The fascination of the unknown
Why does a person believe in the paranormal? After all, in this age of technology and constant scientific advances, one might hope that such beliefs no longer exist. Quite the contrary! The paranormal world has become very popular lately. Many television shows, movies, books, and websites are devoted to the subject. If nothing else, this abundance only confirms the current interest in the paranormal.
Every aspect of the paranormal had its moment in the spotlight. Witch hunts from the 15th to the 18th centuries, UFOs around the First and Second World Wars, Spiritualism or communication with spirits in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Despite the various trends that have existed over the centuries, human beings have been attracted to the unknown, the incredible, the inexplicable since the beginning of time.
Once the forte of eccentric and quirky characters, interest in the paranormal has now become mainstream. Proof of this are hugely popular shows like NBC’s Medium and CBS’s Ghost Whisperer. In this age where science has explained most of the mysteries of the past, this fascination with the paranormal world could translate into a need for wonder. When Christopher Columbus crossed the ocean, there were still opportunities to marvel. What was on the other side of this expanse of water? Did those fantastic animals described in the story of the explorers really exist? Was there life on the moon? Today, all those questions have been answered and the field of the unknown is getting smaller and smaller.
All that is left for the curious but unscientific mind is the paranormal. There have been many attempts to prove or disprove ghosts, UFOs, telepathy, conversations with the spirit world, and other unexplained phenomena. However, no one managed to give a definitive answer to any of these mysteries despite trying for a long time. There are many theories about the paranormal, but none are considered definitive. That is the uncertainty that keeps interest in these mysteries alive. There is no answer and one can still wonder and theorize. The new continents and uncharted areas of the world that fascinated our ancestors have been replaced by the realms of other worlds where so much remained unexplained and undiscovered.
While not many people will admit to a sincere and ongoing interest in the paranormal, all will lend a careful if unobtrusive ear to these fantastic stories. Everyone will be asking the question “What if?” Some may laugh and declare loud and clear that ghosts, witches or vampires are just nonsense, but they will listen anyway. No one can really escape the speculation surrounding the paranormal. It is human to want to know and understand.
That is that capacity for wonder, for imagining and dreaming that gives human beings their humanity. The firm belief that the world that surrounds human beings is not enough and is not limited to what can be seen is one of the characteristics that make human beings human. Belief in God and other creatures and phenomena outside of this world is part of becoming an evolved, intelligent, and thinking being.