[UA] New artifact and ritual as an urban legend

Liam Astley esp.horsepie at btinternet.com
Tue Apr 24 16:05:39 PDT 2001


From: "Cassady Toles" <Con_Job at excite.com>
Subject: Re: [UA] New artifact and ritual as an urban legend


>
> So you wouldn't have heard of it word of mouth then...
>

we're not part of the subculture that i mentioned as an example. the
homeless street kids are. they don't have the internet, or for that matter
much access to books or other printed media. half of them probably can't
even read. yet entirely through word of mouth they seem to have built up a
fairly complex set of modern myths involving ghosts, demons, the battle of
armageddon and the feeding habits of angels.

while i agree that the details of these stories alters from case to case,
and think this if nothing else is evidence that a core story can spread
through a subculture without being written down. the fact that we've been
able to find out about it doesn't stop it from having being created in the
first place.

when it comes to the UA gun example, i don't see how it could become
"public" knowledge or come under the scrutiny of the FBI (or whoever). that
doesn't make much sense if no one can write down anything about it. but i
could see it being one of the various rumours floating round the OU (like
the naked goddess tape, or the existence of the sleepers).


liam


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