True Lore or real horror?

Just when it seemed that the whole vampire craze had abated, more encouragement for the vampire-obsessed surfaced. As if movies, books, a TV show and Twilight paraphernalia weren't enough, New York native Joseph Gambit has created True Lore, a social networking website for "members and practitioners of the lost arts," which can include vampirism and werewolf-ism.

With its slogan "where magic meets truth," True Lore encourages users to share pictures, videos and other media that are testimony to the existence of magic, folklore and the paranormal. The web site states that these pieces of information will be compiled on the website "in the hopes that through this wisdom, humanity can be saved." The site does not specify what exact aspects of humanity vampirism and werewolf-ism have the ability to save. I guess we'll all have to stay tuned for that.

True Lore operates much like Facebook in that members have profiles with pictures and information about themselves, but the information is more in-depth than mere relationship status and birthday listings. Members have the opportunity to make public their specific magical beliefs. They can also reveal secrets about their identity, such as being "master of the secret torture," as someone stated, or a person who "protected the realm of magic from the realm of human stupidity for centuries," as another declared.

Although extremely realistic people, and perhaps others who are merely sane, may feel a bit weirded out by this seemingly cultish group of people, many of whom have utmost confidence in their own magical abilities, there is something positive to be said about True Lore. Despite its encouragement of the unreal, the web site is an understanding community for those who probably can't find support for their beliefs elsewhere. Instead of being shunned or tormented on other social networking sites for their strange ideas, Wiccans, vampires and wolves in human form (or just those who believe in such things) can find and communicate with others who share their same outlook on life on True Lore.

So as far as I'm concerned, True Lore is harmless - though creepy - and should continue to be an inspirational community for those who feel like they're outsiders. People should be allowed to believe what they want and be what they want, even if it is a vampire. Just as long as they permanently postpone this whole saving of humanity business they have in mind.