Sunday 2 October 2011

Other vampirologists

It's good to see other vampirologists come out of the woodwork. One I've just stumbled upon is Rainer M. Köppl, the author of Der Vampir sind wir: Der unsterbliche Mythos von Dracula biss Twilight (2010). He was also 'the vampire expert for the award-winning television documentary “Die Vampirprinzessin” (the Vampire Princess).' Probably not something he should boast about.

On the flipside, you sometimes see clowns like these poking fun at vampirologists. Simply put, vampirology is the study of vampires. Therefore, those who practice it are vampirologists. You wouldn't see that kind of ridicule in association with folklorists. At least, I hope not.

The clowns in question were discussing Joe Nickell's 'Searching for vampire graves', which was published in Skeptical Inquirer's March/April 2009 issue.1 One remarks, 'In the article, he spoke to a "vampirologist."  Man, you can add "-ologist" on to anything these days, can't you?  Laughing' with other forum members following suit.

You know what else is funny? Joe Nickell, 'a prominent skeptical investigator of the paranormal', has written on the subject, himself. He certainly doesn't treat it with their disdain:
However, if we are to seriously add the root —ology to vampire, the presumably scholarly field thus described must represent more than credulity and fantasy. There is a serious field of study—embracing folklore, psychology, cultural anthropology, literature, history, and so on—that attempts to research and make sense of the various aspects of the vampire myth. To that study the term vampirology may well be applied.2
Hmm, I wonder why he takes it so seriously? Let's take a look at him:

joenickell.com

While the seriousness isn't evident in that pic, it's a hint. You see, one of the many, many roles Nickell employs as part of his paranormal research is—wait for it—vampirologist. That's right clowns, while you were taking the mick out of the vampirologist Nickell spoke to, you obviously didn't realise he's one too. And proud of it.

Sucked in, newbs!



1. Their link to the article's dead. Here's a live one.

2. J Nickell, Tracking the man-beasts: sasquatch, vampires, zombies, and more, Prometheus Books, Amherst, N.Y., 2011, p. 125.

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