Vampire and supernatural books and movies have over several generations become a staple of American culture. Some might say or gainsay that the American culture has been debased and corrupted by movies books and politics. How can that be? The movies show an abundance of sex, violence and murder committed by serial killers or vampires or drug dealers or just greedy and selfish sociopaths. Or just supernatural forces take over, inhabit our bodies and make us do things we might not otherwise do. Will a supernatural defense become a staple in future courtrooms? How can such deviance, however, trivial and fantastic corrode the moral fiber of a country?
The money-making by all parties in the publishing and movie world offers only what the public wants, no, demands. They have demanded that such classics as Pride and Prejudice have a sequel containing vampires. The buying public has through their wallets and pocketbooks paved the way for spine tingling books of the supernatural. People need escapism, need to be frightened and terrorized at home with their snacks. American life needs the psychological rush of the thrill of fright and dread it seems, of course, only in books and movies.
Vampire and werewolf movies are the rage and maybe that is a political statement and reality as well. Are politicians today no more than vampires of the public purse representing private interests? War on the other hand, a man made vampire of sorts even while existing in two wars is slowly receding from the news day by day. But our appetite for the supernatural is expanding, for books and movies in this genre have become an essential core of the culture. Is it a way of explaining our world through the supernatural because reality is too harsh and demeaning or unsatisfying? Is supernatural entertainment our catharsis? Is it our salvation or doom or neither, just harmless entertainment that produces huge profits?
More intriguing is the notion that the vampire movies have a latent message about us and our politicians. Could it be that we are a vampire culture drawing profit and blood from each other in a self-destructive cycle that in the entertainment world provides everlasting life for those who continue unabated in its practice, for to see the light, the truth and reality dooms us all. No, we are not a vampire culture. The vampire movies and books are only vampire movies and books. The supernatural movies and books are only supernatural movies and books. The profits exist because the people want these entertainments and their dollars send that timeless message that where the dollar goes so goes the marketplace.
Our politicians are not vampires or werewolves using the canopy of public service for someone's private gain. Our desire for vampires and werewolves did not emanate from our politicians or books or movies. Vampires and werewolves are a legend in the ancient past that continues uninterrupted, in fact, enhanced and promoted by technology.
The heritage of frightful fables, myths and tales of long ago are now in our very midst, seemingly on a frequent basis. The past is now the present, except even more so. Technology only made it more ubiquitous. Reality seems increasingly being shunted aside, for its meaning hits closer to home and culture. Just as real war fades the more it is actually practiced, censorship is embedded quickly and effectively blotting out all the death and destruction making us immune from its consequences.
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