by Opal Elaine Moyer

Created on: August 09, 2010   Last Updated: August 11, 2010

To understand how hoaxes affect the paranormal world, it is probably easiest to first look at the reasons why these hoaxes are orchestrated to begin with.  One reason is simply the fact that some people are thrill-seekers and enjoy the attention that their claims of paranormal experiences can bring.  Many paranormal investigators can attest to the fact that some people call them for something to do at the time, and having a team of investigators come to your home to do an investigation can be a rather thrilling experience for these people. 

There are also cases where businesses, such as restaurants, hotels, motels, inns and taverns will orchestrate elaborate hoaxes.  Places of business might go so far as to use electronics to perpetuate such hoaxes.  Why would these businesses go to the expense and great pains to create hoaxes such as these? 

The reason for this is that with all of the attention that the paranormal is receiving in recent years, through shows like Ghosthunters and Paranormal State, the paranormal has become viewed as "cool" or "hip."  It is the belief of these businesses that proving their place of business is a haunted location will bring an increase in business, and that paranormal enthusiasts will come flocking to their businesses in hopes of having their own personal experience.  This can and usually does mean big money for these business owners.  Thrill-seekers come in droves to experience the activity claimed to take place in a particular location.

The paranormal field and its researchers pay the price for these hoaxes, however, in more ways than one.  First is the fact that the field of paranormal research loses credibility and respectability with every hoax.  Notwithstanding, the second reason is that hoaxes give skeptics the ground they need to further denounce the field of paranormal research.  Generally, skeptics don't hoax to maintain their disbelief; however, they thrive on these hoaxes and use them to their greatest advantage. 

Finally because of these hoaxes, the paranormal investigator must do even more work in that they must weed out the thrill-seekers from the cases of genuine need when prioritizing their work load.  It is because of hoaxing that debunking has become such an integral part of the paranormal investigation.

In the end, hoaxes hurt everyone - the people who've been proven to create or perpetuate hoaxes, the paranormal investigators fighting for the integrity of the paranormal field, the true believers in the paranormal, and finally, the field of the paranormal itself.  In other words, hoaxing in the paranormal is ultimately a lose-lose situation for all involved... except maybe for the skeptics.

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