i remeber once upon a time it was discussed quite openly in clubs people didn't want to be caught going into. hell it was discussed all over the place for a long time, it wasn't uncommen to see people with books on them all over the place.

now though, it's rare to see anyone taking the title, nearly impossible to meet anyone willing to discuss it as more than a joke. rarer still to see anyone reading into the subject. and now even this area of the forum is dieing.

i hate seeing this. the general decline in goth lifestyle is killer. but vampire used to hold such facination for everyone.

It's just you. Or perhaps just where you are.
Vampires are still very prevalent, just as much as they ever where. What with not one but two vampire shows (Moonlight and Blood Ties), A brand new movie (30 Days of Night) and countless vampires books, most of them series such as The Vampire Chronicles and The Anita Blake series the vampire is still pretty popular. Not to mention the countless documentaries you'll be finding now that it's getting closer to Halloween (A&E is awesome for those).
Vampires have been a staple of pop culture since Bram Stoker and people are finding new ways to recount their adventures all the time, you just have to know where to look.

As for HLVs, Google Online Vampire Community and you will find hundreds of pages about HLVs (Human Living Vampires), many of them forums where people discuss being vampires. Just because there may be a shortage of HLVs on this particular forum does not mean the community is dying, you're just not looking in the right places.

i would nvr dream of looking for something in only one place.

it may not be as drastic as this site, but there is a general slowing in talk of vampires on the nets.

i dunno, i was watching the spike tv scream awards last night and it seemed like there were quite a few there.

freaks!

Just head to a Rocky Horror theatrical performance or movie screening. You'll find at least a few who look like movie vamps.

It does not seem that to me or to any of my friends
But if it is generally......I do not think it will die out completely......it will still be in the back round and as long as people keep making movies about vampires.......the subject will still continue on.

Many of the vampire boards are thriving. Occasionally I visit them but they don't offer anything new and I'm kind of a recluse. I've seen so much drama on the other vampire boards/forums (not here at Darkness because Sire doesn't allow it), that I lost interest.

Also, judging by the vampire meetups, I would say that the vampire culture is still in full swing.

If and when the Gothic culture wanes, I think the vampire culture may become more underground.

I know that the vampire houses near where I live are still active.

It's not just you, now people refuse to accept or even think about things that are different from them. Hence, they don't speak about vampires.

It died around here when there were some really lame things going on in this forum. I'd be more than willing to discuss once again, but it drew a lot of assholery.

its becoming mroe mainstream so less need to discuss/flaunt it

It would be nice to discuss vampirism again, I agree.

I wonder if it can be arranged as such.

funny...it was mentioned that there is less talk about it, and the last post before mine was in early dec (its late jan now). it does seem to have died out somewhat in the last few years, but i will keep seeking others with the interest. this has been a lifelong fascination with me, and i wont be changing due to shifting fads.

thigns that hold interest keep peopel talking about it. over exposure to it from media or movies will lead to the decline of such a topic. add to that fact many people know fairly all the same general knowledge about it and we have been exposed to the images many times we don't really care anymore. its a ncie topic but a bit blase now, its too cliches, that was so last year, etc....

My personal interest in vampires lies in folklore, mythology and legend. There seems to be more interest in HLVs or wheither classical vampires are real or not than in vampire folklore. I'm not all that interested in HLVs so I tend not to post too often in the vampire section. Maybe someday if my interests are peaked again I'll post some topics on vampire mythology.

There are a lot of fictional/novel type books being put out about vampires. They sell well. I think that there is enough stuff out there to sate the idylly curious mases. Much as has been already said here.

I don't seem to notice that in the community.

There are many vampyre sites out there that are thriving. This is one of sites that has a vampyre forum that seems to be doing well, whenever I come in here, there are new threads and posts.

It seems like with most discussions or trends there is a rise and fall of interest. It goes through waves. This is what you may be experiencing.
If you want to find out where the hot places are for discussion just do a Internet search..

Another thought may be that those who were real big on some sites (popular if you will) those we looked up to, have left the community altogether. However, you will always find those who are interested and even obsessed with Vampyres.

When I first joined here in 05 (i believe) it had a thriving vampire section, with some idiots, but mostly intelligent debate and conversation.

Then, sadly, some people decided it would be a good idea to go into threads and all but call others liars or such simply because they dont hold the same beliefs.

I hold a great deal of respect for some people here, but alas one of the main reasons I dont post as much here is because I fear ridicule and attack.

Vampirism is still out there, still discussed, still openly acknowledged, but mostly on closed sites for fear of attack.

Its a shame.. *remembers her 'conversation with any vampire..... ' thread with fondness*

I'm not a member of the (HLV) vampire community. I've joined them and lurked a bit and most of them just aren't for me. Yet, I'm still fairly obsessed with vampires. I love the lore behind it. I still love the movies, the blooks, the tv shows, but like a lot belief systems, humans can tend to ruin it. I wouldn't put all the blame on the skeptics (the ones who attack your beliefs).

The HLVs are as much to blame for the drama that goes on in their own community. So many power struggles between different houses and beliefs. Some real fame hogs too, who you wonder if they'll just do or say anything for the next dollar. Not much different sometimes from the old christian revivals, with the snake oil salesmen pitching their concoctions and services. Every new member is another possible dollar or two in the virtual collection plate.

You'll find a lot of young people in these communities and an equal amount of misfits, for lack of a better word. I'm talking about the fakes, the predators, the mentally ill and the roleplayers. I don't envy the leaders of genuine community sites, for having to strike a balance among them. Some of the genuine ones seem like fakes and predators and roleplayers but aren't. You have to be able to appreciate what others say with an open mind or you lose the community spirit and fresh input.

I'm sorry that I didn't have more time to devote to our own Vampire section. I almost just removed it completely because this kind of community can be very high maintenance and stressful. I maintain the Vampyres FAQ subsection and it's moderated so that every post has to be approved by me before it will appear there. That said, this section 'Vampires' still exist and it's really up to all of you to maintain now and it's growth or decline is in your hands. It is what you make of it.

*waves* Hi Loki

Oh I know that it has alot to do with others in the community as well. I wasnt just saying NON vampires were attacking or dismissive ;)

That said, I appreciate that it takes people to participate to continue. Without going into my life story. The drama all got a bit to heavy for myself so I retreated for al ong time online.

I now have another site that I call home so to speak, but darkness.com has such a special place in my heart, I would be remiss if I didnt try to participate more.

I do hope that you didnt misunderstand my intention, I wasnt here to attack anything, quite the opposite actually. I hope that there is some more activity here. :)

Not to rain on the parade or anything, but its just not going to happen around here anymore. There was a great thing for this site going, im pretty sure it was the main focus of the site for a long time (as far as my POV is concerned) There was ALWAYS activity, constant, unending. And then the assholes showed up. The same jerks that plagued controversy (which is now next to non-existent) Because they are so bitter about being fundamentalist athiests sitting by themselves in front of their computer screen getting angry because the rest of us still have something to believe in, or believe in unorthodox things. Then the whole 'logical fallacy' bs started to crop up, which marks the beginning of when the cliques that took over. It got so bad that I had to drop my original account and make this account (I don't think anyone remembers me pre ReVamp3d) The logical fallacy environment that was created was fine, if we agreed that we are discussing from a logical point of view, but while many people would call you on the slightest logical err, they would be quick to band together in small groups and troll the shit out of you or basically take the 'theres more of us and we think this way, so you're wrong even if our arguments are shoddy and full of holes' approach...... Sound familiar? (see: Controversy) As a result Sire tried desperately to find a balance, rearranging and creating vampire subsections, so that HLVs, skeptics, and claimants of classical origins, could discuss freely while cutting away all the fat that took the form of trolling and flaming, and the mixing of the concepts of HLV and classical. This was also the birthplace (if I remember correctly) of the concept of 'forum guides'. Problem is, the assholes kept on coming. Entire threads devoted to the dismissal of vampires started popping up everywhere, and it became as though if you were in the vampires section and posted anything except negativity, you were jumped on by a pack of wolves. As a result many of the 'high profile' HLVs left darkness (myself included), and even some of the great posters that used to be around, left. Vampires turned into this nondescript sespool of shite, worthless bantering. Im pretty sure thats when Sire said 'fuck it' and took away all the subsections and started modding the vampires section.

The damage has been done. Darkness will never return to its former glory. Sad but true. With the introduction of these so called member forums, it has even started to chip away at the rest of the site. Ie. hearthfire and controversy being almalgamated into member forums. The problem with the member forums is too many of them were too close to sections already in place. Fucking stupid if you ask me. Why people would do that is beyond me. The renaming of controversy to 'conspiracies' I think is a misnomer. Now we have shit spread across like 10 different sections, for no actual beneficial reason. Though there are a couple sections, like mine, try to bring some new material into darkness. (Not trying to say Im a saint or anything, most certainly not).

It upsets me knowing how awesome Darkness used to be as an ALTERNATIVE website. It can hardly claim the same title. Its degenerating more and more like the outside world, becoming a home for myspace flunkies, teeny boppers, and the sex obsessed majority. If I ever had a kid (which I don't want now, because of the shit going on everywhere) I would bar him/her from visiting darkness. The influences from the older members is seriously damaging the younger members here imho. There are no morals whatsoever anymore. But then again, this isnt really different than anything outside.

/rant

Sorry guys, had to get that out.

*waves at Revamp3d*

I know what you are saying, I do.

Thing is some people call me tenacious, others just a pain in the butt. But (see what I did there) if I have the time, im gonna try and post here. I've always hated bullies and even if its passive resistance i'll give it a shot.

By the way, if you ever fancy a chat Revamp3d just PM me ;)

*makes a mental note to go visit your 'subforum'*

Been a while...

Let me get back into character....

eerrrmmm...

Vampires seeming to die out? Facination with them dying out?

Maybe thats what we/they want, every morning the sun rises and millions go to work in a seemingly normal world. Get in the car drive through the traffic, work, eat, blah blah blah. And everyone is happy, happy in a safe, known world. But the world isn't known is it. And there are things/people who want the masses to remain oblivious to the unknown.

So they misdirect and lie and plant false beliefs and indoctrinate you and your children with news, television, movies, churches and schooling systems.

So if things seem to be dying out, think of it as a good thing for then there will be less desention in the ranks of the clear and open minded.

Now if you would excuse me, I have some feeding to do... think the woman made some roast! (or is that just some more misdirection)

here's laughing at sheep of the world

lol

I posted this in another thread:


and thought that it bared repeating. I have been interested in vampires for almost thirty years now and would love it if more threads were devoted to the vampire myth rather than HLVs. I really have nothing against HLVs or there being threads about HLVs but it is rather tiresome when someone constantly chimes in with "That's just Hollywood stereotype, it's not real." Well of course it's not real, it doesn't have to be real and vampire mythology has been around a lot longer then Hollywood.

And Revamped, if you've ever read any of your posts you would realize that you are guilty of exactly what you accuse others of. You expect everyone to bend to your will and agree with everything you say and then go off on a tirade when people don't agree with you. You insult people, call them names and then end with 'sorry, just needed to rant' or 'no offense.' and then wonder why people get irritated with you.

Then why not start some discussions?



I think you need to re-read everything I've written lately then. you've got it ass backwards. I say numerous times in the same post in many instances, let alone the same thread, things like 'imho', 'you can believe what you want', 'just my two cents', 'just a point of view' etc etc etc etc I say things like 'I dont mean to offend' or 'none of this is meant as an attack' etc etc etc. How many others say these things? Do you?. Can we get on with life now? Just felt the need to make the comment? Totally ignore the rest of the post? Just like good ole times Cult.

I did read the entire post it went a lot like this:



But you're right, it's an old discussion and nothing is going to change.

I am a member of that community, although I agree that many of the boards are not for me. It is true that not all of the blame lies with the skeptics. I do however believe that sometimes the skeptics have been allowed to attack such beliefs on some boards.

I am sure there are probably a few reasons attacks have been allowed (or even encouraged). One might be that it would be seen as inspiring discussion but if it gets out of hand it can have the opposite effect and drive people out of the community. Some people are simply bullies and will attacks for no reason other than it makes them feel superior to those they are attacking. Another might be simply laziness or simple inattention on the part of mods or admins.

Sometimes people simply tire of being attacked for being different, whatever that difference may be.



I must agree that this is true. There is much drama in the community. Much is due to power struggles. Another due to such things as kids coming in and declaring themselves "Elders". There are many so called Elders out there whom are teenagers and have been interested in Vampires all of a year or two.

There are also the media whores (I'm sure many of us know who they are).


Again, I agree. Completely. Every community has it's share of these people though.

GRINSS

Its so nice to see some activity again. Will come back with something more intelligent later

I agree, to an extent. I don't know if vamp culture is declining, but it's definitely losing credibility and has become cheapened (if that's the right word). I think that as time goes on, and as people are becoming more and more radical, the whole vampirism/goth thing has become a fad, which everyone seems to be doing these days. To the typical American, it may seem that vampire culture is actually growing, with so many people looking like vamps and claiming to be vamps these days.

However, to any authentic member of the vampire community/culture, it does seem that AUTHENTIC vampire culture is declining. Sure, we are seeing more and more vamps on tv and more kids wearing black clothes and fangs in high schools, which is reason enough for members of this community we once had to hide out a bit more, trying to avoid contributing to this cheap charade that's been created, which I believe has formed its own subculture called "emo".

And yes, this forum has changed a LOT in the last year. Half the forums used to be dedicated to vampirism, and now we get only one, and the conversation seems to be less open and less stimulating. However, I do remember members getting very annoyed with topics being posted from 16 year olds, saying "I am a vampire", "I have been turned", "I am immortal", "I can turn you", blah blah blah. It was getting to the point where people were being insulting to each other, some claiming to be vampires and acting superior to everyone, and other members telling them to shove off. I even remember a couple posts from "vampires" claiming to kill for blood on a regular basis. I think it probably got out of hand, and the admins got fed up and deleted most of the vamp forums. I remember that the original members that conversed in the vamp forums stopped posting all together, because they were sick of hearing from emo kids who thought they knew what they were talking about.

Perhaps as time goes on, people are becoming more modernized, and we are losing that classic idea of what a vampire is. It has so many definitions now, people no longer take it seriously, or even look at it as a culture.

Any thoughts?

~Sky

San Francisco, CA

I think that the "media whores" of the OVC have done a great deal of damage to the community. It has gone against everything that many of us have been trying to fight against: reinforcing the stereotype that we are all freaks.

To address something else that has been brought up: I agree that Darkness is becoming more and more diluted.... more mainstream.
It hardly resembles the place that I came to two years ago.

Whether that is good or bad depends upon a person's viewpoint I suppose.

I completely agree. I joined darkness nearly four years ago, and I barely recognize it anymore. It went from being a place for the vampire/folklore/dark community to come together and share opinions, ideas, theories, and literature to being a place for anyone who wears black to talk about just about anything. Yes, more mainstream. The unfortunate reality is that Darkness is a business like any other, and the main goal is to get as many members as humanly possible to sell more advertising. They probably had to generalize the subject matter to get more people in, which is quite disappointing.

I've been away from Darkness for nearly six months, and just started posting again, and not only does the site look entirely different, but I don't recognize very many of the people in here anymore. Very few of the originals remain! Also, forum topics are far less interesting and controversial than they once were. Too bad...

~Sky

Well said ReVamp3d.
This place used to rock, though I still pop in and look around every once and a while it's not the same...
...Vampires.com, I miss that place so much. And greetings Sire, It's been a long time my friend.

Hello Infinity's son. Dont know if you remember me. But i wanted to echo what you said.

When i first came online 4 short years ago. Vampires.com was the first place I joined. Was my first experience of an online forum/ community and I was welcomed and helped along the way.

Its for nostalgic respect that I am here pushing to help revitalise the vampire forums...

Hope to see you around.

I guess I started attacking vampire beliefs with more vigour than all the others because it's the one I enjoyed entertaining the longest as a double-think mind game (believing it but knowing deep down you were forcing yourself to do so out of a need to identify with something more thrilling than Bi-Polar disorder)....

I'm usually content to let things lie with individual belief but on the internet I decided that sitting on the fence was just betraying what I stand for at heart. Truth. Not individual truth but the unblinkered and uncomfortably scouring truth of intelligent inquiry. That's not to say I wished to use it as a weapon to hurt people....I just feel that the purpose of a forum is to state your thoughts as they are in entirety. The idea that believers can say what they like while the unbelievers are censored is deeply wrong to me, if someone wishes to say 'I feel no need to explain myself' about their lifestyle...That's fine but if they wish to assert something as a definitive truth it's only fair they're open to challenge.

Every so often I take my entire mental narrative that makes up my comprehension of the world and apply it all to rigorous testing. It's very painful, it meant that I quit the paranormal society of which I used to secretary. I was no longer willing to seek false positives just to find greater depth to an already complex enough reality. I've thrown away all the obvious devices by which I can 'spice up' life with mumbo jumbo because although foolishness can seem entertaining and even enjoyable it is usually inherently destructive.

These days I keep my 'demonic nature' as a reality only in Second Life....That way I can leave wanton delusion behind just by exiting a program. Not all things are so easily escaped and some insubstantial beliefs are worth making solid but if vampirism can be so easily given up as I have done then it isn't real. I can entertain the idea that for others it is not so easy but then some people find smoking hard to give up due to psychological dependence, it doesn't make me think that smoking is any more natural.

R3vamped is full of it.


I remember the old days of the vampires boards - amusingly, he and I got along wonderfully back then - but those discussions thrived because there were different opinions being expressed, not in spite of it. Disagreement is not an attack on your person, and anyone who wants to call themselves 'alternative' is going to need to learn to stand up to it - reasonable in nature or not.

Frankly, I find it ironic how he's making 'alternative' out to be the local equivalent of the conservative 'good old days' delusion, and tying it to things like a taboo on criticism of religion and inhibitive sexual morality. It isn't now and wasn't then about any of those things; 'alternative' is about freedom, to be and say what you wish even if most others are something else; not about telling you what to abstain from doing or expressing. Vampirism is often very sexual and runs strongly against the grain of big religion; and while as a whole it tolerates those looking to mix those things in anyway - such as recent Anne Rice books - it certainly doesn't exemplify such conservative ideals.


That said, I have noticed that real life 'vampire culture' is losing ground in the local goth scene. The few people into it are pretentious aged misfits that are way too precious about being taken seriously to get along with anyone who doesn't believe what they do, and as a whole it holds no real appeal to the young, beautiful or culturally creative. That's not to say things like bloodplay aren't as popular as they've always been with goths; it's just the desire to create an underlying dogma of exagerated self-importance that seems to be growing out of fashion.

Buffy and Angel and charmed ended with nothing to follow/replace them. What did you expect?

C'mon Vore... do you not think it's possible that YOU were wrong about being what you wanted to be... and at the same time... other people might not be wrong about themselves...

The world is not made up of black and white as distinctives... it is largely grey....

I am grey. Always knew I was. And I didn't say there were no vampires, I just know that there are people who think there are. And there are people who think they are. I disagree with both to a lesser or greater extent.

My opinions are not black or white either, don't assume they would be just because yours might be.

I guess you just need to know where to look and who to talk to.Not to mention like some one above said, there's shows about vampires like Moonlight and Bloodties.But if any ones interested in them, Bloodtiesis probably going to be cancelled unless people show lifetime that they love the show. there are places you cango and show how much you like the show. Moonlight also may be being cancelled. If you are interested I will see if we can go to a place to save this show also.

~smiles at some of the old faces in this thread~ I was around for the so called “good old days” and they were what they were because people had the courage, audacity, balls or delusions to post what they believed, wished, or heard whispered by the voices in their head. ~winks~ If there was something here that you desire to resurrect then why not do so. If you have views, opinions or beliefs that you truly stand behind then it is up to you to see that your voice is heard. Nothing changed here but peoples desire to speak their own personal truths and then stand up for those truths.

I would never assume to speak for Sire, but I doubt that he ever wished to silence such discussions. The thing to remember is that when one posts things that are outside what most people consider probable you have to expect that those things will be greeted by a naysayers. If you honestly believe in something then the lack of belief by others should not dissuade your commitment. You have the choice to either ignore or challenge those that call your beliefs to task. Sire was being kind when he said that vampires was very high maintenance and stressful. I spent enough time on the boards to know that there were times when it was like juggling chainsaws while you were ass deep in alligators. ~winks~ It takes a few personalities that truly wish to put in the time, have the patience and a strong enough beliefs to keep such a place from turning into a blood bath. (No pun intended) I remember pretty accurately what it was like around here and the only thing missing from now and then is conviction and action. Post away my lovelies … but like Raza said … what made the place fun was the heated differences and like minds.

whats the big issue? are people upset cause its becoming more mainstream or that tehy are not ablet o be a contrarian anymore? nothing about it being public knowledge really affects anything. if people do it jsut to be different then they aren't really there for the right reasons

Oooooo *claps hands wildly*

Im just pleased to see it being discussed again.

Really, peoples perceptions of what they may or may not be is largely unprovable anyway. Particularly on the internet.

I know I feel a certain way. I know that I respond to things like Reiki, spiritualism and energy work.

I also know what Im like around blood.

Is it becuase of some deep seated mental deficiency...... most likely ;) But hey, that doesnt make it any the less real to me.

Ofcourse there are those who use it to explain away a myrad of sins and subversions. Those that use it as a reason to inflict abuse. There are twisted people everywhere, in everywalk of life.

Vampirism is just one part of who I am. No i dont wander around in a black cloak or live in a castle or any of those stereotypes..... Mostly im a business woman, mother, wife, friend and book worm.

Vore. Missed talking to you. Still the cerebral assassin I see.

Everyone is entitled to believe what they like, ask for proof of others and ofcourse disagree with someone standpoint. I kinda liked it when most people were civil about it though. Maybe its my stiff upper lip showing again ;)

*sits back and watches the fun*

Something that often seems to get missed out is the cursed nature of vampires.

My favourite vampire film is Nosferatu (early 20th century sepia or B&W) in which the vampire commits sucide to be free (or so it seems to me).

If someone is forced to do something they feel is wrong so they can stay alive then it would have a bad effect on their spirit.

I'm not one to critizies or put people down but I agree with what the others are saying. I been on this froum since January, and it's prety bad man. A while back I posted a short story of a Lycan, man it got perty bad had people putting me down I gave up! Needed good advice on that thred!

In some ways it has become a place for people to come and laugh at "the freaks" in my opinion. How sad...and how closed minded.

I agree M. Sier should reclassify, or separate the age differnces on certain topics. This will help classify the integrety of this froum. It's just an opinion! We all need to get along in some way.

do vamps/goths/emo/your chocie really need to be seperated? i don't see any harm in it becoming commonplace. so vamps are seen in many movies and a lot of the same myths are in all of them. don't see where it is harming anyone

To tell you the truth it's not really the HLVs that I take issue with. Every so often Darkness gets people like Emul who claim to be classical vampires and are so much more powerful, better blah blah blah than petty humans and honestly I think that hurts the integrity of the forum. When people make outrageous claims like turning into werewolves or having god like powers and actually expect people to believe them it makes the entire forum seem like nothing more than a haven for role players. It takes away the credibility of any actual HLVs, people who study magic or any other occult practices. There may be a handful of actual HLVs, psychics, what have you but unfortunately when you have people making outlandish claims that simple common sense tells you can't be true you also end up questioning those that could possibly be the real deal.

Yea bro, sometimes a change can do some good. Don't mind posting but their are those who just don't care, and want to degrade others for no reasond. People just want to have a good conversation without being harrast. To have an opened mind in certain topics and descusions. Yea I agree with you man! In the end we all have to find comand balance to help each other out.