Beyond the Hype: Can Spiritualism Help Us Understand the Unknown? Part 2

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Spiritualism has fundamentally reshaped what we think of when we think about ghosts. As Lauren Lutz argues in her blog post “The Empowerment of Specters: How Spiritualism Influenced the Modern Ghost” for Ball State University, the modern ghost is “increasingly autonomous and empowered” compared to the ghostly figures of the old days.

 

Think of popular franchises like The Conjuring or American Horror Story. These portrayals reflect a shift away from benevolent (or even neutral) spirits trapped between worlds. Modern ghosts are often spiteful and bloodthirsty, seeking to inflict harm on the living.

 

We can credit spiritualism for this transformation. It was the first widespread belief system emphasizing spirits interacting with the living world, not just haunting it. Lutz, referencing Jennifer Bann’s work, points out that pre-Victorian ghosts weren’t believed to be inherently evil.

 

Before the Enlightenment, which laid the groundwork for spiritualism, ghosts were typically presented in dramas or stories considered factual. Examples include the ancient Roman play Mostellaria (meaning “The Ghost”) by Plautus and mythological epics like Homer’s The Iliad. The first true ghost story didn’t appear until 1764 with Horace Walpole’s The Castle of Otranto. The ghosts in this story are manifested by the deceit of a living person, as in many Gothic novels. They’re not there by their own accord – they’re summoned by the misdeeds of the living.

 

The rise of spiritualism changed everything. Now, the deceased could choose to stay behind, materialize among the living, and interact as they wished. In this way, “death meant liberation,” as Lutz writes. Unlike their powerless predecessors, these spirits had agency over their life after death.

 

In modern ghost stories, it’s clear that ghosts have become autonomous, powerful entities. These tales often depict humans banding together to hunt and banish the ghost, suggesting the unearthly isn’t something to coexist with but to actively eliminate.

Ghost Hunting Captivates the Internet 

These days, ghost hunting has reached global audiences thanks to the internet. Endless YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok accounts are dedicated to ghost hunting and the unexplained. This content usually features curious people with the time and resources necessary to create highly believable videos that supposedly reveal the “truth” behind common ghost stories and haunted locations. 

 

Sam and Colby

 

One of the most popular ghostly YouTube duos is Sam and Colby. Friends Sam Golbach and Colby Brock regularly post spooky videos for the enjoyment of their 11.9 million subscribers. They’ve hit many haunted hotspots, including the Stanley Hotel and the Conjuring House, documenting their spooky experiences along the way. 

 

The investigators are over-the-top in a way that only YouTubers can be: they’re exaggerated in their emotional responses and camera angles. They play up the hype surrounding each case or location, and their fans eat it up. Each video gets around 10 million views, and diehard fans love chatting about the videos in the comment sections of each post, as well as a dedicated Sam and Colby Reddit community. 

 

It’s undeniable that Sam and Colby are popular. It is unclear how much money the guys make (some sources claim several hundred dollars per video, while others claim the duo has a multimillion-dollar net worth), but they have no shortage of clout on- and off-screen.

 

They have their own clothing line, XPLR, which offers limited edition “drops” that sell out fast and inspire countless replicas. They also took their popular video, “A Week at the Conjuring House,” to select Cinemark theaters. Doing this earned Sam and Colby coverage in Forbes, which declared that the YouTube movie coming to theaters indicates a larger shift in how we consume social media content.

 

The surge of financial backing and public interest in Sam and Colby, alongside similar amateur ghost hunters, raises questions about the potential manipulation of evidence in their videos. This manipulation could be fueled by a desire to generate online buzz and, in the case of their “Conjuring” series, potentially secure a theatrical release.

 

Cody and Satori

 

Watch a few Sam and Colby videos, and you’ll likely see another emerging YouTube duo: Cody and Satori. 

 

Cody DesBiens and Satori Hawes are a paranormal investigating couple who have gained notoriety through their work at the Conjuring House. Satori, believed to be a medium, has garnered both praise and criticism for her abilities. Notably, Satori’s father, Jason Hawes, founded The Atlantic Paranormal Society (TAPS) in 1990. The duo now works under the TAPS organization. 

 

Some, like Andrea Perron and Ken DeCosta, who are also affiliated with the Conjuring House, fiercely defend the couple. They dismiss those who doubt Cody and Satori as “trolls” and even resort to invoking “karma” to silence their critics. However, the close ties between these defenders and the Conjuring House cast doubt on their objectivity. It seems more likely they are simply protecting the brand’s image.

 

Questions regarding the couple’s methods have been raised. YouTube channels like Mythos Paranormal debunk some of their techniques. For instance, Cody sells “ghost hunting devices” that resemble cat toys and could easily create knocking sounds. Additionally, there are moments where Satori conveniently blocks the camera, hindering viewers from seeing if someone else might be creating the phenomena. 

 

The messages Satori relays from the “dead” are generic – “I’m always with you,” “I’ll protect you,” “I love you” – offering little specific comfort to the bereaved. What’s more, Cody’s seemingly unintentional leg movements often coincide with supposed ghostly activity, casting further doubt on their authenticity.

 

And still, none of this has deterred the couple from continuing their “work” with the dead. Their YouTube channel has just shy of 20,000 subscribers, and their personal Instagram accounts boast a following of 150,000 (Satori) and 118,000 (Cody). Whether or not they are universally believed, Cody and Satori have certainly made a name for themselves in the ghostly world. 

Is Spiritualism Harmful to Paranormal Research?

With so much doubt surrounding so-called paranormal experts like Sam and Colby, Cody and Satori, and others, it makes you wonder whether spiritualism has done more harm than good to paranormal research. 

 

In the case of Cody and Satori, the duo has done several YouTube interviews in an attempt to convince others that their ghost hunting is legitimate and that Satori’s gifts are real. In a video posted by Project Fear in February 2024, the couple posted an official statement declaring that the couple intends to have their abilities tested by a legitimate source, not YouTubers. They say that they would like to do all of this not out of a desire to prove their capabilities to the public but to “further the paranormal field.” 

 

So, does spiritualism benefit or reduce paranormal research? Ultimately, it’s up to you to decide. 

 

Critics argue that spiritualism has sensationalized the paranormal, prioritizing entertainment and online fame over genuine investigation. But supporters see it differently. They believe that increased public awareness and decreasing stigma can only benefit the field.

 

What do you think? Do you believe spiritualism is helping advance paranormal research, or does it distract us from legitimate paranormal studies? Let us know in the comments! 

 

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