{"id":8453,"date":"2013-07-01T01:10:44","date_gmt":"2013-07-01T06:10:44","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/paganpages.org\/content\/?p=8750"},"modified":"2013-06-30T15:07:27","modified_gmt":"2013-06-30T20:07:27","slug":"across-the-great-divide-42","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/2013\/07\/01\/across-the-great-divide-42\/","title":{"rendered":"Across the Great Divide"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cStump the Ghost Guy<\/span>\u201d<\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

I wouldn\u2019t say that I have a unique point of view among paranormal researchers, but it is a rather rare one. Most people exist huddled at opposite extremes; that is, they either have a passionate belief in paranormal phenomena, convinced by the tiniest shreds of evidence, or they think it\u2019s all a bunch of superstition and Hollywood hogwash and keep their worldview locked behind a steel door.<\/span><\/p>\n

There are a few of us in the middle, though. We are both scientist and mystic; believer and skeptic. For as much as I am a fervent supporter of paranormal happenings- be it the adventurer in me or due to religious persuasions, I am also equally skeptic of any evidence presented to me because the scientist in me has more questions than answers.<\/span><\/p>\n

This double-edged sword is unleashed every time someone finds out that I am a paranormal investigator and decides to play a game of \u201cStump the Ghost Guy.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

I\u2019ll be at a bar or some social event and someone will either already know what I do or I\u2019ll innocently give them my business card- which is a great way to make friends and network, but when I see their eyes flare upon seeing those words I get that feeling like a mouse caught in a trap.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh, my god! You\u2019re a ghost hunter? That\u2019s so cool! Hey, let me tell you about my (experience, aunt, grandma, etc)\u2026\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Now, don\u2019t get me wrong. I love hearing peoples\u2019 stories and I\u2019m not trying to be pretentious, but there\u2019s a time and a place and I\u2019m not always in business mode; however, if there aren\u2019t too many distractions or I\u2019m not preoccupied I\u2019m always happy to hear a good story and share in a good discussion. The problem arises when too much is expected as a result of the conversation.<\/span><\/p>\n

The believer will finish their story, sometimes accompanied by a grainy photo on their four-inch smartphone and anxiously await some mind-blowing revelation that confirms everything they\u2019ve ever believed.<\/span><\/p>\n

When I can\u2019t give them a definitive answer they shuffle and the conversation turns to them trying to find a way out. I know what they\u2019re thinking: \u201cThis guy doesn\u2019t know squat.\u201d<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

The skeptic will want me to give an answer that they have pre-written rebuttals for so they can turn up their nose and say, \u201cHa! I knew it. It\u2019s all lies and Harry Potter nonsense.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Both scenarios always- and I do mean always- include the storyteller asking, \u201cWell, how do you explain it, then?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The short of it is, I can\u2019t. Nope, I can\u2019t and I won\u2019t; especially not on the spot.<\/span><\/p>\n

I wasn\u2019t there. I didn\u2019t see all of the gathered material, which would include all of the dismissed as well as the saved evidence. I can\u2019t verify any of the many, many environmental and human factors that could impact the event. At the end of the day it\u2019s just a story. One of many that have been shared around holiday tables and campfires for generations. Unless it\u2019s a well-researched or well-known case, then as much as the believer in me may be intrigued by the possibilities, the skeptic has to say, \u201cSorry, I don\u2019t know what to tell you.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

I also refuse to be put in a position where the storyteller\u2019s feelings could be hurt because I seemingly dismiss their claims. Look, I\u2019d never call anyone a liar but I wasn\u2019t there and a brief conversation and a couple of tiny digital photos doesn\u2019t give me enough material to base a knowledgeable or reputable verdict on it.<\/span><\/p>\n

Speculation is what the folks on Ghost Adventures<\/em> do. Real science looks at all of the evidence and investigates before rendering an opinion.<\/span><\/p>\n

To expect a detailed analysis on the spot with little or no time to properly digest everything is not only pointless but also rather rude.<\/span><\/p>\n

The only thing I can do is keep an open mind and say, \u201cThat is<\/em> cool. What have you discovered in your own research?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s very unusual for a case to be well-documented and referenced. This occurs in academic circles, let alone outside of it. Some of the stories I\u2019ve listened to aren\u2019t even the experience of the teller, but third-party recollections.<\/span><\/p>\n

Have you ever played \u2018telephone\u2019 as a child? That\u2019s where someone tells you something, you have to tell it to the person next to you, and they, in turn, pass it on down the line. By the time it gets to the end it\u2019s a mess- with dates, times, and locations mixed or replaced.<\/span><\/p>\n

I read a book about ghosts of Anchor Bay, a community off Lake St. Clair in Michigan, which was like that- a total mess. The speculations were off the wall at best, the photographic \u2018evidence\u2019 a joke, and the historical records either false or grossly misinterpreted.<\/span><\/p>\n

While we\u2019re at it, there\u2019s been too much dependence on personal anecdotes in paranormal research these days, anyway, and it really needs to stop.<\/span><\/p>\n

There\u2019s one that springs to mind from here in Michigan, coincidentally also in the Anchor Bay area, that I\u2019m not going to give further credence to by repeating the name- but there are plenty of readers out there who know what I\u2019m talking about.<\/span><\/p>\n

I only mention it because I\u2019ve heard story after story for years and there\u2019s just no feasible, credible way to verify any of it. Not a shred. It\u2019s just a cool story with a local twist. It\u2019s not science, it\u2019s story time.<\/span><\/p>\n

Local and personal ghost stories simply exist. That\u2019s it. They don\u2019t become valid evidence simply because they\u2019re repeated or have had a few similar versions. It\u2019s never \u2018evidence\u2019. They certainly don\u2019t become credible just because you\u2019ve cornered a paranormal investigator with your story and he or she gives their best opinion<\/em> about it, thus stamping it with the word of gospel truth.<\/span><\/p>\n

These experiences are called \u2018personal\u2019 for a reason. Only you can determine just how important or how much it means to you to find the answers. Do the research. Investigate and attempt to replicate the experience. Appreciate it for what it is- a brief moment where you peered across the Great Divide into something amazing and special.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a9 2013 R. Wolf Baldassarro\/Deep Forest Productions<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

  \u201cStump the Ghost Guy\u201d I wouldn\u2019t say that I have a unique point of view among paranormal researchers, but it is a rather rare one. Most people exist huddled at opposite extremes; that is, they either have a passionate belief in paranormal phenomena, convinced by the tiniest shreds of evidence, or they think it\u2019s all a bunch of superstition and Hollywood hogwash and keep their worldview locked behind a steel door. There are a few of us in the middle, though. We are both scientist and mystic; believer and skeptic. For as much as I am a fervent supporter of paranormal happenings- be it the adventurer in me or due to religious persuasions, I am also equally skeptic of any evidence presented to me because the scientist in me has more questions than answers. This double-edged sword is unleashed every time someone finds out that I am a paranormal investigator and decides to play a game of \u201cStump the Ghost Guy.\u201d I\u2019ll be at a bar or some social event and someone will either already know what I do or I\u2019ll innocently give them my business card- which is a great way to make friends and network, but when I see their eyes flare upon seeing those words I get that feeling like a mouse caught in a trap. \u201cOh, my god! You\u2019re a ghost hunter? That\u2019s so cool! Hey, let me tell you about my (experience, aunt, grandma, etc)\u2026\u201d Now, don\u2019t get me wrong. I love hearing peoples\u2019 stories and I\u2019m not trying to be pretentious, but there\u2019s a time and a place and I\u2019m not always in business mode; however, if there aren\u2019t too many distractions or I\u2019m not preoccupied I\u2019m always happy to hear a good story and share in a good discussion. The problem arises when too much is expected as a result of the conversation. The believer will finish their story, sometimes accompanied by a grainy photo on their four-inch smartphone and anxiously await some mind-blowing revelation that confirms everything they\u2019ve ever believed. When I can\u2019t give them a definitive answer they shuffle and the conversation turns to them trying to find a way out. I know what they\u2019re thinking: \u201cThis guy doesn\u2019t know squat.\u201d The skeptic will want me to give an answer that they have pre-written rebuttals for so they can turn up their nose and say, \u201cHa! I knew it. It\u2019s all lies and Harry Potter nonsense.\u201d Both scenarios always- and I do mean always- include the storyteller asking, \u201cWell, how do you explain it, then?\u201d The short of it is, I can\u2019t. Nope, I can\u2019t and I won\u2019t; especially not on the spot. I wasn\u2019t there. I didn\u2019t see all of the gathered material, which would include all of the dismissed as well as the saved evidence. I can\u2019t verify any of the many, many environmental and human factors that could impact the event. At the end of the day it\u2019s just a story. One of many that have been shared around holiday tables and campfires for generations. Unless it\u2019s a well-researched or well-known case, then as much as the believer in me may be intrigued by the possibilities, the skeptic has to say, \u201cSorry, I don\u2019t know what to tell you.\u201d I also refuse to be put in a position where the storyteller\u2019s feelings could be hurt because I seemingly dismiss their claims. Look, I\u2019d never call anyone a liar but I wasn\u2019t there and a brief conversation and a couple of tiny digital photos doesn\u2019t give me enough material to base a knowledgeable or reputable verdict on it. Speculation is what the folks on Ghost Adventures do. Real science looks at all of the evidence and investigates before rendering an opinion. To expect a detailed analysis on the spot with little or no time to properly digest everything is not only pointless but also rather rude. The only thing I can do is keep an open mind and say, \u201cThat is cool. What have you discovered in your own research?\u201d It\u2019s very unusual for a case to be well-documented and referenced. This occurs in academic circles, let alone outside of it. Some of the stories I\u2019ve listened to aren\u2019t even the experience of the teller, but third-party recollections. Have you ever played \u2018telephone\u2019 as a child? That\u2019s where someone tells you something, you have to tell it to the person next to you, and they, in turn, pass it on down the line. By the time it gets to the end it\u2019s a mess- with dates, times, and locations mixed or replaced. I read a book about ghosts of Anchor Bay, a community off Lake St. Clair in Michigan, which was like that- a total mess. The speculations were off the wall at best, the photographic \u2018evidence\u2019 a joke, and the historical records either false or grossly misinterpreted. While we\u2019re at it, there\u2019s been too much dependence on personal anecdotes in paranormal research these days, anyway, and it really needs to stop. There\u2019s one that springs to mind from here in Michigan, coincidentally also in the Anchor Bay area, that I\u2019m not going to give further credence to by repeating the name- but there are plenty of readers out there who know what I\u2019m talking about. I only mention it because I\u2019ve heard story after story for years and there\u2019s just no feasible, credible way to verify any of it. Not a shred. It\u2019s just a cool story with a local twist. It\u2019s not science, it\u2019s story time. Local and personal ghost stories simply exist. That\u2019s it. They don\u2019t become valid evidence simply because they\u2019re repeated or have had a few similar versions. It\u2019s never \u2018evidence\u2019. They certainly don\u2019t become credible just because you\u2019ve cornered a paranormal investigator with your story and he or she gives their best opinion about it, thus stamping it with the word of gospel truth. These experiences are called \u2018personal\u2019 for a reason. Only you can determine just how important or how much it means to you to find the answers. Do the research. Investigate and attempt to replicate the experience. Appreciate it for what it is- a brief moment where you peered across the Great Divide into something amazing and special. \u00a0 \u00a9 2013 R. Wolf Baldassarro\/Deep Forest Productions<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":78,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"iawp_total_views":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8453","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8453","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/78"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8453"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8453\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8172,"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8453\/revisions\/8172"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8453"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8453"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8453"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}