Making Money Off of Paranormal Investigating

[PPI Karl]

I was struck by this statement in something I read today:  "UFOlogists come in two flavors: Those who spend money to investigate the possibility, and those who simply aim to make money off the whole concept."

What's your take on this as it applies to the paranormal?  Do you agree?  Do you feel there are other factors and motives at work in profitable paranormal investigating?  Is it fair to be judgmental about it?  Tell us what you think.


[If you want to read the original article from which this quote is taken, it's quite good; here it is: "UFOlogy:  Aliens and Hucksters Among Us."]

[PPI Jason]

I think the "two flavor theory" is pretty much spot on. It is possible for the two flavors to co-exits. It is physically possible to have a group that has a genuine interest in scientific inquiry and which also is motivated by making money. But I think this mix is rare in the paranormal community today. One side of the equation, generally, suffers at the expense of the other. Groups that are motivated by fame or making money usually have to exert so much effort to that end (marketing, planning activities that are interesting to the public, in worst cases maybe even doctoring evidence to arouse public interest) that exerting any effort to being critical, subjective, and skeptical runs the risk of nullifying all the efforts made towards making money.

I think the same dichotomy exists among those that employ paranormal groups. Some hotels, museums, even indivual residences either want to get to "the truth" about their experiences, or they want television exposure and articles they can quote that read, "Wow, this is one of the most haunted places we've ever been in! If you want a genuine ghost experience, bring your EMF Meter and your checkbook cause this place is worth it!" It is possible to want both, but I think it's rare.

[PPI Tim]

Very well put Jason. I think that you have to have both camps. Money is the common factor. The intention is the key. Too show and you have "FLAM" as in FLIM FLAM. Too little show and you have "DAMN" as in Damn we don't any money to run a group or conduct paranormal experiments.. There has to be a middle way.

[PPI Brian]

I agree; there are paranormal investigators who appear to be motivated solely by the potential money making aspects of the field. I won't name names, because it would be a long and boring list, and you could probably guess them all anyway. 

Having said that, I don't believe that making money from publishing in the field has as much of a negative effect on a group as other forms of monetary gain. The examples that Jason cited about spending vast amounts of time on marketing their tours, lectures or personal appearances, and their financial need to always keep one foot in the spot light is bound to take its toll on a group. I believe this is the reason why so many of the "celebrities" who fit into this category are solo investigators. Even if they are not consciously spinning their evidence to make it more marketable for their adoring fans, a reasonable person will always have that nagging doubt in the back of their minds.

Just my two cents...

[PPI Karl]

I very much agree with everything that's been said, and I would also add that one group of paranormalists sometimes depends on the other, in a kind of Devil's Contract.  If we didn't have the "Paratainment?" side o' things to raise interest in paranormal phenomena, we might not have demand as much for groups who scientifically raise awareness about it.  Granted, should paratainment stop tomorrow, paranormal phenomena wouldn't suddenly "die out" with it (sorry), but sometimes I feel as though, if it weren't for such things as Yvette Fielding's medicine show, people wouldn't even stop to think that there could be a more rigorous and scientific side to the study of paranormal phenomena--a better approach--than Most Haunted, and they wouldn't seek us out.

[PPI Tracy]

I'm enjoying reading all of your responses.  Very true what you are saying.  Brian Miller's statement really made so much sense though:

I believe this is the reason why so many of the "celebrities" who fit into this category are solo investigators. Even if they are not consciously spinning their evidence to make it more marketable for their adoring fans, a reasonable person will always have that nagging doubt in the back of their minds.

Excellent point!

[PPI Brian]

I completely agree with you, Karl. Serious paranormal research groups have benefited directly from the paratainment industry. Like it or not, we exist in a symbiotic relationship. However, I believe we benefit more by their existence than they benefit by ours.

Shows like World's Scariest Places and Most Haunted keep discussions about paranormal activity in the forefront, and indirectly they cause people to become acutely aware of paranormal activity in their homes or businesses. Although our approach discredits shows such as these, we get the opportunity to actually help people by investigating private residences -- something that would have been impossible just ten years ago.

[PPI Tracy]

Great points, once again, Miller