While videos and pictures may appear as evidence, experts can easily regard them as being Photoshopped.
While one can acknowledge the apparent attraction of his character, there is noįactual basis for any of the claims associated with the stories surrounding Him. On the other hand, there is no substantiated evidence to support the actual existence of Slender Man. In this way, Slender Man can seem very real to a child (Brodskey, 2017). A sense of belonging is not to be underestimated. In these circumstances, a powerful image, whether He is seen as insidious or dangerous, can be comforting. Often times, children in these situations feel ostracized, or as if they are outsiders from their communities. Children are impressionable, especially those who are lonely or suffer from a broken family or bullying. Without parental supervision, or the general understanding of what is and isn’t real, the apparent “evidence” of stories and videos seem overwhelming (Brodskey, 2017). Mainly, they are middle school aged children who have alone time on their internet devices. The believers of Slender Man are young, impressionable, and vulnerable. He was merely created, and believed.įor the believers of the Slender Man legend, evidence may seem to abound. Slender Man is a being that is not founded in scientific fact, nor is he substantiated by any actual evidence. While there is countless information devoted to this character online, belief in Him is undoubtedly extraordinary. Over the last few years, the popularity of the legend has tapered off, though there are still some blogs and video games dedicated to the character (Kim, 2019). Between 20, there were countless stories and videos circulating the internet focusing on Slender Man (Kim, 2019). The legend was most popular in the immediate years following Knudsen’s Photoshop contest. Videos shot with phones or low grade cameras allow footage to appear realistic, and actor commentary adds to the authenticity (Brodskey, 2017). They are presented as true, and made to seem authentic or realistic. These sources offer artists own personal depictions of the Slender Man legend. “experiences” popped up on sites like Creepypasta and Wikia (Cohn, 2018). From there, the image inspired writers and film makers to create their own similar interpretations. He superimposed an image of a dark figure onto 1980’s photographs of children playing in parks (Cohn, 2018). The original image of Slender Man was developed by an artist named Eric Knudsen in a 2009 Photoshop contest for the web forum “Something Awful”. Information regarding the actual legend of Slender Man can be found through a variety of means. In other interpretations, he is seen as a vicious killer who feeds on young children (Brodskey, 2017). In terms of His character, sometimes he is depicted as a “dark guardian angel” who is sent to rescue children from their abusive families, or from bullies. Depending on the interpretation, he can cause a variety of symptoms such as memory loss, insomnia, paranoia, distortions of the mind, and incidences of teleportation (Kim, 2019). He has long, spindly arms, sometimes multiple, like a spider. However, he is typically depicted as a tall, thin man who wears a black suit. His image and belief set that is attached to him changes according to the particular person engaged in the story. There is not a definitive or canonized belief system pertaining to Slender Man.
No matter the nature of the “origin” story, Slender Man persisted through countless adaptations and has become an insidious example of the power of imagination. So intoxicating is this legend, that some even followed the stories to violence. A mysterious and adaptable figure, Slender Man captured the minds of countless youths across the world. A modern day example of an urban legend is that of The Slender Man. These characteristics make all sorts of urban legends persist through the ages. They are moldable, usually change depending on who is telling them, and are often relayed as experiential. Though no one story is the same, urban legends offer the same general structure. Urban legends present a unique group of stories that have captivated minds for centuries.
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