Digital Freedom..
The wonderful thing about the internet is that you can stumble across all kinds of interesting stuff out there and even the subject of the paranormal doesn’t escape the internets reach. Of course this digital freedom to voice exactly what we want when want does mean that there are all extremes of views out there in the digital ether. Something which many often take personally. Just remember everyone is entitled to their own opinion and some may not know quite how to articulate than opinion softly.
One such piece of interesting information was a little video that Kev Kerr put together regarding haunted objects and how they are not all that chatty, especially when using a spirit box. However before we get into this, take a look at the video below, so we are all on the same page.
Interesting right? Granted Kev’s approach maybe seen by some as a little sarcastic in places, but I think it covers the concept of ITC in relation to haunted objects rather well.
Bob Says…
Kev gives us a pretty standard inanimate object for this little experiment, a small orange! In order to give the orange a little character Kev added a smiley face, which I am glad of otherwise I just dont feel I would have felt the same connection as I did!
He then fires up the Spirit Box and set’s about to communicate with our new orange friend. Remarkably there are a few responses and we soon establish that this little orange is conscious with a name of Bob. Although I have a feeling a few other name may have crept through too.
However things are not quite as they seem and it soon becomes evident that Bob isn’t playing ball as much as we may believe.
Kev Shows Us That Perhaps Bob Likes To Mislead Us…
During this Spirit Box session Kev manages to highlight a few things that many of us take for granted in these situation, which quickly leads to many assumptions based on poor information.
You see information is a funny little thing really, it’s something we use regularly to understand the hauntings we investigate, but equally if we are not careful it can totally confuse our investigations too. Take the scenario of Bob the Orange for example, a scenario many of us may have encountered whilst on an investigation in the past. As you sit there in a no doubt darkened room, spirit box fuzzing away, you begin to ask questions. This is where the information could easily take over you see. Right from the outset, from question one it can often be given control. No it doesn’t I hear you scream! Think about it though. The most probable random question that you may ask when using a Spirit Box if you didn’t want to direct your questioning, may be something like; ‘Is there anyone here with us?’
Think about it a little and a form of that question is more likely. Now by asking this question you are creating the presumption that there is something there (I’m by no means saying there isn’t), but then as you listen you’re provided with an answer. However think about which answers are acceptable in these circumstances? There’s actually more possibilities than you realise; positive or negative responses such as ‘yes’ or even ‘no’, names would be accepted too, oddly simple descriptions work too such as ‘man’ or ‘woman’ or ‘soldier’, actually when it comes to Spirit Boxes more often groups appear to accept any response as an indication communication is in progress. Okay, let’s be fair, not all groups or investigators are quick to accept what comes through the Spirit Box as paranormal.
Where was I?
Oh yes. So, right from the first question you have a piece of information or do you? Often in these situations we are already dealing with audio pareidolia, where we are trying to find patterns linked to our questions in the random data from the Spirit Box. Also, as we are investigating a certain location which in turn may have a particular history, we ask associated questions manipulating the data as it were.
Okay so Bob isn’t misleading us, we are actually misleading ourselves so to speak.
Hence Bob the Orange and how Kev managed to have a conversation with him, although I kind of like Bob! Shame really as I can see Bob having his own TV series investigating haunted locations. Perhaps in the States in the OC!
Does That Mean The Spirit Box is a Waste of Time?
It’s at this point I am sure you will be expecting me to put a touch of negative on the old Spirit Box, but if that’s the case you’re going to be disappointed. Wait what, I hear you shout!
Firstly, don’t get me wrong I get that the Spirit Box basically spits out loads of random hits on various radio stations and I am also very understanding of the fact that we ask questions and then accept answers often fitting them to our questions. Basically there are a lot of flaws with this form of communication, which includes the method most often used.
Hang though, I said that I wouldn’t be negative towards this form of communication! That’s right, personally I’m not a fan, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it doesn’t work for some. Let me explain. Like a Ouija Board I see this as a modern divination tool, which allows those using it to extend their personal confidence perhaps in their own ability to sense information from spirit. Obvious the science half of my persona can not attribute proof to this and its as random as the reception on a spirit box itself. Still think about it for a moment, apply it as a possibility. Does ITC present us with a modern method we are familiar with to focus our sensitivity and communicate better with spirits; or is it simply a clever trick to make us buy more gadgets?
Ashley Knibb 