Enjoy my writing and art? Want to see more? Support my work on Patreon or donate with PayPal.
The following are answers to some often asked questions about vampires, both real and mythical.
Do vampires really exist?
Well, that depends on what we’re talking about. There are definitely a large number of humans with vampiric traits, vampiric lifestyles and the like. Now if you’re referring to the type of vampires we see in movies and read about in books, that’s a whole other question entirely. I’ve never met one myself (at least not that I’m aware of) but I don’t put anything outside the realm of possibility.
What are real vampires like?
Having never met and interviewed one, I can’t say for certain, but I have my theories on what a real vampire would be like. Everyone has their own ideas. Every myth and legend, every book and movie has an affect on what people think a real vampire would be like. Personally, I think Hollywood’s depiction is pretty far off, but that’s just my opinion.
If vampires truly exist, I don’t think they’re demons or monsters. I think they’d probably just be some genetic variation, something that just took a different evolutionary road than the rest of us. I figure vampirism would either be a genetic trait passed down through the generations, or perhaps a communicable disorder of sorts. Most legends seem to have it that vampires are incapable of standard forms of reproduction, but I doubt that would be true. A creature without reproductive ability wouldn’t make sense, and I doubt the likelihood of it being an affliction that causes sterility.
I don’t believe that vampires would be immortal either. Of course, if you pay attention, the fictionalized vampires aren’t really immortal either; they’re just amazingly damage resistant. I think it’s possible that vampires might age at a reduced rate, thereby giving them a seriously extended lifespan, but I don’t really believe in immortality. I’d wager that their systems would fight the signs of aging well, and it would appear that they never get any older, but if one lived long enough to keep track, they’d see the signs eventually.
I don’t really think they’d be limited to living in the darkness as many believe. I think they might prefer it, but most likely they could go out in the daytime like anyone, it just might not be as comfortable. I can see the skin and eyes having increased sensitivity to light and UV rays, but I don’t think spontaneous combustion would be a worry for them.
I also hold no belief in the idea that real vampires would be shape shifters, have incredible super-human powers, or anything of the like. If anything, I think they’d just be more tapped into the already existing potential of the human mind and body. We are amazingly complex creatures, and few of us ever even reach half of our potential abilities. I think vampires most likely would have evolved in such a way that they would naturally use more of their brain and physical abilities than average people.
Would we know if vampires actually existed?
Probably not. I think if they really exist, they probably blend in so well that we would never know. I wouldn’t even be surprised if they wouldn’t all know what they are. I don’t know if we will ever know for sure if they do, or ever have, existed. If they are real, they probably wouldn’t broadcast it on the nightly news. I mean, if you’re a higher form of life than the rest of the population, you probably want to keep it that way. If people knew vampires existed, and there was a way to transfer it, millions of people would want to be that way. The rest of the people would probably want to kill the new-found abomination. Either way, it wouldn’t be worth it to blab around about it.
Would it be worth it to become a vampire, if it was possible?
Heh, now there’s a big question. I guess it depends on the person, and weighing the pros and cons for their particular situation. I’m one of those people that would probably jump on the opportunity if vampires were like I think they are. A lot of others would think the trade-offs weren’t worth the risk. Until we find out if they’re real, and if they are, what they’re really like, I don’t think anyone could say for sure whether or not they’d want to be one.
Why are people so obsessed with the idea of vampires?
Think about it… Youth, beauty, sensuality, immortality, power… It’s all pretty tempting. Even if it was just a matter of slowed aging, resistance to disease and increased mental acuity, it still sounds like a pretty good deal. Of course, over they years, vampires have become more romanticized and sensualized than they ever were before. No longer are they the hideous demons of lore. Everybody wants to be something better than they are, and the idea of being a vampire, for many, equates to the possibility of being everything that they can never be as plain old boring humans.
In conclusion…
We may never know the truth about the existence of vampires. We know about humans living as such, and the growing popularity of the fascination with vampires. Maybe one day we’ll know. Maybe they’ll be all the wonderful things we want them to be, maybe they’ll be all the horrid things we fear they’d be. If I ever find out, I’ll be sure to let you know. *wink*
