Is it an element of heritage and upbringing? Is the supernatural world simply a birthright that our parents pass down to us, whether through religious beliefs or otherwise? Are we so inundated with urban legends, folk tales and myths that some of the deepest parts of our minds accept them as true?
This article, from the magazine of Skeptical Inquiry, presents a couple of models on the formation of paranormal belief on an individual level, listing sources such as cultural influences, psychological influences, and spiritual influences.
Our culture is a big part of it, especially with modern media, which is super-sensitive to pseudoscientific beliefs…and even when a report is given in a spirit of debunking or ridicule (like UFOs or Bigfoot), those watching might end up believing in the reality of the very phenomenon the reporter is setting out to invalidate in the first place.
Why? At the core, the issue is that of control. We want to believe there is something more powerful than us that is still somehow under our influence…whether through prayer, superstitious rituals or otherwise. We like to believe there is a greater force out there that we can tap into and thus maintain a level of direction in our lives.
We also have an innate desire to make sense out of the world around us. And if there isn’t a necessarily scientific explanation for something, then the cause, we rationalize, must lie beyond science.
There is also the element of having a “fantasy outlet.” An aspect of belief that, for instance, associates feelings of harmony and peace with seasonal icons like Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, and Cupid. We know these figures are nothing more than social constructs, yet we associate powerful emotions with them and often let them define entire seasons of the year because they comfort us and provide a sense of nostalgia or connection with our fellow human beings. Even Halloween indulges in the childish, yet fun belief in ghosts, devils, witches and the whole peanut gallery of traditional spooky creatures.
It’s interesting to see how these paranormal elements make up such an intimate part of our lives and belief systems. Even when you joke about things like the Tooth Fairy, it taps into basic human greed, and then you’ve got kids knocking their teeth out because they believe they’ll get cash for them. We think, as adults, we grow up and out of this silliness, but do we really? Sure, we know Santa Claus is a fat guy in a red suit, hired for hourly shifts at the mall. When we have kids, we become the Tooth Fairy and hide painted eggs in the yard. But there seems to be a tiny part of even the most cynical of us that continues to approach the world with the perspective that there are still forces or beings hiding around the corner and in the shadows. Do you have some kind of “lucky” item or ritual that you go through to win a poker game or sports event? Do you bargain with spiritual forces so you don’t miss your train, or so the day stays sunny and doesn’t spoil a picnic?
Can you spot the paranormal and supernatural in your life?
I see that smile.