Paranormal

Obviously, ghost stories for most people are scary. Yes, I said “most” because some people are skeptics. Also, not all ghost stories are scary. But, the main point and question here is “Why are paranormal events so intriguing to us?” You look at channels that air episodes of reality T.V. ghost hunting. You look up on the Internet and see these different paranormal teams that just absolutely thrive on ghost hunting. And if you watched the documentary on Halloween that aired on the Travel Channel on, I believe it was, on the eve of Halloween, you noticed the excitement in Americans to go to these really freaky “haunted houses” for a great scare. So I ask again. Why is the paranormal such a big deal to people?

The idea of ghouls, shadows, and mists — which has incorporated within popular culture — has existed in folklore for a long, long time. For centuries on end, human civilization has tried repeatedly to hunt down ghostly, paranormal events to see if the afterlife does in fact exist. In fact, one of the first ghost hunters, living in the 1600s, was the chaplain of King Charles II by the name of Joseph Glanvill. His most famous case was the “Drummer of Tedworth”. Another ghost hunter was philosopher and bookseller, Friedrich Nicolai. He began to be interested in investigating the paranormal when he tried to find a cure for his vision of deceased people. In 1799, he presented his “Memoir on the Appearance of Spectres or Phantoms Occasioned by Disease,” which not only contained accounts of his experiences with the paranormal but also the view that it could be cured by applying leeches.

Of course, despite the presentation of possible evidence of paranormal activity, skeptics have insisted that these so-called “unexplained noises and appearances” could be the result of technical malfunction or even the psychological result of paranormal hysteria itself. As I thought of the very subject of after life, I felt myself tying it to religion. As we all know, according to the Holy Bible, there exists Heaven and Hell. Christians and Catholics both believe in Jesus Christ and that he was resurrected from the dead. So, maybe an afterlife exists in this world? Like I said, skeptics are doubtful.

Now, there will probably be some of you wondering “Of all topics, why paranormal?” First off, yes. I am one of those believers of the paranormal. Although I am not religious, I — along with the others who have conformed to this idea of the afterlife — believe that what the EMF (Electromagnetic Field) detectors detect on those ghost hunting shows really are the presence of ghosts. I also believe that whatever “mysterious” voice or noise is recorded on those EVP (Electronic Voice Phenomenon) recorders are really spirits trying to communicate with us, and that those mists on those static night vision cameras or UV cameras could very well be real. Now, I do see the other side of the equation; that these pieces of “evidence” may have been edited or Photoshopped to make us believe they are real for entertainment purposes. But, anything’s possible; and I happen to lean towards believing in the afterlife.

Paranormal hysteria is all around us. The act of ghost hunting couldn’t have been more popular. Skeptics will obviously find ways to debunk such myths unless something unusual does happen to them. But of course, everyone has their own beliefs. And as I have said before, I find myself hoping there really does exist and afterlife.

Follow Your Dreams: Inspirations Worth A Thousand Words

Everyone has aspired to hold some kind of career, starting from early youth. Whether it be a cop, or a scientist, we’ve all held early career interests. Of course, as our intelligence expands over time, we not only get a better sense of what’s suited for us, but the whole variety of options starts to open up like a fully grown tree. There are people who possess hidden talents that run through their family roots. I use Josh as an example again, as I recall him telling me his passion for writing comes from his mother and his grandfather from his father’s side. No matter what your dreams, it is important that you follow through on them. It can be very easy to lose track of your goals in life, and it can also be very easy to be discouraged from achieving what you want.

Get inspired by your fellow peers. If they set good examples, by all means follow them, but be creative as well. If nothing about your surroundings inspire you, inspire yourself. Learn new things, think outside the box. Like I said, be creative. Life is about being yourself. It’s doing things and discovering what no one else has discovered. Be your own captain. No matter what people say, you’re in charge of your own life. Sometimes, I’m a shy person when I’m around people. But when I’m at home and I eavesdrop on my parents’ conversations and listen to the news, I’ve always felt the urge to rant about my opinions. Never would I have thought about doing a blog on this. But most importantly, never in my life would I have ever thought of starting a new blog on Psychology and have someone inspire me to look more into life, to ask myself more and more questions, to think outside the box and look at life in different POV. I mean, I just… I feel like a whole different person now than I was before.

The whole world is a vast, diverse jigsaw puzzle filled with new ideas just waiting to be discovered. Use it to find your true self. Ask yourself. What makes you so special? What separates you from the rest of the pack? Most importantly of all, don’t ever have second thoughts on life. Live every day like it’s your last. You have a whole life in front of you so cherish every moment and make good use of every precious minute you grasp. I know, I know. A lot of people reading this will be thinking “Okay. Yeah, yeah. Move on already. We get it.” Well, then let me ask you something. If you get it, then why do you continue to waste every precious minute of your life sitting in front of a damn computer screen mindlessly wasting your time on the Internet? I mean, unless you’re actually bored and searching up how other people innovate do something useful with your life. I used to sit in front of the computer screen and play COD for hours, but I remember one day that as I finished Campaign for the second time, I envisioned how cool it would be to work for Activision being a Quality Assurance employee for Graphics. I also envisioned possibly designing the graphics myself at EA Sports because I’m a huge ice hockey fan. Like I said before, without Josh’s inspiration, I wouldn’t have been so interested in life and writing about it. Therefore I also aspire to maybe become a future columnist some day. So, I have high hopes.

Inspiration is everywhere. The youth now is starting to be creative and innovate. I mean, no one ever said innovating is ever easy, but nobody said it isn’t possible either. Nowadays, anything is possible. About two months ago, a student who is now a Senior at Mission San Jose High School was recognized in a speech by U.S. President Barack Obama himself. The reason? Young people like him are innovating. This particular student is working on a microfunding program that helps students become social entrepreneurs. In simple terms, the program helps students open up businesses at an early age. Quite impressive, eh? How about a junior high student who followed in the footsteps of the late Apple CEO Steve Jobs and invented an application for smart handheld devices, which is very impressive for someone his age? As you can see, creativity is already at work. The youth is already prepping for center stage. These are all inspirations worth a thousand words. The world is already taking notice of these outstanding achievements. So, now the question remains. What’s there to wait for? It’s your time to shine. Get out there and carpe diem.