Ghost Hunting & Paranormal Investigation: Truths & Stereotypes (Part one)
~By Bill Stone~
There are many different attitudes, and styles that people have in the paranormal field when it comes to how they go about investigating or hunting for the unexplained. Two very distinctly different styles usually get classified together, and confused not only by “armchair ghosthunters”, but by those of us working in the field as well. What I’m referring to is the difference between Ghost Hunters and Paranormal Investigators… And there IS a big difference.
One is more work, while the other is more play, and BOTH take their jobs WAY too seriously.
I am the founder of a Southeast Michigan based group called Beyond Paranormal Investigations. We investigate reports of paranormal activity in private homes and businesses. We investigate. We’re not “Ghost Hunters”. Granted, every now and then, we’ll go on a ‘ghost hunt’, but it’s not what we would consider to be our teams purpose. It’s just something fun to do.
Ghost Hunting
Ghost Hunters do exactly what their name implies. They look for ghosts. PERIOD. This is the one, obviously that I would consider to be more ‘play’ than ‘work’. Please don’t get me wrong. Me saying that it’s ‘play’ is not a putdown, and I’m not knocking ‘Ghost Hunting’ in ANY way when I say that. Play and recreation is just as important as work if you plan on leading a healthy life. We need it or we’ll go insane. I call ‘Ghost Hunting’ ‘play’ because it’s simply too much fun to consider it otherwise.
Ya gear up. You go out into the graveyard, back in the woods, or an old building (with written permission from the owner, of course), and you look for anything you can find that’s remotely spooky, or unexplainable. While you’re there, you get goosebumps, your hair stands on end, and many of us get freaked out, or scared.
It’s not ‘Paranormal Investigation’, but there’s certainly no wrong in it.
Here are some points about Ghost Hunting, and/or Ghost Hunters. I’ll let you guys decide what you believe to be a false stereotype, and what’s really the truth.
The Good
1. Ghost Hunting is a fun & PERSONAL pursuit that is often done with a lot of heart by those that are involved with it. This is how we all start out. Looking for ghosts is a good thing, and SHOULD be encouraged.
2. Ghost Hunters will employ everything they can think of from cameras, Ouija Boards, dowsing, rods, EMF detectors, and mediums to find ghosts, or the unexplained.
3. There are no rules, or laws in Ghost Hunting. You can do whatever you want, or whatever your imagination can come up with to find what you’re looking for, and YOU decide if you’re successful.
4. The thrill of victory is felt more often with Ghost Hunting. Because Ghost Hunters go into a hunt with such an open mind, more often than investigators, they come out of it with experiences that they will never forget. Coming from someone who has experienced this stuff first hand, I gotta tell ya that there’s nothing like it. If you haven’t experienced anything paranormal, or unexplained, you better get out there.
5. A Ghost Hunt can be a great precursor to an actual scientific investigation. A ghost hunting team goes in, and helps a more scientifically minded team decide if it’s worth a second look.
6. In Ghost Hunting, the spiritualists & spiritual methods get their due. Because mediums, Ouija Boards, psychic abilities, and dowsing rods have no scientific credibility, and are completely invalid when it comes to scientific investigations, many investigators simply ignore them. They fail to realize that in ‘Ghost Hunting’, these things are worth their weight in gold.
For example, assuming that a Ouija Board actually does what we’ve all been told that there’s supposed to do, if you use it correctly, it’s POSSIBLE that you can actually summon a ghost or paranormal activity AT WILL.
If it works, as a Ghost Hunter, you’ve done your job. You’ve found them!
Controversial? Yup.
Dangerous? Yup.
Fun? I think so!
Can’t make an omelette without breaking a few eggs, right? Well… Ya can if you use the ones that come in the carton, but those ones taste like butt.
The Bad
1. Ghost Hunters DO NOT look for facts. As stated before, by definition, they look for ghosts. More often than not, they WILL find them, whether they exist or not.
2. Most “evidence” captured by a Ghost Hunter is often based on his/her opinion, or perception (or Extra Sensory Perception)of what they believe it to be, but will not be backed up by anything solid, or factual. Unfortunately, it is usually met with resistance, and not taken seriously in the field.
3. There are no rules, or laws in Ghost Hunting. I know I already used this one as number 3 on the ‘good list’, but theres a flipside to that coin. If there are no rules or laws, there are no standards. A LOT of Ghost Hunters will call any old dot, or blemish in a picture, ‘a ghost’. Why? Because there are no rules. They can say anything they want. With no rules or standards, things captured, and opinions are all over the place. In a field without rules or standards, religious zealotism, and half brained pseudo-scientific theories have already become commonplace and widespread. There’s no consistency in any of it.
4. Many Ghost Hunters have simply watched too much TV, and have jumped on the bandwagon. As someone trying to navigate & drive that bandwagon, that’s how I see it anyway.
5. Ghost Hunters often employ mediums, psychics, and sensitives in their work. This in itself, as stated before is a positive thing. There is an underlying problem in this however. If you’re planning on using someone with any sort of Extra Sensory Perception you need to somehow make sure that they are the REAL DEAL. That’s a hard thing to do. It’s hard to find the real deal in a field where you can go to any paranormal based website message board, and 90% of its members CLAIM to have these abilities.It’s very hard to know who to trust, because it’s POSSIBLE that a few of these people are accidentally exaggerating about what they beLIEve their abilities to be.
The Ugly
1. Lets talk about the 2 thousand pound elephant in the room. Many ghost hunters are nuts! As stated before, Ghost Hunters are very passionate about their ‘work’. When we paranormal geeks get together, it’s not like an investment bankers reception. Have you ever noticed that paranormal studies IN GENERAL seems to attract some of the LEAST mentally stable people on the planet? Bankers reception? It’s more like an orgy of psychos. Combine the lack of mental, and emotional stability with the passion, and add a little bit of a cause that they can rally behind. Hijinks ensue.
2. The Ghost Hunters good open mind that was once a positive thing becomes a negative. There are a lot of different viewpoints in the field. Many of us disagree. When we disagree, we believe that we’re right. Sometimes that belief in being right remains, and fills our egos to the point that we can NEVER be wrong. This makes us closed minded to possibilities.
3. I mentioned a Ghost Hunter with an ego in number 2. Throughout this article, I’ve talked about spiritual belief, and having a passion for ones work. This is a very bad combination. This is someone who goes on their Ghost Hunts and find what THEY would consider to be CLEAR ‘evidence’ of the paranormal based on their own beliefs and opinions. These beliefs and opinions are followed like a religion. Their ego makes it IMPOSSIBLE for them to be wrong about it. They then go to website after website showing everyone their glorious evidence. When someone questions the validity of what they’ve captured, even if it’s done in a friendly way, they take it as a personal insult, and start a fight about it. I’m not making this up. I’ve seen it a THOUSAND TIMES. People are creepy. I’ve SEEN hijinks ensue.
4. Sheep. Many Ghost Hunters, are sheep that just follow the leader. Usually it’s the person mentioned in number 3 because their voice is the loudest. They take the zealotism of said leader, and rally behind their flag, contributing nothing of their own to the cause, yet going out of their way to tell the world how great their leaders are. It happened in the 70’s with Ed & Lorraine Warren, and it’s happening today with TAPS, and a few others.
5. WAY too many Ghost Hunters THINK that they’re actually Paranormal Investigators, yet in true Ghost Hunter fashion, they have no consistent standards. Orbs, fog, or even smoke from a cigarette will be submitted as paranormal evidence by these guys. They take pictures of faces they see in a pattern in the bark of a tree, in the granite of a tombstone, or even a reflection. The problem is, Paranormal Investigators WANT, and NEED for their evidence to be torn to pieces, and scrutinized over. It’s the only way that they can feel like they have something worth looking at and lasting. In most cases this particular Ghost Hunter allows their ego, and personal belief to cloud their judgment when it comes to their captured evidence. The scrutiny that Paranormal Investigators take as a necessary and enjoyable part of the job becomes too much for the Ghost Hunter to take. Hijinks ensue.
Now that I’ve offended a lot of you with my observations, ya gotta know that this was designed to get you to think, and HOPEFULLY want to discuss some of the things I’ve brought up here. Maybe you agree with it, maybe not. It wasn’t meant to call anyone out. And of course NONE of these things apply to ALL Ghost Hunters. It’s just something that I haven’t seen discussed by intelligent people in an open forum… Yet.
Alright… That’s Ghost Hunting. What about Paranormal Investigation, and Paranormal Investigators? They’re a completely different animal than a Ghost Hunter. That’s another story altogether, and a brand new can of worms.
Stay Tuned!
Â
Click HERE if you’re interested in reading Part 2 of this thing!
Bill,
Awsome artical. I find that this is pretty much true. But I would like to say that I started out that way. Just looking for validation of course. I think we all go through that period.
At first I accepted just about anything I captured on audio or video that I could’nt explain as paranormal. But after a few callouts from several paranormal researchers that have been in the field for many years I realized that if I wanted to be taken true to this field, I better get some education in it.
Those were fun days, but at some point you have to make a decission as to how far you are going to go with it, and wreather you want to be taken seriously or not.
Then there is another learning curve. Dealing with the public is not always easy. You have to present yourself as one of them, Not some weardo from planet-X. You have to convence them that you know what you are talking about. Make them feel at home with their faith and opinions. You can’t be judgmental or too strong a personality. Good communication skills are important.
Today, I spend more of my time researching other things like quantum physics, philosophy, and astronomy than I do actually investigating. One of these days I am going to study how to properly spell the english language, But not just yet…LOL
We all go about this following our own path. Like you, I don’t object to GHOST HUNTERS, and I know they can seem to be know it all’s at times. But we all start somewhear.
I have great ties to some great people in the field for many years that still keep me in check from time to time. Soon Open Gate I.P.R.G. will finally have a site of our own. Soon I will be delivering paranormal news on a local radio station. Things are looking up.
Don S. Wilson
Thanks Don, and I’m glad to hear that things are looking up for your team!
Don’t worry about leaning how to spell. That’s what spell checkers are for.
Don,
Thanks a bunch for your article that I feel hits the nail on the head.
Over the years, I’ve always told members of our group, our clients, and the general public that we ARE NOT ghost hunters, but paranormal investigators. People have always looked at me funny until I took the time to explain what I thought were the distinctions.
To be quite franks, I was never sure of–nor did a good job articulating–all the reasons why I felt this way. Now, you’ve efficiently elucidated them for me.
Sincere thanks from Sights Unseen Paranormal.
Bobby Elgee
Having been in the field of esoteric metaphysics and parapsychology for 52 years, I think that what I am about to state is my fact on the subject of ghost hunting and paranormal investigator.
I had created a group back in 1972 (Psychic Phenomena Research Organization) and we were investiogators and not like some hot shot ghost clubs like today, that want TV fame or think that they are the absolute expert in this field of study.
We did not have the equipment that is on the market like today. When we went out to investigate a haunting, we took what we had for equipment, (1) cameras, (2) battery operated tape recorder, (3)tin foil and string-which will be explained here in a moment, (4)flour-again will be explained (5)flashlights or candles (6) psychics and mediums (7) note pads (8) walkie-talkies This was our gear. There would usually be 6 of us, as to have 2 in a team to cover every room in a house. Usually one would be the psychic or medium (I was one of the mediums). If one of the psychics felt a cold spot, the flour would be sprinkled down on the floor and the tin foil wrapped in a ball around the string and hung on the ceiling. The two people in the room stayed quiet. The cameras used were 35mm with 1500asa b/w. Very expensive film. The tape recorder was used to record the actions of the investigators and try to get EVP. if we did capture some type of voice, that was a good investigation. But the recorder was for data purposes. Now..to get to the tin foil. Some metals are condusive to spirit, and tin foil is one. If there was anything in the room, the ball would spin and sway back and forth and pictures would be shot at that very moment. .as for the flour, I did an experiment at the age of 10 at a friends and captured footprints from a ghost. So we all ways used this technique. Sometimes it worked. And for the pics, we did capture mists and yes…orbs. But, we made sure that they were orbs and not dust particles, and we never took pics outside when it was raining, snowing or blowing strong wind as to give the impressionm of capturing orbs as a false-positive. We were very professional in our work and yes…it was work. To sift out data, to go through hundred of pics to listen to recordings and sit around a table and throw out ideas and come up with answers to questions.
I feel (again my opinion) that the use of psychics, mediums, and yes…rods in an investigation, is just as good as some of the high tech equipment people go and buy to investigate a haunting. The equipment that we used back in the 70’s worked just fine and we never had any malfunctions as one does today with cameras, tape recorders. As for the psychics and mediums, the medium can and usually will make some sort of contact with spirit, as a name and work from there for applying the data of history, ect. Maybe the ghost hunter and researcher should experience the old fashion way of investigating a haunting. I think that the learning experience would and will make them better in their professionj.
Dr. Clark Schmidt
Director of the Universal Parapsychological and Metaphysical Association and the Institute of Metaphysics and Psychic Sciences.
Bill, after spending some time in the paranormal community, I have to admit that I have had a change of heart somewhat. At first I thought that you were wasting your time in this field if you weren’t actually doing “paranormal investigation,” and just “ghost hunting.” After working with other people interested in the paranormal, reading a lot of articles about the paranormal, watching many of the paranormal TV shows, and doing some ghost-hunting/investigating myself, I realized that, as you already pointed out, most, if not virtually ALL, “investigators” are really GHOST HUNTERS anyway.
IMHO it seems like very few people consistently do the research, planning, execution, and review of a proper paranormal investigation (if such a “proper” investigation has even been described). Most people that I’ve seen and worked worked with, articles that I’ve read, and shows that I’ve watched feature pretty quick and dirty ghost hunts dubbed “paranormal investigations” simply because of the thousands of dollars of equipment that the team drags around to the locations. No amount of equipment can turn a ghost hunt into a paranormal investigation, and, conversely, a true paranormal investigation with virtually no equipment is much more valid scientifically than a bunch of hot shot ghost hunters.
Now that we’ve cleared up the difference between paranormal investigation and ghost hunting, I want to make it clear that, like you, I have no reservations against ghost hunting. I think that we should ALL start out ghost hunting. It’s absolutely the most fun with the least amount of work. You still get to go to all kinds of cool places, and you may very well have some genuine paranormal experiences (or at least a few very spooky uncertain experiences)! Ghost hunters could and should lay the foundation for extensive paranormal investigations. If the ghost hunters “found” something, then perhaps the investigators could too.
Lastly, it is a personal choice whether or not you really want to be a “paranormal investigator” or a ghost hunter. You may just enjoy the chance to get out and look for ghosts. I know that I do. If you find that you need more than just a casual ghost hunt, try investigation, and see if you find that satisfying. Some people just want to play and not be so technical about things. These people will enjoy ghost hunting. If you’re super technical and question everything, then maybe paranormal investigation is better for you. Whichever way that you go, please enjoy responsibly, and have fun!