It’s long been established in ghost hunting circles that kids tend to be more “aware” of the paranormal. They’re often central figures in poltergeist hauntings, make invisible friends that many believe to be spirits, and let’s face it, all the scariest ghost stories involve kids.
But what makes children so sensitive to the paranormal? The question has been debated almost as long as people have been seriously looking for ghosts, with theories ranging from undeveloped brain functions to stronger psychic vibrations than adults, but one of the most popular opinions, particularly among skeptics, is that children simply have wild imaginations and enjoy lying.
So what does Jason Hawes, star of Ghost Hunters and arguably (if unfortunately) one of the most popular figures in the paranormal investigation profession believe? Surely, if there’s anyone who could provide insight on the subject it would be him.
Well, lucky us, because Hawe’s feelings on the subject were covered this very weekend in an article in the South Jersey Times.
“Many times, when I am contacted by someone having a paranormal situation, I am informed that their child or children are playing with invisible friends and that they talk to things that are not there,” Hawes wrote. “People want to understand why their children are doing this. Are they psychic? Maybe sensitive? Yes and No, They are open.”
Ok, maybe a little wishy-washy there, but it’s a good start. I’m sure that many parents have had moments when they wondered if their kid was psychic, like how they can seem to pick the absolute worst times to need a potty break, almost like they just know, you know?
Alright Hawes, hit us with the facts. Why do kids see ghosts?
“To a child, anything is possible, everything is real. Santa still comes down the chimney every Christmas and the Easter Bunny still comes and brings them baskets every Easter. To a child, anything and everything is possible. They do see more then most for this fact.”
Uh.. you’re not exactly helping our case here..
“They have not been conditioned by society yet as to what is real and what is not. Over years they will be told, “Stop playing with your pretend friend Bobby” and this helps close them off to what they experience. We have done some investigations into this and the conclusions are outstanding.”
Wait, what? That, uh.. well, that wasn’t exactly the seasoned opinion I was expecting.
According to Hawes, the reason kids see spirits that are invisible to the rest of us is because they’re just as real to them as Santa and the Easter Bunny. Either Jason Hawes just said that ghosts aren’t real, or he just made a case for the existence of a giant, anthropomorphic rabbit that delivers chocolate to children.
Coming soon to SyFy: Santa Hunters! Destination Tooth Fairy!
He has to be messing with us right? Maybe after almost ten seasons of finding exactly zero (real) ghosts has finally turned Hawes into a skeptic.
“[There are families who] seem to be more accepting of their children playing with invisible friends and they do not try to change the child’s ideas. It seems that more and more sensitives are being brought into this world by these people. They are being allowed to grow without being told what they saw as a child was not real so, in return being able to see these things as they did when they were children.”
Ok, so maybe he isn’t a skeptic.
Our friend Hayley Stevens, an actual skeptic, thinks that Hawes is sort of right, but in the wrong way.
“People tend to have their beliefs influenced by the society they’re a part of,” Hayley told us on Facebook. “So if a child is told Santa is real or the Easter Bunny is real they’re likely to believe it because of positive reinforcement of those beliefs with gifts left mysteriously overnight. If they experience weird stuff and are exposed to the idea that ghosts are doing it, the same is going to happen.”
On the flip side, what is seems like Hawe’s is trying to argue is that kids haven’t been “brainwashed” into unbelieving, which is actually a pretty popular notion among paranormal investigators. It’s just that he’s just the absolute worst person to argue the existence of ghosts to millions of people in any kind of reasonable way.
So naturally, he’s doing just that.
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