Wednesday, January 23, 2008

The Devil In The Machine

Is it possible for inanimate objects to be evil or imbued with dark forces?

After the weekend I’ve spent fighting to retrieve documents from my daughter’s dead computer, I’m starting to think it is. I intend to have a ceremonial burning, or maybe dismembering, where I rip out its wiry innards, before we bury its rusty metal carcass in a deep, dark hole at the bottom of the garden. Umm, maybe I’ve been watching too many episodes of Supernatural. (Can never get too much of Dean and Dan!)

Why do some people always have problems with electrical equipment? My poor husband suffers. He only has to try for one copy and the photocopier chews up the paper. Yet, the photocopier likes me. Maybe it all comes down to patience and understanding. Treat the machine with care, use it carefully, and it behaves. Cut corners and it plays up—a bit like children and pets.

There are scientists who believe that inanimate objects can be infused with power—good or evil. And the premise is rife in fiction. I’m sure everyone can think of a story based on this idea. (Anyone read LOTR lately?) Is this pure fiction? Many people believe it is true. Cultures throughout history and world wide from the ancient Egyptians to the Celts believe that objects can be cursed or blessed to bring good or bad luck.

Tales of cursed places include the Bermuda Triangle and numerous places in Ireland.

More recently, experiments carried out by various governments have tested the theory that an object can be infused with bad energy to make the owner sick or even die.

There are just as many tales of objects that carry healing power or the power of good luck. One of the best known is the Blarney Stone at Blarney castle in Ireland. Could this all be superstition? Does the effectiveness of the objects curse or blessing depend on the recipient believing in the power? Are the effects just a product of the human imagination?

I believe objects can carry power—good and evil. What about you?

7 comments:

Amanda Ashby said...

I too am a photocopier destroyer and I think that not only do they have powers, but they also have small cameras hidden away to record all my rantings and then directly post them to youtube so the world can mock me!!!!!

But seriously, I totally agree with you and am infact giving myself goosebumps by thinking about it too much!!! Great post!

Savanna Kougar said...

Amanda, that's a scream about being downloaded onto youtube -- but it's certainly possible in this world of tech with all the cameras and microphones -- like in the Mac and the other computers.

Helen, wonderful subject! My thought is, since everything is frequency, it can be imbued with ill or good, the frequencies manipulated whether by the wand of a sorcerer or simply by repeated thoughts -- say, like a parrot who repeats a sound because the bird hears it over and over -- okay, so I saw those cute parrots talking and singing on Jay Leno last night.

Helen Scott Taylor said...

Amanda, you're obviously like my husband. He not only messes up photocopiers he has the kiss of death with anything electrical or mechanical--computers, fax machines, franking machines. They just don't like him!

Savanna, I think a lot of it has to do with the power of thought and intention and I'm sure that is some kind of energy.

I like the idea of machines having a mind of their own as well. Makes me think of Gremlins.

Jill James said...

Machines truly have a mind of their own, it seems their inability to work is in direct proportion to how much we NEED them to work. LOL

Anitra Lynn McLeod said...

Oooo! I automatically thought of Christina by Stephen King--the car with a nasty streak. I love how he gave life to that automobile. It was a character in and of itself; hell, it WAS the story!

Personally I'm convinced my toilet has some evil spirit trapped within the gleaming white porcelain. It overflows for no reason, flushes by itself (I actually found out the flap was faulty) but it was really creepy to hear it flush in the middle of the night! But Amanda's comment makes me wonder about weird potty things uploaded to youtube . . . ;)

Naw, my toilet is bad, but it's not malicious! :)

Helen Scott Taylor said...

Okay, I really must be cracking up. Dean and Dan--where did I get Dan from? Should be Dean and Sam of course. Apologies to all Sam's fans!

Helen

Trish Milburn said...

LOL, Amanda. That's hilarious about the little cameras and YouTube videos. Have you all seen Office Space? What a hysterical little movie. I love the part when they beat the copier to death.

I seem to be the one who can mess up electronic equipment. My hubby and I got the exact same computers at the exact same time, and every once in awhile, mine goes freaking haywire and he has to fix the hard drive.

Anitra, I'd totally have a coronary if my toilet flushed in the middle of the night by itself.

Okay, I was wondering about who the heck Dan was? :) Especially since I just love Sam.