Planning posts split from Psience Quest Interview No. 3: Loyd Auerbach

Loyd Auerbach has agreed to give an interview on apparitions, hauntings, spontaneous cases, field investigations and "ghost hunting".

It will probably be ready closer to October, since Loyd is busy coming two weeks. But afterwards, he is mine (and ours, of course ) to interwiew.

As with Titus Rivas, I will be interviewer, and the text and questions will be mine (and Loyd's, surely ).

Yet, for now, I'm ready for your suggestions. What ghost-related questions do you intend to ask Auerbach?

UPDATE: The interview with Loyd Auerbach is ready and published! Read it here: http://psiencequest.net/forums/thread-written-interview-with-loyd-auerbach?pid=11988#pid11988

Is Halloween his favorite holiday?

Loyd Auerbach has agreed to give an interview on apparitions, hauntings, spontaneous cases, field investigations and "ghost hunting".

It will probably be ready closer to October, since Loyd is busy coming two weeks. But afterwards, he is mine (and ours, of course ) to interwiew.

As with Titus Rivas, I will be interviewer, and the text and questions will be mine (and Loyd's, surely ).

Yet, for now, I'm ready for your suggestions. What ghost-related questions do you intend to ask Auerbach?

Can he comment on the slew of ridiculously fake looking TV shows claiming to have found stuff when as a viewer I see absolutely zero?

Can he comment on the slew of ridiculously fake looking TV shows claiming to have found stuff when as a viewer I see absolutely zero?

It is one of the main questions I have already planned.

Kudos on the interview Vortex! My question is what are the best cases he's investigated, and does he see any patterns between his research and other afterlife or psi research? And since we're both getting interviews I'll PM you so we can organise posting them apart .

Knowing the ratio of purported apparitions that behave "consciously" (at least reacting to the witness) vs. those running on 'autopilot' would be nice.

[Pollux]

It is often claimed that those who say they have experienced a ghost are simply not critical enough in their thinking.  Is it not the normal thing to do if one has such an experience to first think long and hard to try and find  a normal cause before telling the world one has seen a ghost?

People who have experienced, what they call a full apparition, often calls it a turning-point. There is a distinct before, and there is an distinct after, when their whole world view is changed - when it really sinks in what you'd seen. A bit like this guy, from the movie Below, I guess.

People who have experienced, what they call a full apparition, often calls it a turning-point. There is a distinct before, and there is an distinct after, when their whole world view is changed - when it really sinks in what you'd seen. A bit like this guy, from the movie Below, I guess.

My instinct tells me that ghost sightings are part of the spectrum of psi experiences that many of us have experienced. And in the same way, I was changed after one or two of my experiences. 

Problem is, the mainstream TV ghost frenzy seems to be something else all together. Sort of like recent modern youth culture obsession with all things having to do with vampires and the generally the "un-dead". Separating fact and fiction would be a good thing to talk about.

My instinct tells me that ghost sightings are part of the spectrum of psi experiences that many of us have experienced. And in the same way, I was changed after one or two of my experiences. 

Problem is, the mainstream TV ghost frenzy seems to be something else all together. Sort of like recent modern youth culture obsession with all things having to do with vampires and the generally the "un-dead". Separating fact and fiction would be a good thing to talk about.

I don't think that vampires are "in" anymore, zombies definitely are but they seem to play more on different societal anxieties. But, the first of these shows popped up way before either was trending. I would say that the answer is much simpler, they appeal to our innate curiosity, can generate cheap thrills in the, um, "intellectually challenged" and are cheap as dirt to produce.