Topics Under Consideration
The topic I'm currently considering the most is the Mothman of Point Pleasent, though I'm sure I would end up talking about the reports of it from over the world. Mothman always interested me since my parents showed me the Mothman Prophecies movie growing up, which also likely got me interested in the unexplained in the first place. The mystery over what Mothman is has always been alluring. Is it a giant humanoid moth? An alien or divine being? Or is it a bird or a secret government experiment? What connection does it have to the mysterious Indrid Cold, who stopped several people on highways in the area and talked to them telepathically in the period prior to the Mothman?
Image Source: Title card for the Mothman episode on Monstrum, a PBS Youtube series on creatures of folklore from around the world, their inspirations, and their effect on society. I personally recommend the series.
If Mothman turns out not the topic I wish to pursue, I would look into ghosts. More specifically, the rise in independent ghost hunters on the internet, usually Youtube, and what it means as a growing global community that desires to find the truth. Scary videos of varying levels of authenticity on YouTube have always been alluring to me, and while I am far more capable of spotting the fake ones these days, I feel just as invested. I would also look into how despite the sheer multitude of people investigating this phenomenon, there is no definite consensus as to what is true evidence. Some claim to see ghosts as orbs or smoke, others claim to see vague human shapes, and even fewer claim to have definite shapes.
If you pursue the "mothman" topic, I suggest you get hold of John Keel's classic book The Mothman Prophecies (1975), check out the competing documentaries on Amazon, and look at the way the mothman legend has been adapted for tourism. I actually think the paranormal tourism angle (including the annual mothman festival) could be the whole focus of your project. This article looks interesting:
ReplyDeletehttps://roadtrippers.com/magazine/mothman-point-pleasant-west-virginia/
The people trying to make a living off of ghost videos on YouTube is also intriguing -- and also could focus on the commercialization of the paranormal.
Neal suggests that the "mothman" name might have come from a copyeditor who had been watching Batman, where the "killer moth" was a character (Neal 78).
ReplyDeletehttp://killermothsociety.blogspot.com/2008/11/killer-moth-appearance-checklist.html