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| {{short description|Lifestyle based on vampires in fiction}} | |||
| The ] lifestyle (or vampyre lifestyle) is that of a ] of people who claim that they are vampires and that this lifestyle is one to be celebrated. While some claim that the drinking of blood is not required, others who call themselves vampires advocate ritual blood consumption. The common trait that all members share is their love for (and occasionally obsession with) vampires, and the belief that they possess some or all of the identifying characteristics of a vampire. | |||
| {{Multiple issues| | |||
| {{Globalize|date=January 2020}} | |||
| {{Update|part=references|reason=all but one reference is from before 2010; most are sources from before 2000. Sources from after 2010 are needed for accuracy|date=July 2020}} | |||
| }} | |||
| The '''vampire lifestyle''', '''vampire subculture''', or '''vampire community''' (sometimes spelled as "vampyre") is an ] and ] based around the mythology of and popular culture based on ].<ref name="Browning 2015">{{cite journal |last=Browning |first=John Edgar |date=March 2015 |title=The real vampires of New Orleans and Buffalo: a research note towards comparative ethnography |url=https://www.nature.com/articles/palcomms20156.pdf |journal=] |location=] |publisher=] |volume=1 |issue=15006 |pages=1–8 |doi=10.1057/palcomms.2015.6 |doi-access=free |issn=2662-9992 |lccn=2016260034 |access-date=14 September 2021}}</ref><ref name="Mellins 2013">{{cite book |last=Mellins |first=Maria |year=2013 |chapter=Vampire Community Profile |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=c3uHu4_zOD8C&pg=PA45 |title=Vampire Culture |location=] |publisher=] |series=Dress, Body, Culture |pages=45–68 |isbn=9780857850744}}</ref><ref name=ResearchGate>{{Cite journal|url = https://www.researchgate.net/publication/283273380|title = The Psychic Vampire and Vampyre Subculture|last = Jøn|first = A. Asbjørn|date = 2002|journal = Australian Folklore: A Yearly Journal of Folklore Studies|issue = 17|publisher = University of New England|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20151208171839/http://www.researchgate.net/publication/283273380_The_Psychic_Vampire_and_Vampyre_Subculture|archive-date = 2015-12-08|url-status = live}}</ref><ref name=Benecke>{{cite book|last=Benecke|first=Mark|title=Benecke & Fischer: Vampyres among us!: Volume III - A scientific study into vampyre identity groups and subcultures|publisher=Roter Drache|location=Remda-Teichel|year=2015|isbn=9783939459958}}</ref> Those within the subculture commonly identify with or as vampires, with participants typically taking heavy inspiration from media and pop culture based on vampiric folklore and legend, such as the gothic soap opera '']'', the tabletop role-playing game '']'', and the book series '']'' by author ].<ref name="Browning 2015"/> Practices within the vampire community range from blood-drinking from willing donors to organising groups known as 'houses' and 'courts' of self-identified vampires.<ref name="Browning 2015"/> | |||
| There are many websites and organisations dedicated solely to people who believe themselves to be vampires, although few (if any) of their claims are verifiable outside this means. This belief is very broad and encompasses a large number of topics, including the characteristics of vampires, ethical issues and the creation of new vampires. Sources for information on any or all three often provide different and sometimes conflicting information. Some critics have charged that such groups are cults, allegedly using cult-like methods to draw new members in. | |||
| The vampire subculture largely stemmed from the ],<ref name="Browning 2015"/><ref name="Mellins 2013"/><ref name=ResearchGate/><ref>{{cite book |last=Skal |first=David J. |title=The Monster Show: A Cultural History of Horror |year=1993|pages = 342–43 |publisher=Penguin |location=New York |isbn=0-14-024002-0}}</ref> but also incorporates some elements of the ] subculture.<ref name=ResearchGate/> The ] provides a prevalent forum of communication for the subculture, along with other media such as ]s devoted to the topic.{{needs update|date=July 2020}}<ref name="Keyworth">{{cite journal|last=Keyworth|first=David|title=The Socio-Religious Beliefs and Nature of the Contemporary Vampire Subculture|journal=]|issue=3|volume=17|pages=355–370|date=October 2002|doi=10.1080/1353790022000008280|s2cid=143072713}}</ref> | |||
| While some older occult and tribal cultures have similar rituals, the vampire lifestyle is largely a social creation within Western culture, seemingly drawing from the rich recent history of popular culture related to cult symbolism, and the stylings of old Victirian England. Thus the subculture is most apparent in North America and Europe, and to a lesser extent in certain parts of South America and Asia. | |||
| Participants within the subculture range from those who dress as vampires but understand themselves to be human, to those who assert a need to consume either blood or 'human energy'.<ref name="Browning 2015"/><ref name=Benecke/><ref name="Keyworth"/><ref name="Williams">{{cite journal|last=Williams|first=DJ|title=Contemporary Vampires and (Blood-Red) Leisure: Should We Be Afraid of the Dark?|journal=Leisure|year=2008|volume=32|issue=2|pages=513–539|doi=10.1080/14927713.2008.9651420|s2cid=143339707}}</ref> Both types of vampires may assert that the consumption of blood or energy (sometimes referred to as ] or ] energy) is necessary for spiritual or physical nourishment. | |||
| There have been some reports of crimes commited by deranged individuals who believed themselves to be vampires: for example, the "Kentucky Vampire Clan" were a vampire role-playing group in Kentucky whose activities spiralled into murder. (http://www.courttv.com/archive/verdicts/vampire.html) Activity of this manner is variously encouraged] (http://www.reapersofblood.org/vm.html) and discouraged.] (http://www.vampiretemple.com/law.html) | |||
| Contents ] | |||
| Though the vampire subculture has considerable overlap with gothic subculture, the vampire community also has overlap with both ] and ] communities, and are considered by some to be a part of both, despite the difference in cultural and historical development.<ref name=fieldguide>{{cite book |author=Lupa | title=A Field Guide to Otherkin | publisher=Immanion Press | pages=25–26, 50, 52 | year=2007 | isbn=978-1-905713-07-3 }}</ref> | |||
| 1 Identifying characteristics | |||
| 2 Types and variations | |||
| 3 Thirst | |||
| 4 Creation of new vampires | |||
| 5 Food sources | |||
| ==Types of vampire lifestylers== | |||
| 5.1 Sanguarian | |||
| There are several types of vampire lifestylers:<ref name="Browning 2015"/> | |||
| 5.2 Psionic | |||
| 6 Criticism | |||
| 7 See also | |||
| 8 External links | |||
| * "{{vanchor|Sanguinarians}}": (sometimes referred to as ]) consume the blood of others<ref name="Browning 2015"/> | |||
| ==Identifying characteristics== | |||
| * "]": claim to attain nourishment from the ] or ] energy of others<ref name="Browning 2015"/><ref name="Keyworth"/><ref name="Williams"/> in order to balance a spiritual or psychological energy deficiency, such as a damaged aura or chakra<ref name=ResearchGate/> | |||
| * "Hybrids": both consume blood and assert that they consume psychic energy<ref name="Browning 2015"/><ref name="Williams"/> | |||
| * "Blood donors": willingly allow other members of the subculture to drink their blood,<ref name="Browning 2015"/> and may or may not exhibit subservience toward those who do<ref name="Guinn">{{cite book|last=Guinn|first=Jeff|title=Something in the Blood: The Underground World of Today's Vampires|year=1996|publisher=Summit Publishing Group|location=Arlington|isbn=978-1-56530-209-9}}</ref><ref name="Benecke"/><ref name="Keyworth"/> | |||
| * "]s": use blood as a stimulant or sexual fetish, sometimes drinking it during the course of ] sex<ref name="Williams"/> | |||
| * "Role-players" or "lifestylers": acknowledge that they are human beings roleplaying as vampires.<ref name="Browning 2015"/> Williams states that they may "dress up in vampire clothing, live a vampire lifestyle (e.g. sleep in coffins), and primarily participate in RPGs such as '']''"<ref name="Williams"/> | |||
| == Explanations for blood-drinking == | |||
| Those who believe they are vampires also believe that the vampire is a subspecies of ]; the traits ascribed to this subspecies are generally some subset of those of fictional vampires. For example, many members of these groups believe themselves to have some sort of sensory amplification or extrasensory perception, such as: | |||
| ] is a clinical condition marked by a fixation on blood or blood-drinking. | |||
| ] have also documented cases of people with sexual (]) vampirism and ].<ref name=ResearchGate/><ref>McCully, R. S. (1964). Vampirism: Historical perspective and underlying process in relation to a case of auto-vampirism. ''Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 139,'' 440–451.</ref><ref>Prins, H. (1985). Vampirism: A clinical condition. ''British Journal of Psychiatry, 146,'' 666–668.</ref> | |||
| * Improved night-vision, to the point of being able to see without even moonlight. | |||
| * Stinging of the skin when exposed to sunlight. | |||
| * A sense for other vampires. | |||
| * Broader range of senses. | |||
| * Prescience. Some claim that they are able to instinctively predict the immediate future with 100% accuracy, and thus act very quickly by instinct. | |||
| * Perception of auras. | |||
| == Controversy == | |||
| Not all vampires are said to have all of these characteristics, or even believe that some of them are possible. | |||
| === Christianity === | |||
| Most members of the sect do not have long or sharp fangs. Some say the reason for this is dilution via the prolonged interbreeding of vampires and humans. Others say the fangs are retracted when not in use. They do not usually claim that blood should be drawn through or using the teeth, or claim to have hollow teeth for this purpose. (Some adherents even have permanent or temporary prosthodontic devices to complete the illusion of vampirism.) | |||
| Some self-proclaimed Christian ]s have arisen in response to the vampire subculture.<ref name="Keyworth"/> Online, they swarm vampire websites with ] and participate in other similar activities.<ref name=Thorne>{{cite book|last=Thorne|first=Tony|title=Children of the Night: Of Vampires and Vampirism|year=1999|publisher=Victor Gollancz|location=London|isbn=978-0-575-40272-0|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/childrenofnighto0000thor}}</ref> | |||
| ==References== | |||
| ==Types and variations== | |||
| {{reflist}} | |||
| ==Further reading== | |||
| Members of vampire sects claim to fall into two main classes: those who claim to drink blood, and those who do not. Sanguarian vampires model themselves the closest to traditional mythology (see ]) in that they believe themselves to be dependent on blood for both the supernatural powers some of them believe they possess, and (for many) their sanity. They generally accept either animal or human blood for this purpose, provided it remains untreated. Conversely, others believe that animal blood contains demons and must be boiled prior to drinking. Other vampires claim to get no benefits at all from animal blood and for both metaphysical and health-related reasons don't even consider it as an alternative to human blood. Self-described psionic vampires claim to be able to feed either on blood or psionic energy, having to start off with blood. | |||
| *Belanger, Michelle A. (2004). ''The Psychic Vampire Codex: A Manual of Magick and Energy Work.'' Red Wheel/Weiser. {{ISBN|978-1-57863-321-0}} | |||
| * {{Cite journal|url = https://www.researchgate.net/publication/283273380|title = The Psychic Vampire and Vampyre Subculture|last = Jøn|first = A. Asbjørn|date = 2002|journal = Australian Folklore: A Yearly Journal of Folklore Studies|issue = 17|publisher = University of New England}} | |||
| *Laycock, Joseph (2009). ''Vampires Today: The Truth About Modern Vampirism''. Praeger. {{ISBN|978-0-313-36472-3}} | |||
| *Russo, Arlene (2005). ''Vampire Nation''. John Blake. {{ISBN|978-1-84454-172-0}} | |||
| *{{cite news|author=Ariana Eunjung Cha |title=Researchers: Vampires are people, too, and need as much psychotherapy as the rest of us |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/to-your-health/wp/2015/07/09/researchers-vampires-are-people-too-and-deserve-acceptance-by-medical-professionals/ |newspaper=] |date=July 9, 2015}} | |||
| * Peter Day (Hrsg.): ''Vampires: myths and metaphors of enduring evil''- Editions Rodopi, 2006, {{ISBN|978-90-420-1669-9}} | |||
| {{Goth subculture}} | |||
| ==Thirst== | |||
| ] | |||
| Some self-proclaimed vampires claim they are subject to an affliction called the thirst. This is a hunger for blood (or energy, depending on the type of vampire). This affliction has symptoms comprised of a combination of extreme desire for water, withdrawal-like symptoms, and a random and extreme psychosis and episodes of animal instinct referred to as the Beast. | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| The time between feeding and the onset of another thirst is supposedly inversely proportional to the quality of blood. That from oneself or from animals is said to be worst, trumped by humans, then ]s or other mystics. The best, naturally, is believed to come from other vampires. | |||
| This belief comes from the related one that the reason vampires need blood is due to the spiritual energy contained therein. The normal person is said to be spiritually stagnant, and therefore has a lower amount of spiritual energies. This also extends to psionic feeding. | |||
| ==Creation of new vampires== | |||
| Members of these groups have many different theories about how vampires are created. Most involve a biological link to someone in the community, such as having (purported) vampire parents. Note that, for this belief, being fed upon is not sufficient as a means of transmission. However, most have to do with blood, as might be expected. | |||
| Some claim that if a vampire intravenously administers a portion of their blood to a non-vampire without the aid of needles, the non-vampire will be considered a turn and also believed to be awakened. They will then supposedly inherit a portion of the parent or master vampire's power. Some claim that the use of hypodermic needles or any other technology nullifies the vampirism-carrying properties of the blood. However, for the turning of psyonic vampires, nothing more than an exchange of "life energy" is required. | |||
| ==Food sources== | |||
| Some vampires claim that, in order to replenish their vampiric energy, they will sometimes feed on the blood of other humans, but some will also feed on other things such as themselves, animals, plants and the elements. Psionic vampires believe that they feed by meditating and willing the energy toward them, or occasionally by unconscious means. Most self-proclaimed vampires believe that they occupy a different and higher position in the food chain than humans do. Many also claim that they often become ill when eating conventional food for humans. | |||
| ==Sanguarian== | |||
| These are the vampires that believe they require blood in its physical form. However, contrary to traditional mythology, they are discouraged from biting the victim with their teeth, and do not necessarily have fangs or hollow teeth with which to bite. Rather, they are encouraged to draw blood using either a needle or a sharp blade (like a razor). They will usually proceed to drink directly from the needle or apply their mouths to the cut.] (http://www.reapersofblood.org/howrsf.html)] (http://www.geocities.com/sangwolf99127/sangfeed.html) | |||
| ==Psionic== | |||
| These vampires claim that they consume "life force"] (http://www.geocities.com/psivampire421/vampires.html) as opposed to physical blood. In this case, the feeding is fairly ritualistic, and uses meditation to "channel" or "will" the energy toward them. The need to do so can be so strong that they occasionally beleive they have been feeding in their sleep.] (http://www.angelfire.com/home/darkrealms/psifeed.html) They believe that one can either draw the required energy from a crowd or from a specific person, and stipulate that the best way to do this is contact with the chakras.] (http://www.geocities.com/houseofnekhbet/oldsite/chakras.htm) | |||
| ==Criticism== | |||
| The vampire lifestyle has been criticised on a number of grounds. Christians, Jews and Muslims tend to believe the activity is related to cannibalism, paganism and many other sins. There is concern in the general public for those who are found to be participating in the cult. | |||
| It has also been criticised for fueling the fantasies of some psychotic severely mentally ill people, some of whom have gone on to commit crimes, including murder. | |||
| ==See also== | |||
| * ] | |||
| * ] | |||
| ==External links== | |||
| News stories: | |||
| * Small fringe jumps from hobby to cult (http://www.religionnewsblog.com/10328) The Globe and Mail, Canada, Feb. 17, 2005 via religionnewsblog.com | |||
| * Florida v. Rod Ferrell "The Vampire Cult Slaying Case" (http://www.courttv.com/archive/verdicts/vampire.html), June 22, 2001 | |||
| * BBC News story: Teenager guilty of 'vampire' murder (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/2166683.stm) | |||
| * BBC News story: 'Vampire obsessed' man raped girl (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/lincolnshire/4039973.stm) | |||
| * BBC News story: 'Vampire' murderer dies in jail (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/4013507.stm) | |||
| * BBC News story: Rapist drank his victim's blood (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/3840773.stm) | |||
| Sites claiming to be about or by "real" vampires: | |||
| * SphynxCat's Real vampires Support Page (http://sphynxcatvp.nocturna.org/) | |||
| * Temple of the Vampire (http://www.vampiretemple.com/) | |||
| * Darkness Embraced Vampire and Occult Society (http://www.darkness-embraced.com/) | |||
| * Vampire Realm of Darkness (http://www.vampires.nu/) | |||
| Categories: Misplaced Pages cleanup | Otherkin | Subcultures | Vampires | |||
Latest revision as of 09:55, 13 September 2024
Lifestyle based on vampires in fiction | This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page. (Learn how and when to remove these messages)
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The vampire lifestyle, vampire subculture, or vampire community (sometimes spelled as "vampyre") is an alternative lifestyle and subculture based around the mythology of and popular culture based on vampires. Those within the subculture commonly identify with or as vampires, with participants typically taking heavy inspiration from media and pop culture based on vampiric folklore and legend, such as the gothic soap opera Dark Shadows, the tabletop role-playing game Vampire: The Masquerade, and the book series The Vampire Chronicles by author Anne Rice. Practices within the vampire community range from blood-drinking from willing donors to organising groups known as 'houses' and 'courts' of self-identified vampires.
The vampire subculture largely stemmed from the goth subculture, but also incorporates some elements of the sadomasochism subculture. The Internet provides a prevalent forum of communication for the subculture, along with other media such as glossy magazines devoted to the topic.
Participants within the subculture range from those who dress as vampires but understand themselves to be human, to those who assert a need to consume either blood or 'human energy'. Both types of vampires may assert that the consumption of blood or energy (sometimes referred to as auric or pranic energy) is necessary for spiritual or physical nourishment.
Though the vampire subculture has considerable overlap with gothic subculture, the vampire community also has overlap with both therian and otherkin communities, and are considered by some to be a part of both, despite the difference in cultural and historical development.
Types of vampire lifestylers
There are several types of vampire lifestylers:
- "Sanguinarians": (sometimes referred to as hematophages) consume the blood of others
- "Psychic vampires": claim to attain nourishment from the aura or pranic energy of others in order to balance a spiritual or psychological energy deficiency, such as a damaged aura or chakra
- "Hybrids": both consume blood and assert that they consume psychic energy
- "Blood donors": willingly allow other members of the subculture to drink their blood, and may or may not exhibit subservience toward those who do
- "Blood fetishists": use blood as a stimulant or sexual fetish, sometimes drinking it during the course of sadomasochistic sex
- "Role-players" or "lifestylers": acknowledge that they are human beings roleplaying as vampires. Williams states that they may "dress up in vampire clothing, live a vampire lifestyle (e.g. sleep in coffins), and primarily participate in RPGs such as Vampire: The Masquerade"
Explanations for blood-drinking
Renfield syndrome is a clinical condition marked by a fixation on blood or blood-drinking.
Sex researchers have also documented cases of people with sexual (paraphilic) vampirism and autovampirism.
Controversy
Christianity
Some self-proclaimed Christian vampire slayers have arisen in response to the vampire subculture. Online, they swarm vampire websites with hate mail and participate in other similar activities.
References
- ^ Browning, John Edgar (March 2015). "The real vampires of New Orleans and Buffalo: a research note towards comparative ethnography" (PDF). Palgrave Communications. 1 (15006). Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan: 1–8. doi:10.1057/palcomms.2015.6. ISSN 2662-9992. LCCN 2016260034. Retrieved 14 September 2021.
- ^ Mellins, Maria (2013). "Vampire Community Profile". Vampire Culture. Dress, Body, Culture. London: Bloomsbury Academic. pp. 45–68. ISBN 9780857850744.
- ^ Jøn, A. Asbjørn (2002). "The Psychic Vampire and Vampyre Subculture". Australian Folklore: A Yearly Journal of Folklore Studies (17). University of New England. Archived from the original on 2015-12-08.
- ^ Benecke, Mark (2015). Benecke & Fischer: Vampyres among us!: Volume III - A scientific study into vampyre identity groups and subcultures. Remda-Teichel: Roter Drache. ISBN 9783939459958.
- Skal, David J. (1993). The Monster Show: A Cultural History of Horror. New York: Penguin. pp. 342–43. ISBN 0-14-024002-0.
- ^ Keyworth, David (October 2002). "The Socio-Religious Beliefs and Nature of the Contemporary Vampire Subculture". Journal of Contemporary Religion. 17 (3): 355–370. doi:10.1080/1353790022000008280. S2CID 143072713.
- ^ Williams, DJ (2008). "Contemporary Vampires and (Blood-Red) Leisure: Should We Be Afraid of the Dark?". Leisure. 32 (2): 513–539. doi:10.1080/14927713.2008.9651420. S2CID 143339707.
- Lupa (2007). A Field Guide to Otherkin. Immanion Press. pp. 25–26, 50, 52. ISBN 978-1-905713-07-3.
- Guinn, Jeff (1996). Something in the Blood: The Underground World of Today's Vampires. Arlington: Summit Publishing Group. ISBN 978-1-56530-209-9.
- McCully, R. S. (1964). Vampirism: Historical perspective and underlying process in relation to a case of auto-vampirism. Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 139, 440–451.
- Prins, H. (1985). Vampirism: A clinical condition. British Journal of Psychiatry, 146, 666–668.
- Thorne, Tony (1999). Children of the Night: Of Vampires and Vampirism. London: Victor Gollancz. ISBN 978-0-575-40272-0.
Further reading
- Belanger, Michelle A. (2004). The Psychic Vampire Codex: A Manual of Magick and Energy Work. Red Wheel/Weiser. ISBN 978-1-57863-321-0
- Jøn, A. Asbjørn (2002). "The Psychic Vampire and Vampyre Subculture". Australian Folklore: A Yearly Journal of Folklore Studies (17). University of New England.
- Laycock, Joseph (2009). Vampires Today: The Truth About Modern Vampirism. Praeger. ISBN 978-0-313-36472-3
- Russo, Arlene (2005). Vampire Nation. John Blake. ISBN 978-1-84454-172-0
- Ariana Eunjung Cha (July 9, 2015). "Researchers: Vampires are people, too, and need as much psychotherapy as the rest of us". The Washington Post.
- Peter Day (Hrsg.): Vampires: myths and metaphors of enduring evil- Editions Rodopi, 2006, ISBN 978-90-420-1669-9
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