Do those who read a lot of weird shit believe in weird shit less than those who don't

[Guest]

It's a burning question that just needs to be answered.

As much as it pains me, I've been thinking about this ever-since CD started up that thread about his dream (nightmare).

I don't see dreams as anything more than random thought processes going through the mind as we sleep. Ok, so they might not be so random, because we often dream about things that we were thinking about, or heard/read about, in the evening, before going to bed.

But, I certainly don't see them as a form of premonition, or anything remotely psychic or spiritual in nature.

However... very coincidentally, I just began writing a novel this week. In the novel, the main character has a premonition (not a dream, though, more of a vision) that she is going to be killed a week later. She's had premonitions all her life, and they've always come true... blah... blah...

Anyway, it got me thinking. I don't believe in ghosts, the paranormal, premonitions, the psychic world, or anything like it. I take a very hard (and cold?) scientific approach to life, humans, and all about us. But, I read mostly horror fiction, and I love it!

I find myself suspending belief and being completely immersed in it.

My circle of friends is mainly comprised of horror fans (weird lot, but what they heck! ), and almost all of them have the same view as me about actual reality. Have we become hardened to it? And believe, nah, none of that weird shit can be true!

There has been a lot of discussion on the AH recently about the paranormal. Those of you here who do believe in ghosties and ghoulies, do you read much horror? By that, I guess I mean contemporary horror - and not necessarily anything that does contain the paranormal. If you do, how do you view it?

Excuse the long, rambling post. Mostly train of thought stuff.

Cheers!

Lou

 

[neonlyte]

Seriously, No. Scares the willies out of me.

I go out of my way to avoid it. Haven't read Horror Stories for many years, mostly because I went on to dream about them.

I have a dark side, it chills me more than enough. Strangely enjoy attempting to write erotic horror, though all have verged to the paranormal or existential rather than 'dark horror' if that makes sense.

When I was little, I had a Teddy Bear that growled, it was bigger than me. One night I was found screaming in my room, the Teddy Bear growling away on top of me, it is almost the only thing I can remember from infancy. That and eating the dogs biscuits.

 

[CharleyH]

I do not believe in ghosts, but the dream state is an interesting one. If we use only 6% of our brain in waking life, what is to say we don't sometimes use another 2% sleeping.

Time was essentially created by man/women/humans. Is time really linear? It is because, that's the consensus.

I have had three major dreams, when vivid, and I mean vivid, they have come to pass. We all have de ja vous. Is it because we have lived it, or because our brain is more expansive than we think

 

[Guest]

Seriously, No. Scares the willies out of me.

I go out of my way to avoid it. Haven't read Horror Stories for many years, mostly because I went on to dream about them.

I have a dark side, it chills me more than enough. Strangely enjoy attempting to write erotic horror, though all have verged to the paranormal or existential rather than 'dark horror' if that makes sense.

When I was little, I had a Teddy Bear that growled, it was bigger than me. One night I was found screaming in my room, the Teddy Bear growling away on top of me, it is almost the only thing I can remember from infancy. That and eating the dogs biscuits.

So, you do believe in the paranormal?

Interesting. You can't read about it, cos it scares you. I can't remember the last time I was scared by anything in a horror novel. Could this be because I don't believe?

Thanks, Neon!

Lou

 

[Guest]

I do not believe in ghosts, but the dream state is an interesting one. If we use only 6% of our brain in waking life, what is to say we don't sometimes use another 2% sleeping.

Time was essentially created by man/women/humans. Is time really linear? It is because, that's the consensus.

I have had three major dreams, when vivid, and I mean vivid, they have come to pass. We all have de ja vous. Is it because we have lived it, or because our brain is more expansive than we think

Interesting thoughts on it, thanks Charley!

I believe time is linear, but your comments on deja vous did make me think. I put it down to a situation merely feeling similar to another we have lived through.

But, yep, interesting stuff!

Lou

 

[Alex De Kok]

The more I read about quantum physics (and I'm no scientist, believe me) the less certain I am about anything.

Alex

 

[Guest]

The more I read about quantum physics (and I'm no scientist, believe me) the less certain I am about anything.

Alex

Perhaps that subject should be my next reading material.

Seriously, I've not studied anything on quantum physics since I left school... blimey, 14 years ago.

Cheers, Alex!

Lou

 

[CharleyH]

The more I read about quantum physics (and I'm no scientist, believe me) the less certain I am about anything.

Alex

Yes, I get my partial theory on this topic from here too.
Hard to tell my stories here, though I went thru it with one Cloudy (for putting up with me) . . . however, like Nathalie Wood I am . . . my worst fear may get the better of me. How worst fear? Dream, after dream, after plaguing dream that has not occurred yet, and from the time I was 16.

Also good, plague after plague of . . . well . . . bashful and I am happy!

I find it ironic in a way, Lou, that you are a non-believer. So, what is - IS horror to you?

 

[Guest]

I find it ironic in a way, Lou, that you are a non-believer. So, what is - IS horror to you?

The evil that one human can do to another. THAT is true horror, to me.

And that's the kind of horror I usually find myself reading. I do read the more paranormal stuff sometimes, but there are almost always humans in those books, too, who are more terrifying than the beasties.

 

[cantdog]

I do not believe in ghosts, but the dream state is an interesting one. If we use only 6% of our brain in waking life, what is to say we don't sometimes use another 2% sleeping.

Time was essentially created by man/women/humans. Is time really linear? It is because, that's the consensus.

I have had three major dreams, when vivid, and I mean vivid, they have come to pass. We all have de ja vous. Is it because we have lived it, or because our brain is more expansive than we think

We all engage in predictive behavior all the time. We call it "planning." I think we have a fair clue what's going to happen, sometimes. I know I've been right, even me, once in a while.

I think we see and take in more than we acknowledge or pay attention to. I think that extra stuff is filed away, and some of the processing takes place, too, using that unconsciously gathered information.

A predictive dream could have been a conscious predictive thought if we'd been paying more attention when the clues went by.

Possibly.

cantdog

 

[Blackie Malone]

I had a premonition that you would start this thread...or am I dreaming it all???

 

[CharleyH]

What is too much for Lit? Dare I ask? Does it require being in the guise of fantasy? Or can one write . . . reality horror sex? Has it been tried to the utmost on Lit.

Paranormal? Well when I had a GF in NYC, and we could not get to Fire Island, we went in search of the "Amityville" house. There are people living there AND, they were doing refurbishing, so I think they want to stay in spite of the evil entities

 

[Guest]

We all engage in predictive behavior all the time. We call it "planning." I think we have a fair clue what's going to happen, sometimes. I know I've been right, even me, once in a while.

I think we see and take in more than we acknowledge or pay attention to. I think that extra stuff is filed away, and some of the processing takes place, too, using that unconsciously gathered information.

A predictive dream could have been a conscious predictive thought if we'd been paying more attention when the clues went by.

Possibly.

cantdog

Yep, very possibly.

That's the thing... for every account of a premonition/prediction, or that of the paranormal, there is almost always a logical and rational explanation for it.

I've yet to hear of anything that was unexplainable. But, I suppose it could be summised that if anyone searches for a rational explanation, they will believe any facts presented to them. For others it could be just a matter of faith and acceptance.

Lou

 

[Guest]

I had a premonition that you would start this thread...or am I dreaming it all???

You ARE a nightmare.

 

[Blackie Malone]

You ARE a nightmare.

Only to you.

 

[Guest]

What is too much for Lit? Dare I ask? Does it require being in the guise of fantasy? Or can one write . . . reality horror sex? Has it been tried to the utmost on Lit.

Paranormal? Well when I had a GF in NYC, and we could not get to Fire Island, we went in search of the "Amityville" house. There are people living there AND, they were doing refurbishing, so I think they want to stay in spite of the evil entities

Well, my story Faithful does push the reality horror sex boundries somewhat, I believe. It's in erotic horror, because that's what it is! It's also a rape story, and had I tried to submit to non-consent, it would've been rejected. I've read even more horrifying stuff than that here, too. Erotic Horror is seen as somewhat "unreal" and out of the normal boundries of other erotica. But, what I write never includes gratuitous violence, or violent sex; it is all part of the story and the make-up of the characters.

The Amityville house, eh? I'd love to live in a place like that and laugh at people who came to visit.

 

[Guest]

Only to you.

 

[CharleyH]

We all engage in predictive behavior all the time. We call it "planning." I think we have a fair clue what's going to happen, sometimes. I know I've been right, even me, once in a while.

I think we see and take in more than we acknowledge or pay attention to. I think that extra stuff is filed away, and some of the processing takes place, too, using that unconsciously gathered information.

A predictive dream could have been a conscious predictive thought if we'd been paying more attention when the clues went by.

Possibly.

cantdog

And yet, predictive thoughts in this context dont lead to sudden death? Injury? One dream . . . one only. A drive, a blood, dripping blood sky, and my brother. Three days later he broke his neck in a car accident. Coincidence? How could I know this? Reincarnation? Same thing over . . . or other? As example. What are those clues?

 

[Guest]

And yet, predictive thoughts in this context dont lead to sudden death? Injury? One dream . . . one only. A drive, a blood, dripping blood sky, and my brother. Three days later he broke his neck in a car accident. Coincidence? How could I know this? Reincarnation? Same thing over . . . or other? As example. What are those clues?

Shit, that must've been awful and somewhat freaked you out.

BUT, I do believe it was probably coincidence. That dream only meant something, because of what actually happened. You probably looked back upon the dream and made the connection, then it became even more vivid, because you were adding reality to it. Not to take anything away from the horror it must have been.

 

[Boota]

I read everything now, but for a long time all I ever read was horror. I even wanted to be a horror writer, but my funny stuff just worked better, me being a natural born smart ass and all.

What I've read has had no bearing on what I believe about spirits. I have no agenda to convince anyone otherwise, but I believe in spirits, because I've seen them my whole life. It's not a big deal. I come from a very scientific background, so I apply that approach to what I see, but science doesn't explain certain things I know to be true. But I do have theories.

As far as spirits I am very skeptical about a lot of things and when people tell me things they have experienced. That's not to say that I don't believe them, just that I don't automatically believe they really saw what they think they saw. I'm a skeptical believer, I guess.

 

[hotchkiss]

A very interesting thread I found intriguing to read everyones opinions difficult as it was being overtired and soaked in Southern C.

I personally dont believe in a higher being as such, on the other hand the paranormal fascinates me to a degree. as quoted we use a tiny percentage of our brain for day to day existance, is the rest there just in case or genetic expansion slots for future upgrades or do we possess latent powers (for want of a better word) that we are not aware of.

I dont dispell the fact that ghosts could exist, phsycic energy trapped when the corporeal husk of meat that we are gives up is not beyond the realms of fantasy.

As for Quantum Physics i thought that was a brand of extremely powerful liver salts but thats probably due to my poor secondary modern (weve a nice job for you down the pit lad) edification in Durham.

Why do I talk shite when i'm pissed!?

 

[NoJo]

Why do I talk shite when i'm pissed!?

AT LEAST YOU'RE NOT SHOUTING IT AT THE TOP OF YOUR VOICE LIKE ME.

 

[hotchkiss]

AT LEAST YOU'RE NOT SHOUTING IT AT THE TOP OF YOUR VOICE LIKE ME.

I wud be if I only had the energy!

Are you coming, if you are Mat will hound you for your pitcher. She was in theSpeshul Branch you know, I askt her and she didnt deny it so it must be true!