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Call for questions: MONSTERS. (Patreon)

Published:
2023-09-25 18:10:22
Imported:
2026-06

Content

Yes, a monster expert. Spooktober is brewing at Ologies HQ and I'm chatting with an author on the subject of monster lore, origin stories and the scary factor. 

I have a feeling you'll have a lot of brilliant questions, so load them up in the comments and as usual, I'll lob as many as my mouth can. 

Eeeee,

Wardface McPodcast 

Comments

RJ Doidge

…but do they do the mash? And is it a graveyard smash?

Anna Thompson

Why do we all get convinced the monster is living under our bed or in our closet as children? Why is it never "the monster in the bathtub"?

supernovakoda

what facts does everyone tend to get wrong about certain monsters/mythology/lore/etc?

Samantha McGarrigle

Are there similar trends in monster concepts between different mythology and legends?

Gabrielle Jolin

Book recommendations for monster stories and lore?

Cian verbridge

Have there always been a cycle of “popular” monsters? Like how everyone was obsessed with vampires and then zombies.

Matt Thompson

What were some of the first monsters? i.e. Babylonian or Mesopatamian?

Anna Thompson

What's the most common monster or theme across cultures? Is there such a thing as a "universal monster"

Eric Chant

We often see explanations of various monsters as being historic ways to explain diseases etc. To what extent does this seem true, what's victorian drama, and what's justifying after the fact?

Paige

Do you have a favorite monster or one you find the most interesting?

Beau Jarvis

How long have monsters existed throughout history?

Kate Oldham

First time question asker! I remember reading that the types of monsters that were popular a specific year were often connected to political leadership at the time (vampires were popular when republicans were in leadership, zombies popular during times of democrats in leadership). While I can see this looking at the early aughts, has then been true historically?

Anna Eeeee

where did the monster under the bed come from? is there some sort of folktale that started it?

aa.brown.bb

What makes cryptids separate from other monsters?

Meghan McLean

Why are the Icelandic monsters the coolest monsters? The King of Bears is a unicorn bear with red mutton chops—there can be no cooler monster.

Anna Eeeee

are ghosts considered monsters?

Verena Runstadler

Thoughts on the Frankenstein’s monster / Frankenstein debate?

Cole Irwin

Why are some monster ideas so pervasive across the world and others a bit more specific ? I’m thinking of the many Bigfoot-esque legends and werewolves and vampires, however where I grew up there are ideas of ‘melon heads’ which seems to be very specifically regional.

aa.brown.bb

Could you touch on how/why monsters have been adopted and loved by marginalized communities, particularly the queer/trans community?

Kristin 🦦

There are so many commonalities in types of monsters. What is the most unique monster story you’ve encountered?

Paul Smith

I 2nd this question!

Taniya Heuchert

Is the Loch Ness monster the pleisiosaur? I used to work at a museum that had a pleisiosaur skeleton and they looked very very similar…

Sarah Bohn

Do the same monsters exist in different ways in different cultures?

corvidthey

What is the difference between a cryptid and a monster?

Patrick Duffy

Have vampires and werewolves always been "enemies"?

Jenna Breiner

I am a full grown adult. Why am I still scared that there’s a monster in my closet/under my bed? Am I just a wimp??

Paige

Follow up, is there an obscure monster that you wish was more mainstream?

Sophie Philpott

If its not a monster under my bed, what is it? They sure made a mess under there

Alie Ward

Not too late to hook this up as a Halloween costume, right?

Zed Shirogane

How does one get into cryptozoology or related studies?

Thelonia Saunders

What came first, queer people seeing themselves in monsters/horror or monsters being queer-coded?

Naar

so exiting!! i’ve noticed that across so many different civilisations and cultures across the world and time that there’s a pattern of what sort of thing (disease, disaster etc) lead to a monster for justification and whatnot- and these monsters always have striking similarities! i’m not sure how to word this other than isn’t it crazy how peoples who, depending on the time period, won’t have even known the other groups existed, and yet they still have such striking similarities/consistencies in their monsters?

Nick A

Why are monsters so regularly depicted as low intelligence? What's stopping the rise of smart monsters?

Amy Johnson

Are there any consistent trends between the trendy monster in media and specific occurrences in reality? Like do zombie stories tend to coincide with outbreaks?

Chris Curious

Are there any "monsters" that turned out to be real animals?

Gemma

how has the colonial lens changed the way we view monsters?

Naar

a shorter question! what are some of your favourite/most bizarre rituals/wards you’ve come across to either worship or deter monsters across time?

Deacon Raid

What does the expert thing of the rise of monsters as a fetish? Monster fucking is big in fiction

Abigail MacKinnon

Monsters have historically been tied to cultural stories and politics. Do we see that happening in current culture? Or have we lost that with technology and the development of the global community?

BigHighFive

Can we take a slight deviation into Brothers Grimm and their stories? Were they aligned with other monster lore of their time or did they push things further into the darkness?

BolognaShoes

What is the best way to explain to my very curious and mature 3-year old that Monsters (TM) aren't real but the monsters we have stories of are based in some sort of reality?

Meghan McLean

I did the art direction for the cover of a role playing game my friend wrote: https://www.chaosium.com/mythic-iceland-2/ Had to get the king of bears on there. Perhaps you need an episode devoted to Icelandic folklore… there are some wild stories!

Brittney Corrigan

What's the strangest "real" explanation for a monster or cryptid that you've ever encountered?

Joel Henderson

Where do you draw the line between monstrous and monster? Demonstrate with examples, such as the vampire is monstrous while the were wolf is a monster.

Jen A.

What is the future forecast for moster lure? What do we have to look forward to?

Aeriel Belk

What if we were the real monsters all along?

Bee

From a cultural standpoint (at least in the United States) how has our relationship surrounding the concept of monsters changed in recent years?

Yuri

What is the evolutionary advantage to humans of creating the idea of and having fear of monsters, since it seems to be ubiquitous to human cultures? Are there any cultures that don't have the idea of monsters? Do any non-human animal cultures seem to have this idea of monsters too? Are all the animals fine and it's actually the humans that are the monsters?

Jen A.

Whale penis!! 🤣🤣🤣

Jen A.

I saw ET at about 3 years old. I still cant sleep with a closet door open!!

Dave Cannon

Why did my 3yo spontaneously start being worried about monsters and why can't I convince him they aren't real? For an actual question that can be answered, maybe, what's the best most unknown monster?

RoadLesTravelled

Movie monsters in my childhood always came across as aggressive giants thoughtlessly lashing out at humanity. Then I read 'Frankenstein', and saw 'Silence of the lambs', among other things, and began seeing monsters as fitting all shapes, being intelligent, and physically attractive ... until their inhuman behaviors came through. So it's moral and ethical behavior that determines monstrosity? We're surrounded!!!

Liz Haider

This was my question!!

Elta Sparks

What is the oldest monster origin story?

Sharon Rietveld

Anyone else absolutely terrified after Tailey-po was read to them in their elementary school library?

Janika Mäki

Werewolves are my favorite monsters! 🐺🖤 Why a wolf though and are there other examples of this kind of shape shifting in other cultures?

Sharon Rietveld

What is the difference between a yeti and bigfoot?

Euan Munro

OK this is a very niche question, but I always get very disturbed by the baddies in From Software video games (Dark Souls, Elden Ring). Lots of body horror type beasts, but was wondering if there is a speciality in people designing monsters for screen to be horrible?

ConnieConnieBoBonnie

What connection do you see between a cultures monsters and it’s prejudices? I wonder about marginalized communities in times past being cast as monsters. Or possibly people with power being portrayed as monsters, like bridge trolls representing the people who commodified a community resource that should benefit everyone? Are there monsters that changed in their presentation as the culture changed?

VibesandMoods

Are there any sources that suggest the monsters people are most scared of are from their own cultures or ones that aren't local? Like I find nessie is a fun little cryptid to the UK versus american myths of "not deer" and things that whistle back at night being terrifying

ConnieConnieBoBonnie

How does having monsters help us be good humans? How might it hurt that effort? I feel like monsters were used often by parents as a fear tactic to keep kids from doing dumb stuff. Do you still see that being a key function of monsters? Or are monsters more of a vehicle for metaphorically expressing the dark and scary parts of ourselves and society?

Aimee Bee

Ohhh I’d love to know the origin of the first “monster”. I’m a big believer that everything is born from some thread of reality. I grew up on a farm/ranch so I’ve seen two-headed lambs and calves born with one eye. Did a genetic mutation give rise to the birth of our very first monster? Have we even been able to trace back where the OG monster comes from? Cannot wait for this!

Between Dumplings

I think it's fascinating how universal and enduring monster stories are. Transmogrification never goes away but I wonder if there's any analysis about trends or reactions to world events that result in one or another type of monster appearing in our collective psyche?

The New Zoo Podcast

Real animals, people, and cultures are often referred to as “monsters” (e.g. a monstrous shark, politician, ritual). How can we overcome our (often unnecessary) fear of these monsters, so we can unmask them (like the Scooby Doo gang does) by simply understanding them better?

James Jakes

There is quite a fine line between folklore and religion. How/do you draw a line between monsters and religious beings? Also, the "Monsters, Myths, and Folklore" episode of "Um, Actually..." on YouTube is a hilarious must-watch if you're into this sort of stuff.

ConnieConnieBoBonnie

I’ve noticed a lot of cute monsters in the last few decades - monsters Inc, monster math, and, of course, Sesame Street, to name a few. Are they really monsters if they are cute and funny? What functions do you see cute monsters v scary monsters having? Is there overlap?

Nicole S

Why are they so sexy?

ConnieConnieBoBonnie

Why do you think kids love drawing monsters so much. My kids’ monsters are the best!!

Dianna Patreon

When did friendly monster stories start appearing?

Anika's Cat Arya

Of all the monsters in the zeitgeist, which does the ologist find the scariest or most compelling or most informative and why?

Anika's Cat Arya

Why have monsters become a staple in mythology/folklore across so many civilizations? What do they symbolise?

Noel Dietz

Does every culture have monsters? And if so, what are their similarities? What's the thing that scares all of us? (And if you ask my Q it's No-ul Deets.) 😍

Lily

What makes a monster?

Paulina Krasińska-Sroka

What's the difference between folklore, myth, legends, cautionary tales, religion and cryptozoology? (sorry if I missed any area) They all have monsters in them. How do you ascribe monsters to one or the other?

Michael Nichols

Why is the uncanny valley a thing? As in, what would be the evolutionary pressure to have a fear/strong dislike for things that were *almost* right than for things that were not?

Lily

How do cryptids come to be? How are modern monsters (like a slender man, moth man, Bigfoot, Hodag) different from monsters that seem to exist for long periods (like a banshee or minotaur or wendigo) ?

Paul Hoffman

Who is your favorite film monster from the 50's or 60's?

Ann Eby

Why are “kids” so afraid of monsters at bedtime? What is it about the dark that makes dangling your toes off the edge of the bed so terrifying?

River Canina

Seconding this question as a self proclaimed monster fucker

Nathan Howard

Does every culture have a SpOoKy season similar to Halloween, or is that a special case? And either way, why?

Super_Sara

I feel like monsters play an important role in all forms of entertainment. Monster movies (Frankenstein, It), monster tv series (monster high, Buffy the vampire slayer), monsters in card games (dnd, mtg) and video games (final fantasy). Even music, monster mash and purple people eater. I’m sure we have all told someone they are behaving like a monster. How do we even define this when there are so many different adaptations of the theme? Are aliens monster or are they their own thing?

Quincey Robisheaux

What do you think of monster narratives that are supposed to be allegories for real life difficulties like disability or mental health?

Mykenzie King

What is the difference between a mythological creature and a cryptid?

Kathryn Knopinski

Are monsters a way of distancing ourselves from humanity’s dark side? When we say that, for example, a pedophile is a monster, does that make us feel better because on some level we’re saying humans could never be so awful and they’re probably part snake or goat or something?

Kathryn Knopinski

Why are so many monsters combinations of different animals like the Minotaur? Why do we hate mash-ups?

Christine, Banana Split Lady

**First time question asker. I can't believe I'm asking this. When I was in the fourth grade I had an experience with a 'monster' that I cannot convince my brain was not real. I remember so many vivid details. Assuming monsters aren't real, why can't I let this go? I'm almost 40 and I still believe this was real. I know, it's weird. (She/her)

Sydonie S.

What are the most common motivations for monster stories/lore? Someone saw something, morality stories, etc.

Sarah Simmons

Would love to know the best and/or weirdest Monterster origin story they have heard.

Sarah

Thirding this question as another monster-fucker and knowing our question will get edited out for Smologies lol

Eating dog hair for a living

Where did the infamous monster under your bed start? And why the hell is he so scary cuz to this day, I can't not have covers over my feet.

Trevor Hagedorn

What monsters, if any, are based on possible extinct species combined with some embellishment during the campfire story telling?

Popita

Is it possible that the origin of the Kraken or other sea monsters was really just some sailor spotting whale dicks?

Ellie Frances

Cryptids seem to have their own strong following, why are they so interesting??

Maja Lecher

How much is religion intertwined with the concept of monsters? As in the chicken-and-egg question: does religion tend to influence the depiction of monsters in the general population or is it more the other way around?

Jeanette-o-saur

I'd love a good discussion of the ways we've historically turned disabilities, abnormalities, and even xenophobia into scary monsters. Are we getting better at not monsterizing people for being different? Will we ever get better?

Dave Langlinais

Why is it that Eastern European folklore has so many variations on particular monster types, and types of monsters otherwise unknown in folklore from other parts of the world? For instance, in Andrej Sapkowski's "The Witcher" series, which draws heavily from Polish folklore, there are seven different types of vampires (!!) SEVEN! The rest of the world has, like, what - two? Maaaybe three different kinds of vampires? Are the Slavic regions some giant "folklore melting pot," or something?? (they boast FAR more monster lore than just vampires, that's just one example) Also, how do you neutralize the smell of garlic? Asking for a friend...

Nicole Kleinman

I heard that a dragon is a sort of amalgamation of all of early humanity’s/ primates main destructors/predators. Tree cats, snakes, predatory birds, fire. Any insights on this?

Olivia Eliasson

Is it true that we can see what society was afraid of based on what monsters were popular at that time? Ex. Nuclear threat vs. mutation monsters.

Kyle hunter

What monster story do you most believe is real???

Margot Louis

What’s the scariest monster in your opinion?

Margot Louis

What is the exact definition of “monster”? Are some politicians real life monsters or are they just garbage people?

Leila Laco

Is Wales the only country to ever use a monster/mythical creature as an emblem or on a flag?

Kieran H

Where did the “monsters under the bed” idea come from?

Ron

Which monster stories have an origin based on true events?

Margot Louis

Why do I identify with monsters?

Margot Louis

What’s your favorite monster?

Margot Louis

Are there a monsters who not scary at all and might even be cute? Was Stolas the Owl Demon supposed to be scary? Because he looks pretty cute to me

terry goss

Are all folkloric monsters some regional variant of the same basic fears (mortality, predation), or are there some that are very culturally specific? That another culture wouldn’t/ couldn’t experience?

terry goss

E.g., in the modern era, Godzilla is a symbol that is very close to the mid-20th century Japanese people in particular, but specifically not the product of millennia-old “Human” fears, so to speak. (?)

Alex B

How have “monsters” changed in the 21st century?

Leah Anderson

Have you read the Malazan Book of the Fallen series? (the best, very best, ever) How does world building in fiction contribute to the plausibility of monsters?

Vincent Beck-Jones

Psychologically, why do we need to invent monsters? Isn't life scary enough without making things worse for ourselves?

Susan C Lester

The book Frankenstein raises the interesting question of "Who is the monster?" Is it Victor Frankenstein or the creature he creates? Or, are they both monsters in different ways?

Mary Mattheis

Of the many monsters that exist in lore, which one(s), if any, do you think most plausibly could exist or at least could have existed sometime within human history?

Abbi Lawson

What's the deal with monsters and horniness? Everyone is SO horny for monsters (and look let's be honest, I'm no exception) - sexy vampires, rugged werewolves, Guillermo del Toro... Is there a pyschological reason behind this? Or cultural?

Emmett

Does the antiquity of a monster add to the fear factor? Are monsters of old scarier than monsters created today? Plus, where do you see humans today primarily pulling their monster inspiration from?

Enthralling Victor

Pokemon, AKA "Pocket Monsters", have had a huge impact since they came out in 1996. I came out in 2006...*awkward laugh*. What's your favorite Pokemon? Is there one with a particularly interesting connection to "real-world" monsters?

Enthralling Victor

In case anyone wants to know, my favorite Poke is Shuckle :)

WendiSoup

After I had my daughter (my first and only child), it's like my scary gene got turned off. Movies and books that would have made me lose my mind before don't even raise my blood pressure at all now. Any idea what gives?

Jess Loeffler

What can we tell about cultures based off of the monsters they made up?

Cate Muenker

What's the smallest monster in monsterdom? Why are sea creatures often part of folklore? Especially octopuses: Na Kika and Kanaloa, the Kracken, and Ursula (or is she just Disney-created?).

Jean Pompeo

Are the yokai depcited in eastern media (anime) and history scarier or more creative than the monsters of the west? Are the monsters of a culture representative of their morals or ethics? Does thinking about monsters give one perspective about things we consider to be "good" in the same way that thinking about death gives perspective about life and being alive?

Will Clark

What is the relationship between logical reasoning and fear? Specifically, the fear after seeing a scary movie or other fear generating events.

Britt Kline

1. How many/which monsters arose from fear of women and our hormones/bodies/wisdom, etc? 2. Why did I LOVE taking in scary media as a teen and canNOT handle it now (so HSP)? I *tell* people it’s because real life is scary enough that I don’t feel the need anymore to absorb extracurricular horrors…Though I do very much appreciate dark fairytales, lore, myths, etc. A little scary is ok. Just not anything too realistic - or too over the top. I do feel like a weenie now. Which is ok. It’s just that - I thought we were supposed to get tougher as we aged?! 😂 #43yoHSP 🤷🏼‍♀️ I AM SO EXCITED ABOUT THIS EPISODE, WHOOOAAAA, BABY! Thanks, PodDad!

Britt Kline

👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼 GREAT question!

Coreen “the climate communicator” Weilminster

Throughout history, women have been"monsterized" for socio-cultural oppressive ends, dying for it, turning on each other for it, and kept in fear for being labeled as it -- hoping the author can spend time addressing Witches as monsters (as opposed to women with strong connections to nature, themselves, their sexuality, midwifery and healing herbs)....

Nathan-Andrew

I’m fond of the Icelandic Yule Cat, Jólakötturinn. Talk about a harsh fashion critic!

Coreen “the climate communicator” Weilminster

Also, since this almost autocorrected to "Witcher", now I'm curious if the author has any thought about the Witcher series -- SO many creatively contrived monsters in that series! And let's be honest, now I'm thinking of Henry Cavill...le sigh.

Scarlet P

Are there any monsters that Americans/ western cultures seem to be uniquely obsessed with? And if so why might that be?

Average_pi

Thoughts on the movie monsters inc? Thoughts also on the idea of monsters under the bed?

BeckytheSassySeagrassScientist

I love it when the dragon is really the good guy. Are there super early examples in mythology/folklore about monsters turning out to be he heroes of the story?

Nathan-Andrew

Ooh, this is a good question! I second this.

Splophie

What about not deer, what's the deal? Why are they and other cryptids like them so much spookier than the traditional mosnters?

Kai Kishimoto

I'd love to hear a discussion of the intersection of monsters and disability

Steven Lee

Why can’t I have my feet exposed out of the blanket without the fear of a monster grabbing at them?!

Kelsey lore

What can we learn about different cultures by how we see monsters depicted differently between them?

Jodie Affleck

Are there any monsters that appear cross culturally, and what could that reveal about human experience or history?

Meghan McLean

Yes! I LOVE the yule cat. I have a mug I got at an Icelandic thrift store that has the yule cat on it. And honorable mention to the Christmas lads. Peeping Tom Santa, anyone?!

You Can Be The Judge

There is a theory that all popular monsters are an expression for some kind of mass societal fear or anxiety. Vampires being beautiful aristocrat-like creatures that will suck the life out of common people could be a seen as a reflection of the revolutionary period and its reorientation of upper classes from de facto god-willed rulers who were just born better...to evil monsters that view humanity as cattle made to quench their thirst... Or in our overpopulated distrustful society the idea of zombies reflects our inner discomfort by being surrounded by thousands of people daily who we know nothing about and could turn out to be a danger to us at any moment... Can you elaborate on that for us? Maybe give us a list of the major monsters and some of the theories that go with them. Or the differences between monsters of Ancient World vs. monsters of today?.... And how the same monsters reflected different fears depending on which society's imaginations they dominated? Sorry for the four-part question ( :

Nathan Marion

What fictional monster is likely most similar to the real life thing that inspired it

Dylan V

Vampires have gone from scary creatures of the night to romanticized sparkly friends. Have any other monsters gone through this transition? What were the original scary versions like?

Clay Mohrman

I've heard there is some form of dragon that appears in almost every culture's lore. Can you explain why you think this might be?

Kellee Toler

Follow up - is the answer dinosaur fossils?

Kellee Toler

Where did the word monster come from? I can understand creature, beast, etc, but monster seems so far outside them. When did this word originate, and from who(m?)?

Ed Matesevac

From time to time pop culture gets fixated on the monster version of a “one hit wonder” what mechanisms allow the persistent staying power of things like the Loch Ness monster or Bigfoot?

Ed Matesevac

Do monsters serve a role in cultural concordance?

Sam Phillips-Corwin

Sleep paralysis inspired monsters? I've had sleep paralysis all my life and frequently hallucinate monsters around and under my bed. One time a disembodied head laughed at me from my sock drawer; another time a rat with wings crawled through my hollow body in my college dorm room. I didn't look into it further, but the Wikipedia page said that some alien abduction experiences may have been sleep paralysis.

Sam Phillips-Corwin

I always assumed that monsters came from the subconscious, with people dreaming, hallucinating, or misinterpreting something they saw in the woods while they went to the outhouse. But is it possible that any of our classic folklore monsters were purposefully made up? Not talking about Hollywood here, but the monsters that get passed down through stories over generations.

Mariana Gonzalez-Rul

Seems to me that the creation of monsters by the rulers or people in power to generate fear over who they rule is a very efficient way of controlling others, being religion leaders, tribe leaders, or even the parents of children. The threat of the evil monster that will get you if you do not do as they tell you, seems to be very common in all cultures and religions as well as in families all over the world. Am I wrong or is there some truth to this theory?

Abby Grieb

Why are some people so thrilled by the idea of seeing a monster or love horror movies, while other people are completely terrified?? I cannot watch scary movies and have no desire to, but other people love them and I just don’t get it!

Jaarmst

How did the word “monster” take on alternative meanings. “That’s a monster burrito!” “I have a monster headache”

Jaarmst

Why don’t we have “Spirit Monsters?” Maybe we do and no one told me.

Audrey Ayers

Are mummies monsters? Do monsters have to be make believe to qualify as monsters?

Ryan Homer

Where does the "riding a broom" come from for witches?

Karen Tam

Best horror movie featuring a monster of some sort (in your opinion)?

Annmarie Everhart

What are some monster myths that transcend very different or distant cultures? Such as the bigfoot/yeti myth being found in cultures around the globe.... or at least that's what they said at the Bigfoot Conference I went to ;)

Julie-Anne

I've heard that various monster-flavour rise and fall in popularity with economic trends (e.g. vampires during times of boom, and zombies in time of bust). Is there any solid research supporting that people gravitate towards different monster-myths depending on their socioeconomic conditions?

Matt Lundberg

How does the Medusa myth, with its transformation of victims into stone, symbolize or relate to the primal instinct of prey response (fight, flight, or freeze) when faced with a formidable predator, both in the natural world and in the human psyche? Does this harken back to an ancient, deeply ingrained “primal” memory?

Madeline DLC

Are lucky, friendly, or helpful monsters considered to be true monsters? Do monsters have to be bad to be considered monsterous?

Sriya Karra

Are there any lesser-known monsters that deserve more attention in the area of monster lore? -Sriya (Sree-yuh)

Jordan Irons

What is your favorite cryptic?

Kendall M

Why have some monsters like vampires and werewolves become sexualized like in twilight and vampire diaries and why haven’t other monsters had a similar treatment?

FondoDondo35

Are many monster stories the result of bizarre medical conditions? Which ones are projections of psychotic behaviors?

FondoDondo35

Oh and you have to ask about the Chupracabra - whatup wi that?

Cameron Brown

Why are humans so obsessed with monsters 🥲

Sarah Meaden

What's the difference between a cryptid and a monster? Just localization?

Matt Hirschl

What country has the highest percent of the population that believes in monsters?

Finlay

do you find that monsters are used as a political or societal way to make sure people don’t do certain things?? if that makes sense

Kathleen C

What are some the monster archetypes that cross many cultures globally?

jen baker

Other than vampires and werewolves, are there examples of monster legends that created real world response. I am thinking of the coffins found with stakes in them.

Lindsay Mayer

Do you think there will be new iconic monsters or will the future just hold reiterations of vampires, zombies, werewolves, Bigfoot, etc.?

Patrick Shaw

Are there examples where a “monster” in one culture is revered in another?

G.Sil

What monster's popular representation is furthest from it's origins? Like Frankenstein.

Daniel Gill

Any lore about benevolent monsters or is the word monster inherently negative m/evil?

Lauren Ledesma

Interested in the use of monsters in parenting across cultures! For example the Qalupalik in Inuit culture. How common is this kind of monster tale across the world?

Photo Geegee

What's the coolest, weirdest, or creepiest monster you've heard of?

Photo Geegee

Once I read "Picture a monster. What makes it a monster?" And it sort of changed my perspective on everything forever. So what truly makes a monster? Is it how it looks? How it acts? Something deeper? Can anything or anyone be a monster? Or can nothing and no one be?

Photo Geegee

What's the oldest monster story?

Connor they them

Monster vs cryptid? I would say the chupacabra is a monster and bigfoot is a cryptid. But fundamentally they are the same thing. Both animals that some people believe exist, that are extremely dangerous, but we have, depending on who you ask, little to no proof of them. What causes the distinction?

Connor they them

Can you talk about humanoid monsters (vampires, werewolves, zombies, mummies, etc...) vs non humanoid monsters (hydra, dragons, kraken, etc...) It seems like ancient societies tended to have more animalistic monsters while modern societies have more humanoid monsters. Is there any psychology that might explain that? My theory is that modern people have conquered the animal kingdom, but death, which is what the most common humanoid monsters revolve around, is something even with all our technology we can't conquer.

Keely Chavez

I come from a land of many monsters and ghosts. What common themes (cultural religious?) commonalities which lend themselves to the appearance of more of these instances in folklore?

Cole Irwin

This. I want to know why we’ve shifted towards humanoid monsters. I wonder if there’s something about us facing our own humanness and human problems that now get placed into a more anthropomorphic character rather than something entirely inhuman. That is, the true horror and allure becomes the closeness/resemblance rather than otherness.

Cole Irwin

I read about a rock that will absorb you/eat you and it reappears different places. This is in north west Massachusetts where the Blair witch project was filmed. What are some of the more out there types of monsters. Is a rock a monster? Do monsters need to be an animal? Does it need to be carbon based? Are there cloud monsters? I can’t sleep

Zoe

I kinda want to tag on to this and ask how these myths end up popping up across the globe! Hope you don't mind Annmarie :P

King Donna

What's the lamest monster? I have researched and illustrated monsters from around the world and the worst I've heard were just garbage excuses for murdering adulterers 😆

Ruby Chan-Frey

What's your favorite poem/song/etc about monsters?

Kleb

Why do we create them? Is there an intrinsic need in the human mind to fear something? Do people with psychological trauma enjoy it as well, or do they have that slot in their minds already full? Wondering if there is any correlation.

Kleb

Hey internet Dad! Can we talk zombies? Why we love the idea so much? Psychologically it feels like a way of de-humanizing people to allow us to have an escape valve (which historically is a dangerous mechanism, as we know). But do we all need that scape valve? It feels like it mixes the need to fear (from my other question) with the 007 license to kill. Also that "the works is yours, do whatever you want" relief flow (as thinking about winning the lottery).

Olivier Calas

Is it fair to say that every single one of us has its own conception of what constitutes a monster?

Erik K

What makes someone/something a monster? Is there a certain amount of change from being a human or a certain amount of change an animal has to go towards human to make it a monster?

Marlis Cheeseophile

Monsters often seem associated with human creativity and a lack of subsequent human control... like we summon or conjure or create things and then they run amok... golems, Frankenstein's monster, ai... monsters seem associated with human desperation or innovation and then become a hip check or parable about hubris. Are all monsters projections of human anxiety or recklessness or lack of foresight? Hmm... and what about the Windigo?... I have friends here in Minnesota who take the Ojibwe Windigo very seriously. Windigo seems to stand in the same pantheon of unchecked human impulse. Thanks for summoning the Children of the Night!

Carsyn

There are many monsters/ cryptids that have been adopted as queer icons like the mothman (my personal favourite). Why do you suppose that the queer community has such a connection to them? Carsyn (they/ any pronouns)

Holly Cole

Are fears that monsters live under the bed or in the closet, universal? If so, why? Also, what the hell is a Kracken? I guess that’s really 2 questions.

Allison Holloway

How would you say the overall role of monsters in society has changed with changing technology and media? For instance, video games, in which monsters typically provide some kind of procedural opposition, have a very different way of thinking about monsters from horror movies, folktales, or visual arts.

Spencer Parks

In your opinion, what are some of the best and worst monsters in film?

Sarah Cork Henderson

The fact that so many people have an issue with letting a body part hang over the edge of the bed because the monster under the bed may grab you...even adults...suggests that this is a deeply inate fear. Could this be an evolutionary advantage so that you don't get bitten by snakes or scorpions or whatever may have hung out under your cot back in the ancient days?

Molly

In this day and age, do we prefer - in our literature, movies, etc. - a lovable monster protagonist or to collectively fear a monster foe? When and why do the prevailing winds change on this cultural feeling?

Lizzy

have you ever had a monster in your closet?

Lisa P

I’m curious about monsters and our fear of the other, the different, the unknown. How have monster stories kept us safe and how have they harmed us?

Mercedes Maitland (Lead editor, Ologies)

If you haven't already, can you talk about the relationship between monsters in folklore/storytelling and their culture's views on morality/values/taboos? And does the ologist see that relationship continue to the same degree in modern monster stories?

Mercedes Maitland (Lead editor, Ologies)

Also also, idk if aliens fall under "monsters" but are bad-guy aliens (you know, the abducting and probing kind) just some kind of freudian expression of our shame about the way our own species has treated animals and others we see as less human?

Mercedes Maitland (Lead editor, Ologies)

I've often wondered if maybe we've held onto the memory of other species of humans through stories that have just gotten more and more outlandish over the millennia. I mean, neandertals were more physically robust, lived in colder climates before sapiens, and probably came up with wearing furs before sapiens did!

Christine Wenzel

What's the deal with the romantic monster plot lines in books/tv/movies in the 2010's? Where did it come from and is it part of a cycle of monster romance literature throughout history?

Cnidarian Knight

How has the definition of “monster” changed throughout time/civilizations

Shealyn Wippert

What is the most commonly known "monster" around the world. The one under the bed or in the closet? Big foot, chupacabra? Some version of skin walkers?

Kayla Pilcher

Why does everyone know the hatman :(

Emily Staw-fur

When is the lore of monsters beneficial? I'm thinking like Loch Ness Monster bringing tourism to Scotland.

Greg Walloch

Is man the scariest monster?

the ren you know

Do you think it's possible that there are any cryptids/monsters that were real, but have gone extinct before we could record any valid documentation?

Gwen Kelly

How much do you think people really believed in those monsters of yore? Did most ancient Greeks think that there was such a thing as a cyclops? Did 15th century map makers really believe in sea monsters? Did medieval peasants really think there were dragons out there, and just like, no one had seen any lately? Or is it our contemporary stereotype of medieval European peasants that they literally thought giant dragons were real?

Paulina Tarr

How are monsters from different cultures related at a given time? There are a bunch of mythological creatures that would be considered monsters, and I was wondering how those evolved/mutated into the monsters of today. How do the monsters that we fear change with age? Like when I was small I was scared of the dark but now I’m okay with it. Also generationally - it’s so interesting the difference between the monsters people fear. Like we don’t fear quicksand anymore but a few decades ago it was everyone’s fear!

Guido

What are some examples of a monster in folklore that it was revealed to be just a strange and elusive animal?

Ted Vician

Do you see new monsters (urban legends/cryptids) vs. classic monsters (werewolves/vampires) vs. ancient monsters (Scylla/Charybdis/giants) as expressions of fears over time? If so, is this a continuing trend?

Katie King

Do we know what the origin of so many similar cultural monsters are and how they are so alike? I mean monsters like the various types of dragons and things like Yeti/Sasquatch/Bigfoot that are similar myths in vastly different regions.

Katie King

Old monsters seem to be changing into creatures we love in modern media (kids shows like super monsters and monster high have them as the heros, and in YA media like Wednesday, Disney's Zombies, and the Twilight series). What seems to be replacing them in terms of what we fear (in both scary movies and as things that scare us)? Why do you think we are changing our minds about these monsters?

Tegan Moore

There is almost nothing as satisfying as “watching” a character being chased by a monster while you’re tucked safe under a pile of blankets and dogs (or cats if you’ve been infected by that brain-parasite). What is your preferred monster by which to be chased? Has this changed over time, or are you still running away from that first monster that gave you nightmares when you were seven?

Stephen

What was the first monster story ever recorded in history?

Mary Elizabeth Parks

Is there really a monster hiding under my bed trying to grab at my ankles as I wake up in the middle of the night to get some water???

Coda Kirshbaum

What is the history of the rougarou?? And how can diasporic legends of monsters teach us about changing population values?

J. David

What are the best ways to talk to kiddos about monsters under the bed?

Karen Seidler

Why are so many people convinced there is a bigfoot even without physical evidence.

Tristin Berg

I know every culture in the world has monster lore. But are there any that are more heavily laden with monsters than others? If so, why?

Storm

at what age should we stop being scared of the monster under the bed, asking for a friend…

StrawbrryMom 🍓

Is there a name for psychological monsters? Like I’ve noticed a fascination with getting stuck in “back rooms” in recent years. That feels more like a brain-y monster than, say, a ghost. Or my own fear of looking into a mirror at night. There’s a monster in there! Or at least it feels that way, and I don’t know what that’s called. First time question asker here. Thanks Dad!

Itzal De Urioste

This is my first question and it may be slightly strange, but is there maybe a chance that every monster comes from something happening in real life that people could not explain. Do you think monsters are simply our way of explaining scary unknown things?

Elizabeth Davis

Do you have monster takeover plans? Do you discuss what you would do if you met a vampire, a sudden zombie apocalypse, or got jumped by a werewolf in the woods? My family talks about this kind of thing all the time. I'd love to hear if that's normal.

Walt

Can any monster ever really top Grendel? Seriously, that is one scary Monster!

Laura Fitzgerald

I’m really curious about how the lore around regional monsters/cryptids develops over time, specifically in and around the United States where there are lots of different cultures and ethnicities living in certain sections of the country. For example, the Jersey Devil in the Pine Barrens of NJ where the population has historically been European (Swedish, Dutch, English) since colonization began VERSUS the Rougarou in New Orleans where the population has historically been of French (and thereby Cajun) descent. What do these specific types of monsters say about the cultures they spring from, as well as about the landscapes they come from? Is it always a tactic to frighten children into behaving well, or a way to explain away things people have seen and can’t explain? Does the United States’ history of being a “melting pot” make for interesting or at least more intertwined monster lore? Does that make it more difficult to pin down origin stories?

Hannah Maree

I learnt recently that a symptom of menopause is perceiving movement in your peripheral vision (when there isn't any movement). I can not begin to describe how comforting this is to know. Such good news I'm not seeing dark monsters that nobody else can see. I was seriously wondering if I'd lost my mind. Such good news! Anywho, is there any lore about women becoming channels to the underworld as they age?

Keely Chavez

Piggy-backing on Laura, we have La Llarona here in NM, and various versions further south (totally a scare kids to behave story). I am interested as she noted the intertwined or evolving story from one place to another and how much do you think religions have to do with them (scaring adults into behaving)

Cassidy palmer

Well now, i've got a heaping helping of this weirdness going on. Thank you for sharing!

mish the fish

what are the steps to the monster mash

Jae Steinbacher

I'm sure I'm too late, but if no one has asked why we find monsters sexy I hope that gets covered!!

Iso partee

Hi Ali! I played Grendel’s mother in a middle school play!! I had a very dramatic death on stage lol. Can we learn more about mothers of monsters ??

Rissaroni

I also came here to ask “why are we so horny for monster smut?” 👀

Gemma

what separates “good” monsters from “bad” monsters? is it anthropomorphic qualities?

curly fry

Have you heard of the Cucuy? If so, where does this originate?

curly fry

Where did monsters come from?

curly fry

What is the first monster in a story that we know of?

curly fry

How have monsters evolved in culture and what are the differences between monster stories in different cultures?

Toby Winn

Where can we find some and join them?

Evee Harmon

Why did we decide monsters live under the bed? Why don’t they live in like the bathtub or in the guest bedroom?

Miranda Garniss

(First time question asker) what's the best monster themed museum/ tourist attraction?

Lauren Barber

When did monsters first appear in history and literature? Why do we invent them?