So what do you think? Are they "zombies" acting without a true intent, on instinct alone? Are they reasonable creatures, acting, feeling, etc. Why?

I have another thread in here about my vampire theory and this would explain why they have human emotions and what not. I voted, like humans.

I voted monster: not reffering to psys and HLVs and such but the origen of the word, the butt ugly walking corpse/ghost that drained blood from the living and spread disease.

After reading Rhuen's vote I want to change my answer considering he is correct.

This was a tough choice. I don't believe vampires exist today. But if they did, I think they would retain some of their human emotions. They started out human and I don't see how that would alter who they were completely. So I voted, like humans. ^_^

Nem...I'm not sure how to answer that.
I think a vampire is an emotional creature, but at the same time I can't say they exist. So...I dunno, I'll go with the top answer, even though it'll lump me in with all the HLV votes.

*if they do exist*

I'd say vampires are definately more human. They keep all their emotions, feelings, desires, but now they're free and don't have to hide them like they did when they were completely human. I believe that everything a vampire does is hidden in one form or another somewhere deep inside the human mind.

vampires have a demonic soul. how can they be human?

If they did that'd change everything, but I believe they don't have a soul at all. The part of humanity that they do lose is their conscience, the guilt, what society has told them about right or wrong. Everything else though now is free.

IMO.

The key word is characteristics.

i think you are referring to "mimicry". they appear to have human characteristics, but deep down i think it's all a show, and as artificial as a barbie doll.

very much the angel/buffy fan, aren't you?

basically how I feel, it false show to lure the victim into thinking its human.

I am GUESSING that vampires exist, so I am also GUESSING that they would retain human emotions. I just don't see how it would be possible, religiously or scientifically, that something forced on a person would "destroy" their soul. Maybe if they gave themselves up to vampirism, but I BELIEVE that vampirism has nothing to do with whether the person turning into a vampire even has a soul or not. Oh, the demonic thing, no one has proved that vampires are demonic. Once again, you are all making assumptions! Ha, caught you all in the act. Hmm...some people think that animals don't have souls. I wonder if you could turn squirrels into vampires... If the virus theory was correct, it might work. Interesting, blood sucking squirrels!!!

Rhuen doth not assume.

"I like the way that sounds for some reason"

any way, I based my oppinion on traditional vampire lore from around europe and the general view of undead blood sucking monsters from around the world from the Aztec empire, Sumeria, even Japan "granted these are clearly not the same creatures but have the same base line description "undead, drinks blood"

and for the most part they are mimmiks of humanity that react as purely monsters with no sign of any real humanity.

Of course they feel human emotions,but there are exceptions to everything.Some vampires who have been hurt too much lose al emotion.I've seen it happen.I'm at that point now.

i think its a bit of both they act out of instinct when they feed they do what is needed to survive but i also think they are human as they never really loose that part of themselves as they are hybrids andstill are capable of feeling human emations love,and guilt for what they've done.

I think at the start they still have human emotions but after the years pass, it becomes harder and harder to feel. They are not dealing with just one life time of emotion. It must hurt to remember all the different emotions at different times in their life.

I choose the first one but I dont belive they exist but If they did it would depend on the mental condition of the vamp.

Hadnt even thought about all the emotional baggage over the years good point eliza, all i have to say is ouch!

I don't believe in vampires other than "HLV's"...ppl sucking blood cuz they like..

But:

If they did exist I like to think that they are like humans. If they were like animals we really couldn't call them evil, since they would only act out of instinct etc.
But if human like with emotions and stuff, they would know that what they were doing weren't so nice..and that would make them evil. I like my vampires evil.

Great question! I personally do not believe in vampires. The mythical vampire figures found throughout history were definitely unfeeling monsters consumed with bloodlust. I still, however, voted for the first choice. The vampire mythology has evolved and so the creature has grown more complex.

I basically based my vote on the vampires I created for my book. They retain they're emotions and even refer to themselves as humas. It makes for much more interesting characters.

"The scars we earn in life follow us for eternity."

Hello are any of you vampires? and I mean this truthfully.....

go to the introductions thread.

and NO no one here is a real, honest to the gods vampire. there are some HLVs, some psy-vamps, or other energy sappers, "or claime to be" and some occasionally claime to be ancient vampires, but this is not tolerated per the tendency of cyber-nuts to use that as a way to stalk impreshinable young people.

and truthfully even if there is such a thing as an undead immortal vampire. I seroiusly doubt that freakish, ugly, blood thirsty, walking corpse would be able to even work a key board. let alone be on the internet.

its not a safe practise to look for such a thing on the internet.

I apologize for not giving a large introduction, but I was searching for any who are vampire be then psi,pranic,sanguine, or other as long as they consider them to be so. I will not ask for any person's addresses or true name I merely search for that which has fancinated me nintey-eight percent or so of my life.

Human characteristics or not. Thought I'd answer my own question. :P

Hard for me to say objectively, but I'm going to go with "very little". Meaning that I think they would be able to converse in some fashion with humans...make themselves understood, but rather, would not really care about the same things humans do, and thus would not seem quite so human. *shrugs* no basis for those thoughts, just a few conversations with folks.

An interesting poll.
I believe that they retain all the human traits, including love, hate, compassion, doubt, i.e. all the things that make human beings what they are.
I don't believe that vampires are any different.

i chose human...just because just about everyone on this earth thinks there "bloodsuckers" and that there out to kill everyone dosn't mean that they dont have feelings...everyone sucks there (meaning the person) blood at one point to either stop the bleeding or just bc they like the taste. i think vamps are real they just keep there darkside very secret.

I beleive they are human they would have to be because they have human needs and human lusts.

Is it not possible that there may be different kinds of beings all grouped under the generic 'vampire' header.

As i see it, vampire means to be an undead, bloodsucker. These characteristics can be foun in a mindless walking zombie type or a charasmatic, feeling individual.

I see it as strange to believe in one but not the other. I would think that if you were a vampire and retained your feelings etc, these would be chipped away at over the years just by the very nature of your day to day existence. I mean even drug addicts can become a shadow of their former selves, it seems reasonable that someone craving for blood would soon become driven by the addiction and no longer representative of their former self from actions alone.

I voted for the human option anyway but I think all would be possible. :)

I had to vote that I don't believe
As many other people have said, not reffering to psys and such but clasical vampires to me are just works of great fiction and myth.

It cannot be proven that Vampires exist of if they are made from nightmares of a disturbed person. No one is to say that they cannot have emotions, have emotions, or if they even exist. But given the assumption accumilated over the years surrounded by their existance, its more of who will be right when the imbuing occurs. Based on what i've gathered it seems logical that they can go from having emotions to begin with and then through the time they spent wondering it will be meaningless to remember how to feel.

I voted human...because why would God create any being without emotions, even animals have emotions although not as complex. I believe that vampires have human emotions, needs, and ways of life.They may be a little different depending on which vampire you believe in, but they always resemble something human even if mildly. Vampires of myth may not exisit but people believe in other kinds. Regardless though they all exist and thus must feel unless of course they are dead, but the dead do not walk....so if they did I would consider them alive...

Alrighty. I did not vote, because I refuse to say whether or not I believe in vampires, and I'm not sure there is a definite way to state this.

Okay. I will try. Vampires are as different and unique from one another as humans, or at least, when I write about them, this is what I think.

Some may seem cold and unfeeling, but they are strong enough to hide their emotions. Some of them are cold and unfeeling, for years of immortality has worn their emotions down to nothing, but their "instinct" is based on survival, and they still choose to kill based on wise, logical thought processes. I also think that some vampires have a full range of emotions, as though they remain unphased by the long years of immortality. Some will always retain their human thought process, and some will stay weak becuase of this, while others will grow from this and become strong.

That's my thoughts on the issue... It's a great thread by the way...

I voted that I don't believe in vampires.

Yes, the vampires of folklore were evil, monstrous creatures, but it is much more fun to bestow these monsters with human emotions to give them more depth and intrigue.

i believe that vampires are human in every aspect except that they are stronger, have to drink blood, and cant go out in sunlight... but they do have all the human emotions, wants and needs.

[COLOR=red] I believe that vampires have all of emotions that humans do because the only thing that is truly different is that they drink human blood, are cursed with immortality, and can't go into the sunlight. :meow:

i voted human because although their soul is demonic and they do react more on instinct but there will always be some shred of humanity left in them.