Halloween Is Boom Time for Paranormal Creators

CREATOR NEWSLETTER


As Halloween night approaches, tales of hauntings and ghostly apparitions are everywhere. But in today’s hyper-connected world, the supernatural isn’t just found in dark hallways and creaky old mansions. Some spirits seem to have taken up residence in more modern haunts: our phones, computers, and even our wifi connections.

From unexplained notifications that arrive in the dead of night to screens that flicker with cryptic messages, stories of haunted technology are becoming more common. Jack Wagner, a content creator and host of the Otherworld podcast, which tells stories from real people who have experienced something paranormal or unexplained, said that “the spirit world is learning to use new tools.” 

Wagner said that if you find yourself in possession of an item like, say, a haunted laptop, or believe that a spirit is trying to communicate through a piece of technology in your home, before you dunk your phone in holy water, take the tech to an electronics shop. “It could just be [poorly made] Temu wiring,” Wagner said. Still, he believes technology is often just a conduit for whatever spirit or paranormal apparition is trying to reach you.

If you’re tempted to try to record strange happenings for content, Wagner said that you might be out of luck. “Most people [who encounter the paranormal] are paralyzed in fear,” he said. “No matter what you think of this stuff, it’s a fight or flight response at a level you couldn’t comprehend.” There is also some speculation from paranormal enthusiasts that our cameras aren’t able to capture images from the otherworldly plane they believe ghostly apparitions exist in. 

Wagner said that Halloween is boom time for a podcast like his, and he’s been sifting through an onslaught of stories. “I’m not necessarily a believer,” he said. “But I’m also not a skeptic. I’m just a person who talks to a lot of people who have experienced this stuff.” Read our full interview with Wagner about his work here.


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