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?