Paranormal Topics in the Media
Paranormal Topics in the Media
In recent years the number of movies with paranormal themes has
risen dramatically. Some of these films have even given us pop
phrases, such as M. Night Shyamalan's "I see dead people", from
the film"The Sixth Sense".
Why the interest in paranormal topics? Hollywood filmmakers
didn't create the interest, they merely cash in on it. The
interest existed before these films were ever created. So what
is responsible for the underlying interest in paranormal subject
matter?
Perhaps there is disillusionment with modern society that leads
many to explore paranormal ideas and concepts. Many mainstream
beliefs and practices have left a large section of the
population feeling disappointed and confused.
Take the medical establishment for instance. The health care
industry has become, in many cases, a cartel operated by the
pharmaceutical industry. Doctors receive kick back payments for
every prescription that is written to their patients. The
pharmaceutical industry is constantly developing drugs that
treat symptoms not creating medicine that provides any cures.
There is money to be made by convincing the public that a
lifelong dependency on drugs is the answer to their health
concerns. People are becoming more aware that there is something
wrong with the "system".
Another example of this modern disillusionment can be found in
the promises made by the technology industry. There is a never
ending supply of devices and gadgets that line the shelves of
every retail store. Do any of them actually increase our quality
of life? Have we come any closer to understanding the nature of
our existence, now that we microwave our dinner in less than
five minutes, rely on a robot to vacuum our rugs, or download
the latest ring-tone to our Nokias? Computer chips get smaller
every year, the price of a digital camera is becoming more
accessible, and plasma televisions are now available in screen
sizes bigger than the average refrigerator. And yet there is
still no cure for cancer and society is still a mess. Technology
rarely offers any usable solutions to our most common problems.
Organized religion provides yet another clue into the
disillusionment with modern beliefs that may be responsible for
the upswing in interest into paranormal subjects. The Catholic
Church, for one, has suffered a huge amount of negative
publicity surrounding the abuse scandals of several priests.
Other religious doctrines seem to be losing credibility or at
least generating less interest than they once enjoyed. And we
are all painfully aware of the consequences of radical religious
belief systems. Many people are seeking a personalized form of
spirituality that moves away from institutionalized doctrines
and dogmas and focuses more on the discovery of the spiritual
self.
Modern science brings another plate to the interest in
paranormal topics table. Today physicists are publishing
scientific articles and research that seems to validate many age
old mystical and esoteric concepts. String theory physicists
talk about the existence of a multi-dimensional universe.
Scientists have successfully demonstrated the ability of a
single photon of light to exist simultaneously in two separate
places. More and more the study of physics moves into the realm
of the paranormal, with strange and fascinating results.
Disillusionment with antiquated beliefs as well as modern
society; the real need to discover a personal sense of
spirituality and the validation of mystical concepts by modern
scientists, I believe are responsible for the increasing
interest in paranormal subject matter. We see this interest
reflected in the cinemas, on television, on the book shelves and
on the radio. Every media outlet is aware of this trend and
there seems to be a rush to produce as many products as
possible.
I believe that this trend is a truly positive one. By increasing
the public's awareness of these topics the media gives the
viewers tools for self discovery. There is a void that needs to
be filled, questions that need to be answered. With every book,
movie or other media outlet which deals with paranormal and
spiritual subject matter, the disenchantment felt by many may
indeed give way to beneficial insights.