Today's Popular Super Anti- hero, The Vampire

Today's Popular Super Anti- hero, The Vampire
Fear and Admiration

I think there are lots of subtle and not so subtle reasons that vampires have become a hit in our popular culture. They have truly become The Anti-hero" to which other anti-hero's aspire (this would include other undead and revenant corpse types, such as zombies and those filthy shaggy werewolves). Let's consider the modern vampire myth and what it offers, primarily to the young.

1). Vampires are sexually attractive and charismatic.

2). They have superhuman intelligence and powers, such as the ability to fly and to crawl through tight spaces.

3).They can use mind control and telepathy with humans to get what they want.

4). They inspire fear and nobody messes with them without suffering dire consequences.

5). Vampires have pretty much conquered death and achieved immortality. Modern vampires have even developed a remarkable vaccine which allows them to function as normal humans during the day and to hide their true vampire identity (dude!).

6). Vampires can also use their powers to enslave other lowly creatures, such as wild animals and werewolves to do their dirty work for them.

7). Vampires are really starting to come around and to form loving relationships with humans. It is now the opinion of many, that vampires have been grossly mistreated and misunderstood in the past and that they have endured centuries of cruelty and wooden stakes through the heart, from ignorant humans.

Of course there is also a downside to being a modern vampire as well.

1).The vampire is still a symbol of fear and evil and no one wants to be on their dinner menu.

2). Drinking blood is still considered pretty gross and disgusting and most would cringe at a 100% blood diet.

3). Killing other people, even for food reasons, is unpleasant and still totally unacceptable in modern society.

4). It's also still a fact that vampires have few real friends and have to stay constantly on the move to avoid the zealous vampire hunters wishing to send them to eternal hell!

Vampires are interesting symbols which have truly come alive and evolved through literature and the gothic romance. A great escape from everyday life where real danger and evil are not always so apparent or interesting. The real fear and superstition of vampires has been transformed into an impotent but entertaining media genre in little more than 100 years time.