Jeffry R.
Palmer
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.
