Why Do Ghosts Terrify Us?

 Ghosts. Some of us are scared by them while others aren’t phased by them in the slightest. For those of us who are, why do you think this is? Why does that mention of the word ghost give those people chills, and better yet, why are they scared if they see one in person? Well, the answer to this may be as simple as because they aren’t alive anymore, but one has to believe that with some people, there’s more to it. So why do ghosts terrify us? We are about to break it down and delve deep within to explain this fear that some people have of ghosts, spirits, and the paranormal.

The definition of a ghost is an apparition of a dead person that is believed to appear or become manifest to the living, typically as a nebulous image. Notice I bolded two words. The reason for this is that I believe these two words are why people are afraid of ghosts. The fact that ghosts are dead people is a scary thought, as dead people should not be seen or even walking around. As for nebulous image, well, that’s not exactly a form we expect people to take, so to see someone in any form other than a solid flesh and bone human being can be quite terrifying. In simple terms, the thought of seeing dead people around just scares people and is unnerving.

The media is another reason why we may be afraid of ghosts. Movies and television shows tend to depict ghosts as evil spirits and vicious ghouls hellbent on hurting us. Yes, these television shows are fictitious, but that still doesn’t stop our imaginations from running wild and thinking they are real or that what is being shown can or could exist. The funny thing is, though, some of us enjoy being scared by ghosts when we watch them on television, and yet we are also the same people who would be scared out of our minds if we ever saw one for real. I suppose it depends on the individual, after all, but whether we are scared by them or not, we constantly have ghosts as part of our lives in one way or another.

 Seeing someone walk through walls, other people, objects, or just disappear out of nowhere is a terrifying thought. The fact that a person can be transparent and yet also visible, and also a ball of light or be heard but not seen, is a chilling thought. But despite all of this, I leave this last question for us to ponder. Should we really be terrified of ghosts at all? Chances are they could be relatives of ours simply saying hello, or residual hauntings, which are ghosts who repeat an event they once lived on loop. Perhaps those of us who are scared of ghosts should take a page out of the film The Sixth Sense, and rather than run from ghosts, ask them what they want or just let them do their thing, because chances are they are not there to scare us.

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