Conspiracy theories, let's talk about 'em! This one is a personal favorite, "Genetic Memory". Is this a real thing? Does it effect how we behave and think? Does it hold the secrets to our past? We may never know for sure, but either way, this is an extraordinary topic!
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⚠ WARNING ⚠
THE IMAGES IN THIS POST MAY BE CONSIDERED DISTURBING TO SOME
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Seeing as how Halloween is just around the corner, I figured now would be a fitting time to bring up our seemingly instinctual fears. Some of you may be familiar with the "Creepypasta" that talks about how we all, or most of us, have this inherent fear of humanoids with pale skin, dark eyes, sharp teeth, and elongated faces. It suggests that perhaps there was some kind of event that took place long ago, towards the dawning of our species that effected us so deeply as a whole that the fear of such beings has been passed down through the generations. I find this to be an incredibly thought provoking idea.
So let's dive right in shall we?
According to this theory, humans underwent some form of terrifying trauma that quite literally scarred us for life. So much so, that the sight of pale skinned, fanged humanoids with dark sunken black eyes now frightens us. Think about it, what is the one major commonality in virtually all horror films? The "monster" is usually a humanoid that fits that description perfectly or some times a little altered but still follows those guidelines. I'd like to say maybe we've been conditioned by Hollywood to be afraid of such appearances, but why would they use these characters if they weren't already scary in the first place? So that brings us back to square one, what the hell happened to us?
I personally don't find it so far fetched that maybe there were some humanoids that terrified our great distant ancestors and their knowledge and instinctual fear was passed down. Like how a deer fears a wolf or an antelope fears a lion. It's in their basic instincts, they automatically know that the other animal is going to or wants to harm them. Now, if you look back through history, you can find innumerable accounts where many different civilizations around the world talk of fair skinned beings from other planets or realms of some sort coming and taking people. There's even a popular theory that the ancient Egyptians were enslaved by an alien race. Speaking of which, notice how the sightings of aliens and their descriptions are commonly reported to have light colored skin and large black eyes? (a.k.a., the Greys)
Just saying...
Well there's some food for thought, maybe don't rule out aliens just yet, but perhaps it was something a bit more "practical"... Like a disease? We all know stories of old where the people of the time had mistaken many diseases for superstitious happenings. Could it be there was a plague that had swept through our species and effected us in a severe manner? Perhaps there was a disease that affected humans like cordyceps effect insects? If you don't know, cordyceps are a type of fungi that as a defense mechanism and a means of survival, it infects and takes control of an insect's nervous system and brain, essentially turning it into a little bug-zombie. The fungi will live in it's host until it has died then sprout, usually out of its head, and launch spores into the air to infect more insects and spread. Ultimately, cordyceps are mother nature's zombie plague for insects. Perhaps there was a plague similar to that of the cordyceps that affected humans and made them violent and terrifying to look at. Lack of blood flow/poor circulation can cause a person's skin tone to become very pale, dark rings will form around the eyes with lack of sleep, and you could quite easily break a few teeth on a bone, resulting in a mouth full of sharp, jagged teeth. I don't think that it's so hard to believe there was a terrible plague that altered us in this way at the dawn of man before our immune systems fully developed.
Don't just take any of this for fact though, I'm merely just spit-balling here. What do you think could have happened, if anything did at all?
Whether it be aliens, zombie plagues, or just coincidence, it is still interesting how we've almost all got this same instinctual fear. Perhaps it is just because it's different and far outside our societal norm, but I have a hard time with that. I think we would eventually just get used to it and wouldnt be so shocked at the sight. Where's Abstergo when you need them...? (Assassins Creed reference.)
Well, I hope I gave you all something to think about, I know this has long had me wondering. Let me know what you think!
'Til next time,
Sources:
Creepy Pasta: http://creepypasta.wikia.com/wiki/Genetic_Memory
elongated face: http://www.fanpop.com/clubs/monsters-of-supernatural/picks/results/655310/which-season-best-monsters-spirits
Yolandi Visser .gif: http://dangerfactory.com/die-antwoord-yolandi-visser-geek-chi/
Grey Face: http://www.shutterstock.com/s/demon/search.html
Alien Meme: http://www.keepcalm-o-matic.co.uk/p/i-m-not-saying-it-was-aliens-but-it-was-aliens/