Monstro Venatorum: Vampirology 101

So!

I’ve been in a pretty shitty way over here as my WordPress app has been crashing non-stop. 😖 They updated it and fixed the photo library crashes, which is super great, but now when I try to look at your lovely blog posts in it, it gets the wiggins and flips its shit. Buh… Asinine. 😒

Anyways! Excuse my short absence. ☺️

I want to start a new series on Monster Hunting (hence the Monstro Venatorum in the title)! 😃

Fun Fact: If you haven’t noticed already from previous posts, I love all things related to monsters and cryptids! I have mild Sanguivoriphobia which is kinda going to be explained here.😌

So, in this first post, I’d like to introduce my perspective on the study of Vampires, or Vampirology.

Vampirology: My Vested Interest

Now, I used to have a firm belief that Vampires did not exist because the idea was way too outlandish. I mean, let’s think about it for a second…

Seemingly human creatures that stay out of the sun and stalk the night for blood to maintain their immortality?

Yeah, no. 😒

But my perspective changed when I read Vampires Are by the late Dr. Stephen Kaplan.

Jeez, Lestat, could you be anymore obvious…

Dr. Kaplan was the first proclaimed Vampirologist and by all intents and purposes, well-deserving of the title. Vampires Are is an obscure book, on an even more obscure subject, that was independently published in 1984. The book documents the first 10 years of Dr. Kaplan’s work at the Vampire Research Center in New York; a center that he founded in 1971 with the help of his colleagues.

The purpose of the Vampire Research Center was to conduct in-depth studies on Vampirology and those who identify as real vampires. Dr. Kaplan’s research was no joke as he wanted serious research, observation, and experimentation only. The center’s specialists included anthropologists, sociologists, hematologists, and psychologists.

Nope- No… Definitely not that kind of research.

Fun Fact: Did you know that Dr. Stephen Kaplan was the one responsible for blowing the lid off the Amityville hoax? He’s responsible for debunking all of the outlandish claims that the Lutzs and Warrens made about the incidences that occurred. This is why I took all of everything I read in Vampires Are as reputable. Dr. Kaplan was a no-nonsense kind of guy. I can appreciate that when it comes to paranormal research!☺️👍🏻

In the 70’s doing research was no easy endeavor as the internet was a super-cool futuristic idea still. Dr. Kaplan posted the center’s number and address in alternative magazines and shared the details of what they were doing in radio and TV interviews. The center received so many letters and phone calls from people who claimed to be creatures of the night but only a small fraction of those individuals actually became case subjects. With that in mind, most of the center’s research was conducted in the field which proved to be somewhat… dangerous at times.

I hear you, Abe, I hear you.

The book details some of the craziest Vampirology case studies I’ve ever come across. It’s one of my favorites even though it gives me the creeps. 😐 In the end, this is what stirred my interest in the subject and since then, I’ve read as many articles, research papers, and books on the subject. 💜I highly recommend checking it out if this piques your interest!

Modern Day Vampirology

Okay, so, now that we all know how my interest became, it’s time to get a handle on modern day Vampirology.

Truth be told, Vampirology is an overlooked and often ignored study, considering how much bunk gets around these days on the subject.😔

Too legit to quit right there.

I will say that there are still some who take the subject seriously and have conducted substantial research. For instance, my hero Professor John Edgar Browning has written numerous research articles and papers on Vampirology and has a really profound understanding on the theology that directly influences modern day vampire culture. His work really delves more into people who identify as vampires on a philosophical or spiritual level. I really feel this isn’t by choice either as this is really what makes up most of the subject today.

The majority of those people fall into what I like to call the “Don Henrie” category

The truth is that beyond Professor Browning, I haven’t found many other dedicated, reputable Vampirologists. Which is a shame because it really is quite an interesting subject… although one completely cheapened by pop culture.😑

Boooo.😒

Peter Vincent totes agrees.

What Vampirology is to Me

You may be wondering where my interest in all of this has brought me.

Well, I’m glad you asked!☺️

As of right now, I’m still compiling an opinion on the subject, and to be quite honest, I don’t really know that I’ll ever have a definitive answer for myself.💬

Are they real? Are they just a delusion? Or maybe it’s all just some Eastern European hokem told around campfires? 🔎

I honestly can’t refute any of the above… But I will say that I believe that true Vampirism could possibly be real.

At this point my thirst for knowledge is unyielding, and digging through books and papers and articles is like unraveling some kind of great secretive mystery as so few talk about it from a non-crazy standpoint.😂

I didn’t realize real vampires felt so strongly about the issues… like… Twilight…
Yes, this is truly what this newscast was about.

My interest really relates to the historical and mythical lore that surrounds the bulk of what we know about vampires today, especially when we consider how these myths still relate to modern-day vampires in pop culture.

Truth be told though, if it’s stimulating enough, I’ll typically take interest in it… vampires are no exception.😌

…That too.

Bottom line: there’s a lot of unsolved cases in history and nature that make you wonder about what’s really out there. I like to keep an open mind about it, and if that means becoming the Sanguivoriphobic shut-in that I am today, so be it!🎉😆👍🏻

Revenant repellant. Every damn day.

In the next leg of this series, I’ll get into more detailed cases and other facets of the subject… that’s only if this goes over well with you guys! I won’t get too cray if you all aren’t into it.☺️
So, what are your thoughts on the subject? Are you scared of vampires? Do you think they could exist? Would you like to see more posts on the subject? Do you want book/research recommendations? Let me know! 💜😃

💜🎃💜

-Sarah