Post by Kendra_Corvinus on Jan 1, 2006 21:16:30 GMT 1
The vampire lifestyle (or vampyre lifestyle) is a number of customs and beliefs followed (in various fashions and to different degrees) by a subculture of people who are attracted to contemporary vampire lore and seek to emulate it.
Members of the subculture (vampirists) often prefer the spelling vampyre to distinguish themselves from the "fictional" vampire while simultaneously lending a Gothic or Victorian flair to their activities, yet it must be taken into consideration that not all the members of the so called Gothic subculture carry this lifestyle. They typically appeal to myths about vampires for legitimacy.
Origins and influences
While some older occult and tribal cultures have rituals and customs similar to those described in this article, the vampire subculture is largely a social creation within Western culture, seemingly drawing from the rich recent history of popular culture related to cult symbolism, horror films, the fiction of Anne Rice, and the styles of Victorian England. Additionally, much of the subculture appears to derive from games such as Vampire: The Masquerade and TV programmes such as Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
The subculture is typically delineated by a particular style of dress and decor that combines elements of the Victorian, Punk, Glam and Gothic fashions with styles featured in vampire films and fiction. Often associated with the Goth subculture, those of the vampire subculture are often seen with dressing habits that favour dark clothing. Many pay great attention to having manicures in order to look the part thus often sport fingernails (often long or sharp) painted usually in black or other dark shades, as well as donning make up and fangs. This practise is common among not only female members but also male members. most goths do not enjoy the association with the negative stereotype portrayed in the media and, as a result, actively dislike members of the vampire subculture. The subculture is most apparent in North America and Europe, and to a lesser extent in certain parts of South America and Asia.
Common features
Common to all vampirists is an interest in (and occasionally obsession with) vampires, and a belief that they possess physical and psychological vampiric traits. Their interests include everything from fashion and music to, in extreme cases, the actual exchange of blood. A number of these people believe that they truly are vampires (as opposed to vampire impersonators); from this group, some claim that the drinking of blood is not required, while others do advocate ritual blood consumption.
There are many vampirist websites and organisations, although few (if any) of their claims are independently verifiable, and they often provide different and conflicting information.
Variants
A number of vampirists believe themselves to be the vampires of legend, or some other supernatural entity (for example, a "lost race" of Homo sapiens); see otherkin for further discussion of this type of phenomenon. Self-styled vampires of this sort will often claim that their own personal physical or psychological characteristics, such as pale skin, sensitive night vision, quick reflexes, emotional irritability and instability, and any number of self-professed psychic abilities are direct results of vampirism rather than independent or imagined traits. Many outside this group see this as a result of a mental illness such as dissociative identity disorder, schizophrenia, or antisocial personality disorder.
Most modern practitioners of vampirism do not believe themselves to be undead creatures; rather, they use vampirism as a means of practicing magic(k). For example, they claim that they are taking life energy (prana) or qi from another (usually a willing donor who also practices vampirism) to increase their own energy and vitality. Vampirists do not necessarily obtain this energy from blood, but will use other physical, spiritual or psychic means to obtain this energy (for example, there are self-styled "sexual vampires" and "psychic vampires").
Many self-proclaimed vampires believe that they occupy a different and higher position in the food chain than humans do. Many also claim that they often become ill when eating conventional food for humans, most often specific foods including dairy, though none abstain from eating entirely.
Members of the subculture (vampirists) often prefer the spelling vampyre to distinguish themselves from the "fictional" vampire while simultaneously lending a Gothic or Victorian flair to their activities, yet it must be taken into consideration that not all the members of the so called Gothic subculture carry this lifestyle. They typically appeal to myths about vampires for legitimacy.
Origins and influences
While some older occult and tribal cultures have rituals and customs similar to those described in this article, the vampire subculture is largely a social creation within Western culture, seemingly drawing from the rich recent history of popular culture related to cult symbolism, horror films, the fiction of Anne Rice, and the styles of Victorian England. Additionally, much of the subculture appears to derive from games such as Vampire: The Masquerade and TV programmes such as Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
The subculture is typically delineated by a particular style of dress and decor that combines elements of the Victorian, Punk, Glam and Gothic fashions with styles featured in vampire films and fiction. Often associated with the Goth subculture, those of the vampire subculture are often seen with dressing habits that favour dark clothing. Many pay great attention to having manicures in order to look the part thus often sport fingernails (often long or sharp) painted usually in black or other dark shades, as well as donning make up and fangs. This practise is common among not only female members but also male members. most goths do not enjoy the association with the negative stereotype portrayed in the media and, as a result, actively dislike members of the vampire subculture. The subculture is most apparent in North America and Europe, and to a lesser extent in certain parts of South America and Asia.
Common features
Common to all vampirists is an interest in (and occasionally obsession with) vampires, and a belief that they possess physical and psychological vampiric traits. Their interests include everything from fashion and music to, in extreme cases, the actual exchange of blood. A number of these people believe that they truly are vampires (as opposed to vampire impersonators); from this group, some claim that the drinking of blood is not required, while others do advocate ritual blood consumption.
There are many vampirist websites and organisations, although few (if any) of their claims are independently verifiable, and they often provide different and conflicting information.
Variants
A number of vampirists believe themselves to be the vampires of legend, or some other supernatural entity (for example, a "lost race" of Homo sapiens); see otherkin for further discussion of this type of phenomenon. Self-styled vampires of this sort will often claim that their own personal physical or psychological characteristics, such as pale skin, sensitive night vision, quick reflexes, emotional irritability and instability, and any number of self-professed psychic abilities are direct results of vampirism rather than independent or imagined traits. Many outside this group see this as a result of a mental illness such as dissociative identity disorder, schizophrenia, or antisocial personality disorder.
Most modern practitioners of vampirism do not believe themselves to be undead creatures; rather, they use vampirism as a means of practicing magic(k). For example, they claim that they are taking life energy (prana) or qi from another (usually a willing donor who also practices vampirism) to increase their own energy and vitality. Vampirists do not necessarily obtain this energy from blood, but will use other physical, spiritual or psychic means to obtain this energy (for example, there are self-styled "sexual vampires" and "psychic vampires").
Many self-proclaimed vampires believe that they occupy a different and higher position in the food chain than humans do. Many also claim that they often become ill when eating conventional food for humans, most often specific foods including dairy, though none abstain from eating entirely.
