking in general is a good idea;
debunking face to face might drive some shy, insecure, and socially mistaken
people away when they really need the community for support and guidance. There's
simply no call for needless cruelty.
This article is presented as part of an ongoing
effort to present other views outside of, as well as within, the online
vampire community. As such, the views and attitudes contained in this
article are entirely those of the author(s), and may not necessarily
be shared by SphynxCatVP. The webmaster is not under obligation to update
or otherwise keep current the contents of this article. Most
importantly, only you can decide for yourself whether this article or
any of the author(s) other views are useful or applicable to you - use
your own reasoning and judgment.
| 
