Do it yourself superstition creation...

[kristine]

this is hilarious...

www.mythicalcreaturesguide.com/page/Slender+Man

The Slender Man was created at the Something Awful Forums in a thread entitled "Create Paranormal Images." He is described as wearing a black suit strikingly similar to the visage of the notorious Men In Black, and as the name suggests, appears very thin and able to stretch his limbs and torso to inhuman lengths in order to induce fear and ensnare his prey. Once his arms are outstretched, his victims are put into something of a hypnotized state, where they are utterly helpless to stop themselves from walking into them. He is also able to create tendrils from his fingers and back that he uses to walk on in a similar fashion to Doc Ock, the Spider-Man villain in the Marvel Universe. The superhuman stretching ability could also be seen as a similiarty between himself and Mr. Fantastic of the Fantastic Four. Whether he absorbs, kills, or mearly takes his victims to an undisclosed location or dimension is also unknown as there are never any bodys or evidence left behind in his wake to deduce a definite conclusion.

If this can be done now days - when people should know better - imagine what they could do over a thousand years ago when everything was passed by word of mouth...How can anyone believe that any kind of holy book, without some corroboration, is the absolute, word for word, truth?

if you find any other made-up myths or find some odd pictures and want to make up some boogie men of your own...

The whole thread is fairly good for ideas and pictures...
forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3150591

[John E]

That's awesome. I always wanted to start an urban myth and see if it catches on.

[apedant]

Mar 7, 2010 15:46:14 GMT -5 John E said:

That's awesome. I always wanted to start an urban myth and see if it catches on.

I've been trying for a rumour that Gordon Brown actually died in October 2001, but due to the events in America "they" didn't want to have the instability of the Chancellor (for those unfamiliar with British political appointments read finance minister) dying, so they replaced him with a double. He was so controllable, being one of "their" people that they arranged for him to become PM.

There is actually a drunken bet, if I can grow the legend to the extent that like the originators of crop circles I can come clean and the conspiracy nuts still believe it then I win £50. I really need to get going with a crazy-ass website and maybe membership of ATS, but it seems like too much effort.

[kristine]

Mar 7, 2010 18:44:56 GMT -5 apedant said:

Mar 7, 2010 15:46:14 GMT -5 John E said:

That's awesome. I always wanted to start an urban myth and see if it catches on.

I've been trying for a rumour that Gordon Brown actually died in October 2001, but due to the events in America "they" didn't want to have the instability of the Chancellor (for those unfamiliar with British political appointments read finance minister) dying, so they replaced him with a double. He was so controllable, being one of "their" people that they arranged for him to become PM.

There is actually a drunken bet, if I can grow the legend to the extent that like the originators of crop circles I can come clean and the conspiracy nuts still believe it then I win £50. I really need to get going with a crazy-ass website and maybe membership of ATS, but it seems like too much effort.

first you have to generate lots of unsubstantiated rumors like photo shopped pictures of him with a ring on one hand and then on the other after October of '01 - show any minor change in how he talked about policy before and after October (misquote him if need be) - Let people know he has gotten rid of his favorite dogs because in October they they mysteriously turned against him...tie it in with an already established theory like one of the 'mysteries' surrounding Diana's death.

This is more of a conspiracy theory then a superstition or monster but still...fun to be had there.