Currently I am reading an anthology of macabre tales. Some featuring ghosts. Whether you believe in ghosts or not, the thought of there being spirits that roam the earth has been a subject of fascination. Ghost stories are prevalent during the most spontaneous places, campfires, sleepovers, a topic shared during a train ride…
But why ghosts? Why not talk about other mythical creatures? Could it be because it holds out hope for the idea of some kind of afterlife? Or because we humans just want to know what they are? Are they harmful? Vengeful? What can a ghost be? What does it mean?
Exploring the unknown
One reason could be is that they give us a face to what cannot be seen. We have these questions for an afterlife and for some people a ghost can symbolize emotions that cannot be expressed.
A ghost becomes this entity that we use to make sense of our own mortality. It’s a way of not having to confront such meanings.
Humans relish fear
Much like some people enjoying screaming their heads off on roller coasters, some people enjoy feeling scared. Ghost stories give people a chance to feel scared in a more secure way. Oh, it’s just a story, it’s not real.
Horror movies are also popular for this reason. Some people like the high that fear evokes. They know they are safe, it’s just a movie, and so the feeling is still controlled.
They connect us to the past
The past is a place that’s hard to visit. No one lives there, and yet, ghost stories offer us a glimpse into time. We can see more through ghost stories. A ghost was once a person after all.
When we visit haunted places, there’s always a story behind it. It’s not just ghouls and monsters all the way down. Sometimes entire tragedies are involved. Some stories help us to connect to people we have never met before. Humans value connection.
Whether it’s through the page or the screen, ghost stories are here to stay, so long as humans keep living. What are your thoughts on ghost stories? Do you love them? Are they not for you? Comment down below! 👻
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