Anne Rice: The Psychology of Vampires

Again, I do not say anything here about Ms. Rice directly; I am merely talking about other people who talk about her.  Since I am challenged in my efforts to read her myself ( an affliction I also have with a number of other authors - it has to do with the patterns of the language, not anything they say.) I explore this part of the modern world from one degree of separation, as it were.

So a psych-type last year did an article on the psychology of our attraction to vampires. Not too shabby, I thought. Give it a look. See what's cookin',  good lookin' !  (The psych-type was eay on the eyes as is so often the case in this day of rainbows, lollipops, and eye-candy in the media.)


http://www.huffingtonpost.com/belisa-vranich/why-we-love-vampires-the_b_655674.html

Dr. Belisa Vranich

Clinical psychologist, author and public speaker

Posted: July 22, 2010 01:05 PM 

Why We Love Vampires: The Psychology Behind The Obsession

First, the name is right. Belisa Vranich is filled with the night-frights, chain-rattlings, and midnight banshee keenings of Romania and Moldavia and other Transylvanian haunts. "My name is... Beleeeesa!!"

Of course, immediately I thought we were going to get the real stuff here, complete with references to Elizabeth Bathory and young virgins. In fact, if you hold a mirror up to the monitor screen, the good doctor's image will not reflect. She is the good Van Helsing as well as his evil brother, the bad Van Helsing:  Edward and Axl !

1. Vampires are loners, but not lonely... We envy that ability not to want either a sidekick (like Batman's Robin, Don Quixote's Sancho, or Oscar's Felix) or group of friends. 

Or Thelma's Louise... This may be common wisdom ( which we really do not require a trained psychologist for, Herr Doktor Belisa!) but it's poorly thought out.

For pity sake, even James Dean in Rebel had Sal Mineo and Natalie Wood!

2. Vampires are minimalists. They don't rely on gadgets. They don't need James Bond cars that drive on land and swim in water. They don't need shot guns, Glocks or bombs. They are never encumbered by gear, paraphernalia, futuristic outfits or first-aid kits

Riiiiight! Just some shades, capes,....  and a couple of coffins !
3. Vampires are slick and cool looking.
Hmmm. Except Nosferatu and The Shadow of the Vampire, I guess.
4. Vampires have fangs. It was Freud who explained our oral tendencies to us. People who fixate in the oral stage may turn to alcoholism or overeating. And then there are people who are aggressive in how they talk -- they have sharp tongues, they make biting comments....

There are two concepts here:  vamps have fangs is #1 and we love vampires is #2. This little exposition here does not really link them up.  I mean, it was my distinct impression - my very distinct impression - that I did not really fawn that much over nasty aggressive people with biting tongues that lacerate our hearts !!!!!!!
5. Vampires are smart. They possess the combined abilities of telepathy and telekinesis, communicating, reading thoughts and moving objects with the mind.

Having an ability and using that ability well or in a smart way are two different things. I mean I myself could have the ability of telekinesis and crash things into my head as I was sitting in an easy chair, instead of what I have to do now: get up and walk over to the garage door and smack my head twice, the first time because I did not open it all the way, and the second time as I turn around to open it all the way.
If I had the ability not to give a reflection in a mirror, I would forget about it and spend a couple thousand dollars on putting a ceiling mirror in my bedroom, only to discover that -depending on whom I was with - I could only admire rumpled sheets.
6. Vampires are powerful.

I have to give her that one. It never would have dawned on me.
7. Vampires are fearless.

???????  Who let the Garlic Out? as the song goes. Crucifixes and holy water and sharp pieces of wood, not to mention daybreak with no friendly coffin in sight!

I can't go on like this. It is sounding too much like Calvin reciting the club password for Hobbes : Tigers are graceful, tigers are lithe...  If you wish, read the rest of it. It has all the effect of a Halloween prank... along the lines of pushing over Neighbor Knowles' outhouse! That was funny - outhouse going backside over tea kettle - and scary - Neighbor Knowles yelling 'cause he wuz inside it!


link
Anne Rice
http://fatherdaughtertalk.blogspot.com/2011/01/anne-rice.html