What_is_a_vampire

So, what exactly is a vampire? !

First i would like to make clear this article just represents the opinion of its own author regarding the subject discussed. Any resemblance between any part of it and any other source is because we all are digging in the same mine in our search for the truth.

I am convinced that no one knows it all. and however hard i try to cover all aspects of the subject, still i would miss something behind, and even if i don't, this attempt remains a mere personal opinion that may or may not get approval of others.

So what is a vampire? and who exactly holds the right to claim the title of a real vampire?
Let's start by the lamest way to define anything, the dictionary.

Webster's New English Dictionary "Pocket Edition" defines a vampire as: 1: the body of a dead person believed to come from the grave at night and suck the blood of persons asleep.
2: a person who preys on other people
3: a bat that feeds or is held to feedon blood.

Why the hell look it up a dictionary? because almost everyone in the vampire community has his own definition to the word "vampire", it doesn't stop there, but his own spelling to the word as well. So i thought the best way to look at anything is from a distance, the same way anyone from outside the community would look at it.

Okay, back to Webster's definition, clearly we are neither dead (not undead of course!), nor we are bats!
By exclusion, that leaves us with the second definition: "a person who preys on other people". So is that what a real vampire is?

Before we answer that, you have to remember that the word real is so damn relative, and personally i will try to avoid using it from now on. To mundane people, yes those are the real vampires, the ones they watch in movies, on T.V. and read about in fiction books, who massacre people to feed, immortal, can fly, turn into bats, and burst into flames when exposed to sunlight.

Is any of that true? NO, just pure myth, NONE of it is REAL in comparison to what we are.
What most people in the vampire community call a "real vampire" ( at lesat what I do for those who would accuse me of speaking on behalf of others ;)), is totally different, as i mentioned earlier, the definition itself widely varies from a group to another, here i try to express my own OPINION after doing some research on the subject.

A vampire is a being that HAS to consume life force energies (in form of blood, pranic energy, or any other form) from outside sources (other creatures or forces of nature) in order to survive or at least maintain a proper health standard. This is mostly because their bodies consume energy too fast (probably to supply for all the psychic abilities and enhanced senses they usually posses).

Of course all creatures need to feed from outside sources, this does not mean they are vampires, since they feed on natural physical nutrients, which are NOT sufficient to sustain a vampire

There are some beings or people that might practice vampirism in any of its forms though they really do not have to do so to survive. Personally I don't consider them true vampires, and in MY OPINION the main character that distinguishes a vampire from anyone else is that they MUST feed on blood or psychic energy to stay alive or at least healthy, this need is manifested in what we call "the hunger".

Spelling, another thing people fight over!!. Usually the big fuss is about wether it is "VAMPIRE" or "VAMPYRE". ( I can't beleive i am discussing this but people asked).
I have found the word "vampyre" is used by several individuals and groups in the community and each has a different definition for it.. here are some of them:

1. A vampire lifestyler: someone who might be a vampire or not (usually not a vampire) incorporating folkloric and fictional vampiric image in their life, gothic clothes and fangs for example . So far i think this is the most common use of the word.

2. A real vampire: (ouch, i said it again). Someone who matches the characteristics i mentioned earlier trying to define a vampire.

3. A mythological vampire: a vampire as referred to in folklore and fiction books.

4. A female vampire: i.e. vampyress.

See, that's why i prefer to stick to using the word "VAMPIRE" no matter what i am trying to refer to!!.