SONGSOPTOK: It seems that fear is the most important primal instinct in the animal
world. The two main manifestations of fear in the human society is centered
around two entities: God(s) and Demons. We somehow learn to fear ghosts and
spirits at a very early age and remain marked by that fear later in life. What
is your personal experience? When did you start fearing ghosts and for what
reasons?
SILAS: From the time immemorial, humankind had
developed fear for known and unknown beings; unfortunately, in most cases, if
not in all, these fears arise from what humans had been told about unknown or
fairly understood spirit entities. At times, these fears come from the myths,
instinct, and learned concepts put forward by human society-through opinion
leaders, family heads, and religious leaders. Since, we are a part of society
that believes in spirit entities, from oriental, African, to occidental lands,
we are bound to believe what society dishes out to us, which in turn, we dish
out to those coming after us.
SONGSOPTOK: Very often adults try to
control the tantrums of children by threatening them with ghosts and spirits.
Do you remember any such incident when you were very young? In your opinion, do
such methods have a permanently negative effect on children? In what way?
SILAS: Part of the created fear in our society is
to use something unknown to teach lesson; lessons that live with individual as
long as he lives. No doubt, I was told of several ghost stories when growing
up. Stories that elicited fear in me; stories that taught me some moral
lessons, more so, stories that explained certain phenomenal, beyond human
understanding. Stories that look very frightening and scary; stories that
require total obedience from what society put before you. Stories that limit your
question-asking-ability. Stories that keep society’s socio-cultural institutions
going, without challenge.
SONGSOPTOK: Not only do we frighten
children with ghosts, we often entertain them with ghost stories. When children
learn to read, grown-ups often try to incite them to get into the habit of
reading by buying ghost stories. What do you think of this practice?
SILAS: Perhaps, I see these stories as part of
learning process, and being what they are, somehow phenomenal; people have
concluded that stories like these help with critical thinking, strong mental
development, more important, help dissecting certain society’s behavior beyond the physical realm.
SONGSOPTOK: Adolescence is normally
the period when we start asking questions about different things. Did you start
asking questions about the existence of ghosts? Will you share the details with
us?
SILAS: In fact, I asked questions about these
stories with little or no satisfactory answers; but remember, we live in a society
where children accept without questioning what adults or elders say. It is even
worse, when issues at hand revolve around unknown concepts like spirit
entities.
SONGSOPTOK: A lot of people claim to
have direct experience of ghosts or other inexplicable phenomena. Do you have
any such experience to share with us? Or experiences of people you know?
SILAS: No, I did not; but I have heard of several stories
of humans’ encounter with ghosts; however, experience with these spirit
entities varies. Some said it happened in their dreams; for some, it was in trance.
In other instances, it happened to individuals who wanted to seek knowledge
about certain life questions, which daily activities of man such as work,
sleep, sex, religion, couldn’t provide answers.
To some others, their claim of contact was and is by means of inheritance.
In addition, to another group of people, through their professions, trades, or
services rendered; while their encounters with inexplicable phenomena may just
be a routine.
SONGSOPTOK: It is true that most of us
like reading or watching films about ghosts, spirits or mysterious phenomena.
Do you enjoy these things too? Can you think of a specific story or a film that
really thrilled you? Do you have any favorite writers of this genre?
SILAS: No, most people do not like it for several
reasons; 1) It is could be scary; 2) It might not be a true reflection of
reality, rather a false, or a mere conjecture. 3) It could make heart become
desensitize to human feelings, thereby, making humans to be unkind, unfeeling, impassible,
and uncaring. Even though, I may not like watching films about ghosts and, or
allied stories, quite a few times, in the company of friends, one watches.
SONGSOPTOK: Many of us think that
science still has to go a long way to explain everything that we experience on
earth. Science has enlightened us about a lot of things, but there are certain
areas that can be considered as the twilight zone – the breeding place for the
uncanny and the preternatural. What are your thoughts about this?
SILAS: Yes, science has explained and made several issues from body anatomy to
physical earth and outerspace somehow understood, and in some cases, previously unknown have become understood, completely or absolutely. However, we should
not be deceived that everything is science and science is
everything. Many a time, scientists are
dumbfounded at certain issues that may defy simple logic and complex scientific
explanation. This may call for a belief in supernatural or, perhaps, ghosts are
at work; again, we need to be careful. Inasmuch as humans may not fully know
everything, because of how certain things operate in our universe; I will rather
suggest, humans stay in the middle of unknown or unexplanable concepts. Science
must be given a change to explore, just as we look elsewhere, though with
proven evidence; if submission and conclusion are not to be taken with a pinch
or a grain of salt.
SONGSOPTOK: We find it difficult to
accept that nothing remains after death, which often leads us to imagine the
supernatural. We are naturally attracted to what lies beyond the known everyday
world. What is your opinion about this? Do you think that everything ends with
death? Or is it because since we don’t really know that we oscillate between
belief and doubt?
SILAS: I strongly believe that life ends at
death. Some people may question this belief, while another group may remain
indifferent. Because of human’s limited knowledge, our concepts about matters
are somehow opaque; more so, ancient stories without scientific proof plus religion
or faith have continued to stretch spirit matters beyond reasonable limit.
SONGSOPTOK: Almost all societies
believe that the entities that exists in the realms that are beyond our
understanding and our sensory perceptions possess an immense amount of power.
But the capacity of humans is limited. So why does humans believe that the
souls of the dead are immensely powerful? What, according to you, is the reason
for this?
SILAS:Granted, every human society believes in
the existence of certain entities in the spirit realm; as previously said,
humans have over-dramatized and overstretched this issue; religion and faith
have made it worse, held values and society’s belief are another source of
trouble.
SONGSOPTOK: As we grow more and more
dependent on science and technology, it is possible that our belief in the
supernatural will grow weaker with time. In that sense ghosts and other
entities are likely to have a very dark future indeed. But wouldn’t that
deprive us of a whole range of feelings and emotions? Wouldn’t we become poorer
in our sensations? What is your opinion?
SILAS: No doubt, science will
continue to change man on his belief, the ways he does things, presents a new
outlook, which may require another look; regardless,
supernatural and
allied matters will still have a place
in people’s mind generation after generation for these reasons:
1) Ageless stories about supernatural will
continue to be with humans, even, if these stories are wrongly presented; people
will still subscribe to them just as previous generations believed that
supernaturals existed, had unlimited
power, and influence over the affairs of man.
2) Media will continue to feature supernaturals
in movies-still or motion; creating every day reminder about unseen spirits, mostly
for economic reasons of generating profits for media owners and shareholders.
3) Religion will never desist from telling
adherents about supernaturals, because upon spirit beings, all worldly religions
derive life. If you take away spirit or supernatural entities from religions,
they will be left empty, bare, barren, and deflated. Religions, at least for
now, not ready to lose more members.
We sincerely
thank you for your time and hope we shall have your continued support.
Aparajita
Sen
(EDITOR)
Songsoptok
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