Manufactured Monsters

There are many monsters we have created in fiction and urban legend. Sesame Street even turned the concept of monsters on it's head and makes them fun, fuzzy, friends of our toddlers. For Halloween this year, I want to discuss the concept of monsters and show the different ones our psyches will just not let go and new ones our media just will not let go.

Vampires

Ah, the classic monster, a creature that gets nourishment from drinking the blood of other creatures. Ever since Bram Stoker introduced Dracula into popular culture, the Vampire has been the quintessential monster. There are quite a few examples of “vampiric” animals in nature: mosquitoes, leeches, and a certain south American bat instantly come to mind. I am actually surprised there are not more vampires in nature since blood is quite healthful. Although now in popular culture, it seems that Vampires are sexy. True Blood, Eclipse, as well as numerous TV shows are showing young-looking Vampires with old souls that just want a little blood. I am not sure which is more absurd, the Sesame Street friendly monster or the sexy vampire.

Frankenstein's Monster

Thanks a lot, Mary Shelly. You have really screwed up science, ever since you wrote that book. You know the one I am talking about. Your monster, a reanimated man, has given reason for many people to loathe scientists and science. Mad science may be cool to some, but real science and scientists suffer.

The Mummy, and no I am not talking about Hockey Moms

The Mummy's Curse is based on Archeologists and grave robbers disturbing the Pharaoh’s tombs in Egypt. Many think the Pharaoh's so protected their treasures in the tombs that they were able to kill anyone who disturbed their crypts. Later evidence points to a deadly fungus which was present in the tombs as the cause of the “curse” which did kill possibly ten people. As to whether the tombs naturally had these fungi or if they were introduced by the Egyptians before the tomb was sealed is still a mystery for archeologists to answer.

Werewolves

People turning into wolves by the light of the full moon. Origins of this monster come from Europe and may have to do more with serial killers than wolves. Perhaps something evil that a person has done is so horrific that others have to explain it by saying they became an animal. There is a rare genetic condition called hypertrichosis, where the sufferer has thick hair growing all over their body may give the appearance of a man-wolf. It is sad that those people with these sorts of genetic anomalies were automatically assumed to be monsters.

Bigfoot

Mr. Bigfoot, also known as the Sasquatch or theYeti depending upon where in the world you are asking about a huge man-like ape. This is a variation on the werewolves except that many people thing these are just incredibly rare creatures or just an urban legend. They may exist, but I think there are many more hoaxes out there then real evidence for these creatures. It may be that there are hermits out there that want to be alone, and therefore scare people off.

Ghosts

I think many people want to believe in ghosts, spectral dead people who walk this planet before going to the “other side”. It explains weird things that happen, and some people must think this is how someone who dies a wrongful death can get revenge beyond the grave. I have never seen a ghost, but I do have friends who wholeheartedly believe they exist. It seems like our psyches sometimes need them to exist.

Chupacabra

This creature is a recent urban legend, the “goat sucker” is another cryptozoology mystery, like bigfoot.  A legend of the Americas, although they have been found in other parts of the world as well, and the hispanic community. Many skeptics think they are dogs or coyotes with terrible cases of mange.

Zombies

Zombies are hot this year. They are the monster of the year. A friend of mine posted on Facebook that he was going to write a biology lecture on zombies for Halloween. I joked that “zombies are so last summer”, but he quickly posted back that they are “still very hot, just look at the ratings for 'The Walking Dead'”. And he is right. For whatever reason, possibly recession induced, zombies which are people infected with a virus so virulent it makes their skin fall off their bones and turns them into cannibals, giving the famous “Brains....brains...” cry when they are hunting for fresh humans to feed upon. And if they only bite you, well then you become a zombie as well. Ick.

You know it is interesting how there are many parallels between all of these monsters. Vampires, werewolves and zombies make more of their kind by biting prey. The chupacabra is an animal form of a vampire. Werewolves and Bigfoot both are in the very least quite hairy human-like creatures. Frankenstein's Monster and zombies both have anti-science elements to them due to mad science or a rogue (possibly genetically engineered) virus that creates the zombies. All of these manufactured monsters find something in our collective psyche that scares the hell out of us. It seems these scary stories were started to keep people in the tribe, for leaving the tribe might mean a very scary fate, whether that is death by starvation, or death by a wolf. Today, it keeps our children from venturing too far from their parents, and some just seems to be entertainment so teenagers have an excuse to jump into each others arms (as if they need one). Although there are true monsters out there, and they are very human and whether propelled by greed or psychosis, we still need to be wary of them.

Have a Happy Halloween and be safe out there!