Lore 265: Friend or Faux (ad-free) (Patreon)

Many creatures in the world of folklore are inventions designed to fulfill one purpose or another. But if the stories are true, some of those inventions haven’t been satisfied with remaining in our heads.

Narrated and produced by Aaron Mahnke, with research and writing by GennaRose Nethercott, and music by Chad Lawson.

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Sources:

• Bender, Lauretta, and B. Frank Vogel. "Imaginary companions of children." American Journal of Orthopsychiatry #11.1 (1941): 56-62. https://archive.org/details/imaginary-companions-of-children-lauretta-bender-m-frank-vogel/page/61

• David-Neel, Alexandra. Magic and Mystery in Tibet. (Penguin Books, 1931) chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://www.theosophy.world/sites/default/files/ebooks/magic-and-mystery-in-tibet1931.pdf

• “The History of Tulpamancy.” Tulpa.io. September 24, 2018. https://tulpa.io/history-of-tulpas

• Lovecraft, H.P. Selected Letters V.  (Arkham House, 1976). Letter 5.335. (H. P. Lovecraft to Virgil Finlay, 24 Oct 1936)

• “Man Resurrects Childhood Imaginary Friend Using AI. Then It Tried To Murder Him.” IFL Science. April 20, 2022. https://www.iflscience.com/man-resurrects-childhood-imaginary-friend-using-ai-then-it-tried-to-murder-him-63378

• Mikles, Natasha L. and Joseph P. Laycock. “Tracking the Tulpa.” Nova Religio: The Journal of Alternative and Emergent Religions Vol. 19, No. 1 (Aug., 2015), pp. 87-97 https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.1525/nr.2015.19.1.87

• Night-gaunt. Lovecraft Wiki. https://lovecraft.fandom.com/wiki/Night-gaunt

• Svendsen, Margaret. “Childrens’ Imaginary Companions.” Archives of Neurology & Psychiatry Vol 32 Iss 5.(1934). Pp 985-999 https://archive.org/details/sim_american-medical-assoc-neurology-psychiatry_1934-11_32_5

• Taylor, Margery. “The Illusion of Independent Agency: Do Adult Fiction Writers Experience Their Characters as Having Minds of Their Own?” Imagination, Cognition and Personality Volume 22, Issue 4 (June 2003). https://doi.org/10.2190/FTG3-Q9T0-7U26-5Q

• “The Truth About Imaginary Friends.” Science Friday. May 25, 2016. https://www.sciencefriday.com/articles/the-truth-about-imaginary-friends