LOST-Theories.com

so, you don’t think ghosts are scary or scientific? i don’t know… but ghosts freak me out. i would sure rather keep my life long streak of NEVER EVER seeing or encountering any ghosts EVER interupted. Trust me. I do not wish for the idea of running into something fuzzy/blurry or spooky whispers i can’t make sense of without a tape recorder on my way to the fridge at 3am for a hearty midnight snack to happen EVER…

besides, cartoons are fake. They are as real as ghosts. I still enjoy the occasional tom and jerry, and this island, well, it’s fake too. i hear people saying that they would be disappointed if there were ghosts, time loops, or if all this was in hurly’s head… does it really matter. I don’t think any of those things should matter. Even if some things are not scientific, all i want is for the writers to have an ending that explains everything. So, there can be ghosts, time loops, just so at the end they can make sense of ben, smokey, the others, dharma and it all fits in…

i have one questions about things being scientific. The cable in the water is supposed to be for communication with the outside world yet the people from the boat are able to have instant communications with people on the island even though there is an obvious time difference. I still have not read a decent explanation as to why communication is instant and rockets flying in are delayed. Does this mean that if the freighter on the ocean nearby were to offer wi-fi then our losties would be able to post their own theories on this website? nice…

+1 just to cheer you up before the next episode

I am with you here. I never believed that the apparitions were simply ghosts. My gut tells me that they are the direct result of an unbalanced equation concerning time.

If we are wrong and these spectors are infact ghosts, I for one will be very disappointed.

And I didn’t catch the picture frame easter egg thingy! How neat! I will have to rewatch the episode. Nice catch there!

+1

123165 - I understand what you’re saying… I hope you realise that I appreciate Lost is science fiction - and thus we are expected to tolerate a level of unrealism - but given the tone of how such a matter as life and death is to the show, suddenly opening the door to the afterlife is problematic for me.

And, for the record, yeah, I’d happily meet a ghost. But unfortunately ghosts never appear to people like me who fundamentally don’t believe in them. No, they appear to people who already believe in them or are open to the idea. Funny that.

Kat - my tea is ready now - but I will check out that link first chance I get.

(Why does that above sentence make me sound about ten years old?)

I have a feeling that they will explain the ghosts through a theory based on energy, telepathy and time travel.

It upset me a little when I read that the writers base all their scientific knowledge to build their theories for the show on Wikipedia . I’d expect them to do a more thorough research.

They are apparently under the influence of popular media and books such as the Secret or What the bleep do we know etc. which I don’t really appreciate.

And not just the ghost Miles communicated with, but there are so many types of ghosts! Someone on the show has to define the line between ghosts and visions created by either the characters, Jacob or the black smoke.

Btw, here is a theory on time-travel I found interesting, for people who might be interested, I’m not sure about its writer:

http://www.timelooptheory.com/the_timeline.htm

AngeloComet, very well written +1! I think it would be interesting if the show never really answers the question whether or not spirits really do exist. It’s all a matter of belief; it makes sense one way if you do believe (Locke), or there is a scientific explanation if you don’t believe(Jack). I think the point is you struggle to understand either way.

Bob, so long as there remained ambiguity for either point of view, yes, I’d be happy with that. Good way of looking at it.

About the picture frame, if you look closer you will notice that it’s not the same picture frame as the first one at all and that it’s actually on another wall.

hi comet

i know… to be honest. i do not like the idea of ghosts on the show… or the idea about it being the garden of eden… what i really like is the whole time loop time machine aspect… I guess that’s probably the group i fall under… we all have likes… i guess that’s what makes us human…

anyway… you have to admit… the show so far has been enjoyable… a lot of what’s on TV today is just BAD… real bad…

oh… i didnt’ think those images of dead people on the island were ghosts at the time but that scene with miles did kind of mess with any ideas i had about them not being ghosts… i’m hoping at some point there will be some sort of explanation for miles as there is for those polar bears being on the island…

AC, I see you have taken your “Rants” and have conformed them into a measure of civility!

Your thoughts and some observations, but NOT a legitimate theory, IMO.

Although you may not like the some of the “paranormal aspects” or “spiritual aspects” of Lost, they ARE part of the reality of the show. The writers have confirmed this many times. So, what’s the point??

While, I appreciate you share your thoughts, they lack in credibility. For someone whose interest and focus is on “the scientific aspects” of the show, denying the obvious, indicates your lack of understanding of them. How can you back up your claims in a legitimate fashion, otherwise?

This is positive criticism, and should be viewed as nothing less.

Nice work AC, I tried to +1 but for some reason it wont let me…spooky!

You know I’m as worried about this as you so I can’t really add much, other than…nah not the time or the place.

Ah your +1 has now been given.

maybe you’re getting too hung up on the word, “ghosts”- and all the connotations that it brings. I prefer “apparitions” or “dislocations”, and there can be many plausible scientific explanations for those. Anyway science is freaky enough to scare the heebee geebies out of me. We’ve got enough science to obliterate the whole planet in the blink on an eye! and thats progress?

All scientists are men of faith anyway. Science is foundered on faith, scientists every day have faith in their science. Faith in their numbers and equations, their tools and experiments, their theories and interpretations. They will say that their beliefs are not faith because they are based on logic. But logic is faith. Its all Yin and Yan. Atomic physicists now admit that 2 plus 2 does not always equal 4 and quantum physicists dont even know if they exist unless someone is looking at them! According to science the Universe and everything in it doesn’t actually exist from one nano second to another, there’s just a probability that it does/will. Scientists will really mess with your head man.

Not all cultures fear death. Native american indian is a good example.

Oops sorry I’ve rambled again. By the way, why do we presume the Freighter is a ship on a sea? I know that some of the podgasts etc have mentioned a ship’s name before and there may even have been some pretty pictures of a ship, but even so, how do we know that thats our “freighter.”

Sorry Dab

Should that last line read: This positively is criticism, and should be viewed as nothing less.

It would make more sense

Dab, your failure to understand my point is noted.

The theory herein is a discussion that the ‘ghostly’ activity as presented in the Miles flashback is not ghostly at all - and this would be more in keeping with the supernatural phenomena as so far depicted on the Island. (Honestly, with the standard of some postings and the recital of ‘theories’ well gone over, to be mealy-mouthed over how worthy of theory status my post is makes me depressed.)

To be clear. A genuine ghost is not a “spiritual aspect“. It is a genuine endorsement of life after death, or an afterlife. Miles’ remark of “You can go now,” appeared to emphasise as much. That remark, more than anything in the scene, concerned me the most.

Louis - everything else that explains apparently ‘ghostly’ activity as something else entirely is absolutely what I hope is the case.

Faith = Belief that does not rest on logical proof or material evidence. Science = systematic knowledge of the physical or material world gained through observation and experimentation.

I lock my door at night because science tells me that it will make it harder for someone to open it. I don’t leave it unlocked and have faith in the same result. If it turns out that there are “ghosts” in LOST I think that it would water down the other explanations of the LOST mythology. It would just seem lazy to have such intracate details in other aspects and then say, ” oh and this happened because of the ghosts”. That’s begging the question and it would suck…IMVHO.

Oh, and +1 from me AC. I agree with you entirely.

Atheist Christ - not only do we have the same initials, we share the same beliefs. I salute you! Common sense isn’t as common as people make out. . .

I agree and I salute you as well. I rarely comment but I do read the theories “religiously”… Ha! I commend you for your consistent insight and writing skills. To me, the whole “ghost” aspect would be as bad as, ” …and then they woke up”. I hope that is not the direction we are heading.

AC, It was NOT a failure to understand your point! My point, is that you made NO point! Therein, lies the difference!

Angelo, another enjoyable read, as always. +1

Unfortunately, this time, I just can’t agree. I’m enjoying Miles and do believe in spirits/ghosts. I just can’t wait for Miles to hear the Whispers!

I do, of course, respect your point of view and I know you’ll respect mine.

btw, you didn’t sound like ten years old at all and tea is good for the soul. lol

Personally, I am agnostic and am inclined toward scientific evidence. But many things such as ghosts, are those things for which we do not yet have the answers , and much of science is still pure speculation. There is something to “ghosts”, apparitions, whatever you want to call them, and other types of paranormal experiences, but just no accepted scientific explanation at this time. There has been no scientific proof, but then, science has not been able to disprove a lot of it either.

With that in mind, it’s not unreasonable for the writers to incorporate ghosts into the storyline. It’s also not unreasonable for them to provide no definitive explanation, because that is how it is in real life. It wouldn’t bother me at all.

However, given the already established “there’s something strange about time on the island”, perhaps there are “bleed-throughs” between present, past and future, as holes in whatever separates one time from another. They don’t have to be permanent or stasis, could shift. Allowing interraction between those of past with present, etc. Ghosts.

And what is this “tea” business? When the tea is ready, all else gets dropped in order to place all focus on the tea? This sounds like tea worship. On what scientific parameters is this based? Or is it merely faith which drives you guys to worship tea at prescibed times of the day?Coffee drinkers don’t have that problem. We can multi-task while drinking coffee.

“Faith is the substance of things hoped for…”

Although I believe in an afterlife, the immortal soul, and have seen a ghost, I understand the point you are making.

While LOST has been pushing the boundaries of the believable from the get go, why they had to continue I don’t know. There’s enough to chew already.

I may not be as put off by the ghost busting as you appear to be, but I too was hoping for less intrigue and more answers this season.

BTW, I was sitting with a friend when I saw that apparition and he was the one who asked, “did you see that?”

Before you ask… no, my friend’s name wasn’t Jack Daniels. ;)

All this talk of tea and the afterlife reminds me of Douglas Adam’s “The Long Dark Tea Time of the Soul”…

“With the most slight and gentle movements, trying to catch at the sound he moved his head round what seemed like a billionth part of a billionth part of a degree, slipped behind a molecule and was gone.”

No reason, just always loved that line. :)

AC, love your posts, they’re refreshing amongst the sea of madness on LT lately.

That said, if I’m forced to choose between ghosts and alternate time-lines, I choose ghosts.

The voices were of dead people, Sawyer seemed to be possessed by Kate’s dead father, ‘nothing stays buried’, Klugh choosing death, Mikhail coming back from the dead, people being visited in their dreams by the dead, people seeing visions of dead people in reality, ….it seems to me that there has been a pattern of post-mortem activity, and that time-travel has been a newly introduced theme into Lost that has really turned me off. Granted, every single instance I named most likely has absolutely nothing to do with ghosts or spirits(I’d bet on it, so fear not). But I think the topic has at least been ‘implied’ since early in season 1. However, outside of Desmond’s singular event of time-travel, that topic is more of a recent theme.

Obviously, I’d rather neither became a central theme, and hopefully the writers are just distracting us with these issues while more significant themes play out. I just think the writers have been asking us to wonder about death/ghosts for a little bit longer then ‘when are we’.

Personally I don’t think believing in the afterlife requires anymore suspension of disbelief than believing that Walt can have birds crash into buildings or sense the future from gripping Locke’s hand or that Desmond time-traveled, etc. The entire show starts with us accepting that people survived a horrific plane crash(including a dog & a pregnant girl)during which the plane was ripped in half. From that point on all of these fringe phenomenons, bizarre human experiences, & theoretical sciences come into play.

And don’t get me wrong, I’m not excusing the writers. But the reason I have problems with time-travel isn’t because it’s too far-fetched for the Lost universe…..it’s because I find it to be a corny topic that convaludes the story and puts too many scenarios & theories & loopholes on the table. In short, time-travel allows for groundless speculation like ‘the payload took 31 more minutes then Daniel thought….so what if Ben is actually future Ben coming back to the island and present Ben is hogtied in the Hydra? I think I’m onto something!’ etc etc etc.

Anyways, here I am being devil’s advocate on one of your posts again lol, sorry about that. I would like to add however that the introduction of Miles was the low-point of Lost for me. The second he plugged in the vacuum thingamabob I thought to myself ‘great, here we go, another tangent to occupy our minds while Smokie isn’t on screen for 2 more years’. If it wasn’t for the fact that Jeremy Davies is an incredible actor, I wouldn’t want the freighter team on the show at all, I find them all to be rather uncompelling.

+1

Not a theory, but a well written post that pretty much sums up the way I feel too. Explaining the mysteries of the island as “ghosts” seems like pretty weak writing…and would be an unfit conclusion to the show.

Having said all that, since I have so much emotionally invested in Lost, the day they do reveal that there are ghosts on Lost, I’ll still probably suspend my disbelief and just accept it, because it would hurt too much not to!

To clarify; in the UK (most particularly, the North of England), ‘tea’ (as well as being a hot beverage) is the name of the meal people eat at around 5-7 o clock in the evening when they get home from work. In the South of England people call this meal ‘dinner’. I suspect it’s also called dinner in the U.S. Point is, when I was going having ‘tea’ it was food, not a tea-break!

Anyway.

Great comments from everyone. I’m pleased this notion has chimed with a lot of people - one way or another.

Annie - I do respectfully disagree. As strong as my own views may be, I stick to the ethos that so long as it isn’t hurting anyone else, people are free to do and think whatever they want.

Ozzig - I like the ‘bleed’ idea; good way of phrasing it.

Rise - You’re no-bull stance is fine by me. Whilst I suspect there is some jiggery-pokery with time going on, I don’t think full-on time travel will be the way of it (otherwise I’ll share your disappointment).

Its an interesting point you raise AC. I for one would be disappinted if the ghost answer raised its head after 6 seasons. I did wonder why there was a focus on the picture in the “ghostbusters” scene. But after realising the different frames, I’m sticking with the idea that Miles thinks he’s a ghostbuster, but in fact he just has an ability to switch or merge different timelines so that it appears as if he is achieving the paranormal or unexplainable. Hopefully Lost will but a better spin on it than my explanation, but you get my gist.

Oh and concerning the Dab critique, I think its harsh (crap I’d better put that this is an observation rather than a theory to clear any misunderstanding up :P), especially considering the mire of absolute drivel that is appearing in some other theories recently. There’s nowt like consistency.

Anyway +1 AC.

I think part of the problem with theorizing on this program is that you can become fixed on your own idea of what the story is actually implying. The writers are two and a half seasons away from revealing the end game. We can speculate, but I think most of the supernatural events and mysteries have more than one explanation, so don’t let Miles spook you too much AC. +1

+1 as always. Not posted in ages but just had to mention this jem:

“To clarify; in the UK (most particularly, the North of England), ‘tea’ (as well as being a hot beverage) is the name of the meal people eat at around 5-7 o clock in the evening when they get home from work. In the South of England people call this meal ‘dinner’. I suspect it’s also called dinner in the U.S. Point is, when I was going having ‘tea’ it was food, not a tea-break!”

A damn shame we Brits are still teaching the Septics how to use English correctly.

To clarify; in the UK (Most particularly in the South of England), ‘septic’ (as well as meaning something that’s infected) is the name given to all Americans, originating from Cockney ryhming slang. In the North of England people call Americans (choose your word now, I have mine!). I suspect they’re also called that in America and around the world. Point is Septics, stop butchering our glorious language and learn the Queens English!

Angelo - My applause for trying to teach them

Hi AC, great post!

Down with Ghosts +1

I am with you… The idea of a Ghost in Lost wrong!

But since I love this show so much. I will give the writters/producers the benefit of the doubt: I was not an exorsism but a con played by miles in order to obtain the money…. we will see.

Thanks for clearing that up you limey >bleep< ;)

Is “convict” an acceptable euphemism for an Australian these days, Sham? Or is that too politically incorrect… Heh heh!

Cimmerian - It’s hard enough trying to get people to stop calling ‘the Swan Station’ “the hatch”… :o)

Septics? Although I gave AC a little ribbing, in relation to his post, I don”t recall having insulted his or anyone else’s nationality. And tea is known world-wide as a beverage. So now am I to understand that the local terminology of one small area of one country of the whole world is expected to be known by and/or taught to the remainder of the uncivilized world? And here I was, trying to understand why Britain has such a reputation for a big ego. As for us “septics”, we seem to be the first one everybody runs to for help whenever they have a problem of their own making. To insult everyone over here just because I teased AC was uncalled for. If Americans are such foul people, why have you even bothered to come onto an american based website to interact with us?

Ozzig, I figured Cimmerian was being lighthearted. And with a statement like “we seem to be the first one everybody runs to for help whenever they have a problem of their own making” I hope you are, too! (And if you’re not, I ain’t touching that comment with a bargepole!)

AC, perhaps you are right, and it was meant light-hearted. But septics? That hurt my feelings, I admit it. I have always bent over backwards to understand other cultures, including the British (many) cultures since so many are on this site. And then to be told how americans are called “septics”? Why?

I have to say my gut instinct when I saw Miles pull out his vacuum was to let out a groan. Purely a personal opinion but I would be disappointed if the show went too far down this route. I much prefer Ozzig’s suggestion on bleeding. +1

Dab -I understand that you may have higher expectations of AC, but given some of the dross that’s appeared on the site recently it seems a bit churlish to criticise this for not being a theory, especially given the debate it’s started here. I mean, it’s unlikely anyone will even read this commment given that the theory has been moved to page 2 already.

Cimmerian - I hardly think “tea” as dinner counts as the Queen’s English. If she asked you for tea you’d be lucky to get more than 2 cucumber sandwiches at 4pm :-)

Ozzig, I can’t answer for the “septic” comment. However, don’t get too downhearted. Whilst many of us ego-centric Brits are partial to sneering at our American cousins as being a) fat b) stupid and c) both fat and stupid those that really believe that outright against all Americans are as dismally unimaginative as the people they believe to sneer upon.

But that doesn’t stop me, and many like me, from acknowledging that you’re also a nation that produces great stuff, too. The majority of my current favourite novelists are American, my favourite films are American, and Lost, of course, is the best thing that happened to my TV.

Oreos are nice, too. And Disneyland is ace. It’d be nice if you could hold off from invading countries (same goes for us guys, too), of course, but no one’s perfect!

Cheer up!

(Now that’s lighthearted!)

Heh, Cimmerian opened a can of worms. Wasn’t it the taxation of tea in the colonies that started this whole mess?

AC,You’ll have to ask WTF if “convict” is considered a derogatory term for our friends down under AC. I’m a Yank.

I didn’t take any offense to the comments, but then I’ve been verbally sparring (light heartedly) with “your kind” from across the pond for quite some time now.

So, with that said, you queens can keep your proper English and your tea and shove it up your collective arses. ;)

AC, Your posts are ALWAYS well written! When I like your theories, I make positive remarks, and plus them. When I don’t, I provide honesty!

I gave an unadulterated critique of this post, which led you to suggest that perhaps, I lacked the intelligence to grasp your point!

I am NOT here to feed your ego! I presume that Lojozz does a pretty good job of that!

I am NOT angry, nor do I wish to continue any further discussion about it. You have made your views about “women in general”, abundantly clear, for all to see!

In future, when I respond to your posts, I will thank you in advance from refraining to make such ludicrous statements, and/or “the boys club” from taking “cheap shots” at me!

DDJ, You make very valid points, and I take no issue with them!

Regardless of the crap which has been posted on this site, AC is NOT the only one suffering.

I expect when I make comment, NOT to be disrespected! Simple!

Ozzig - septic is cockney rhyming slang for American (as in Septic Tank -Yank), but is little used, normally used for humourous ends: http://www.cockneyrhymingslang.co.uk/cockneyrhymingslang

I can understand why you feel a little upset but as a fellow Brit I really think that Cimmerian was trying to be lighthearted in his teasing (as I was in my post above to him). I think part of our British culture is a propensity for ironic humour and teasing

Sham - I feared I’d mistaken your nationality once I put the comment out there…! Curses! (And I just went and made good comments about your country, too, to further add insult to injury!) Good use of “arses” rather than “asses”. We’ll make an anglophile of you yet.

Dab - I have to tell you, I am engaged so, you know, all this flirting of yours is really going to have to stop… Heh heh heh!

AC, My preference is towards MEN! Sorry, to disappoint you!

Well, AC, I was teasing you, as I’m sure you know. I had no way of knowing that “tea” meant “meal” where you live. As has been pointed out, it’s a local terninology. It sounded as though you were saying that because a cup of beverage had arrived, you could no longer do anything else. That combined with your scientific stance was fodder for “tea worshipping” and I’m certain that the ridiculous manner in which I presented your “tea worshipping” made it plain I was just ribbing. But I was not insulting your nationality, which when you get down to it, is pretty much the same as mine a few generations removed. There are many cultures over here,,and sub-cultures within subcultures. I don’t expect anyone here to understand some of the words I could throw out there, so I either refrain or have no problem if someone asks (or teases.)

And a little teasing even on cultural differences is no big deal, but when it crosses the line into derogatory i guess I have a problem with it. And calling americans “septics” crossed that line for me. And why would british people have a problem with americans anyway, as our overall cultures have more in common than not? So some of the slang words are different, and we like coffee and you like tea, what is the big deal?

I apologize for the big ego remark, it was directed at the attitude that the rest of us should know a local term. I should have just told him to go choke on some possum and grits.

Too late AC - I’m afraid I became enamored with British culture when I was introduced to Monty Python as a young teenager. Later, traveling there in 1990 basically sealed the deal.

I look at our relationship with the UK as a kind of sibling rivalry. Despite all the preconceived notions and stereotypes, we all put our pants on (in your case knickers) one leg at a time. :-P

Takes me too long to type, I see a lot more comments than what I was responding to.

Don’tDisJack, THANK YOU for that. I guess I over-reacted then. The septic word got me. Over here, peoples “waste” goes into a “septic” tank to be broken down by bacteria prior to treatment.

This has so turned into the ridiculous. I will have to not tease AC anymore, I can see that now. All it ever does is lead to trouble.

Dab. I feed AC’s ego…now that is funny. Have you seen some of the battles we’ve had on this site. I’m the first one to shoot him down if i think he’s wrong and believe me i relish doing so.

I don’t understand why you think you can dish it in all directions and be immune to anything coming back. That said I’ve witnessed you have many fights on this site and of course you’ve never been wrong!

This is looking like 1776 meets the 60’s. The British vs the Americans AND women vs men! I’m sorry for my part in it.

I think we all need to lighten up a bit folks. Some things are getting blown out of proportion here.

This should be a fun place. A welcome break from reality. Like recess at school. Now come on, lets all hold hands and sing cumbya.

One thing and then I will shut up..

AC, you need to stop saying we women are flirting with you! If a guy like Lojozz does some bantering with you, you banter back and it’s all in good sport. But if a woman does the same, (oh, I don’t know, like say, me for example) she gets accused of flirting with you. And if a guy criticizes your post, you debate the points of it with him. But when oh, lets’s say Dab, criticizes, you say she’s flirting with you.

Now I know you don’t really think this, it is a tactic to get the woman in question riled up by embarrassing her, and believe me it works! But what you might not realize is that from a womans’ point of view, it also indicates that while you are taking men and their comments seriously, you are being flippant regarding womens. And I’m sure that is not the intent you have.

Ozz - you don’t have to change your attitude towards me. (You can guarantee I certainly won’t be changing mine towards you!) I’m not offended, and I like banter. The time is now six o clock. Tea-time!

Lojozz - I was going to refute the idea that you feed my ego… but then I thought it was more amusing to let the statement remain unchecked. You know, so people may actually believe it.

Sham you are right. Unfortunately, I have already made a comment that hasn’t shown up yet, but will. And it probably sounded harsher than I intended. I just meant it in an advice sort of way, but you know how things come across sometimes. I think I need a vacation.

I’m sorry, what’s that Ozzig? I was just reading “Men are from Mars and Women are from Venus”.

No matter… It looks like AC took it in stride as you intended. :)

A whistle blows… Recess!

Ozz - I think you’re just jealous that someone else has started flirting outrageously with me. It’s OK. It’s understandable. You’re only human.

Sham, you’re right! Hey! Let’s look on the bright side! New episode of Lost is imminent! Let’s hope it’s a ghost-free zone.

(That was me returning to the original point of my post.)

We can hope AC… But I’ll have my nuclear particle accelerator handy just in case.

You pompous ass, even my dogs are rolling their eyes.

Can’t we all just get along!!!

I’m American and I love my Lost brothers & sisters from all over the globe…shouldn’t our love of Lost bring us together, not push us apart.

Vega, I love you too, as well as my overseas brothers and sisters. It is only that AC has a crush on me and desperately wants me to be flirting with him, while he unsuccessfully tries to make me jealous.

Well, I’m disappointed in all of you..especially the poms.

Careful AC or you’ll wake up one morning and find yourself “renditioned” (“kidnapped” in the Queens English) and in Guantanamo.

AC,

Ah, I see that you decided to write about credulity after all. Well done! +1

Nice Kubrick reference, too. I am a huge Kubrick fan, so I was delighted to hear you name the master. lol.

I am in the same boat you are here. I find my personal perspectives (atheist, advocate of science, reason, thought) entering into my enjoyment of the show — and Miles’ flashback was problematic. But, if we think for a moment that he has a certain sensitivity to life, it is possible, as Haloran says in The Shining, that he can see the imprint of the past. What we saw happen in that room is not proof to me that the boy’s spirit or soul is alive. Miles may believe that, but he responds to a kind of residual energy or memory, which is how he discovers, perhaps, the money — all that really happens in that room is a book falling over on a shelf, that’s it! Now, the photo frame, that is what is strange, and I don’t think it has anything to do with ghosts, but, I guess we will see.

Secondly, I completely agree about your remarks re: purgatory and spirits — they both seem to me on a religious/spiritual continuum.

Whenever I experience the visions or appearances of people who are dead, it is frightening, but reflectively I don’t see them the way I do if I were watching The Ring, or something like that. To me it is all grounded in the matrix of the Island, and therefore I still hold out, like you, for explanations which are intrinsically logical from within the show and its presuppositions about reality.

Thanks everyone for making a post about ghosts, much, much more interesting by making it sound more like an episode of Loose Women! (Only my UK counterparts may get that, if you don’t know what I’m on about think of a group Jerry Springer show and a whole lot of estrogen!)

The fact is I think people all need to take a step back and relax a little. People need to be able to take a joke, otherwise this site isn’t going to work.

Having said that it has provided me with something highly amusing to read, so good going guys. :-)

Staypuft, I’ve always liked your posts and comments, and i’m glad you’re amused by all of this, but please note that it was not an “estrogen” issue.

Joking or not, it was made plain in a few comments that Americans are not well regarded (to say the least) by the British. Also, some cultural differences in the use of the word “septic” came into play, which was unfortunate but happens. I still don’t know what “septic” actually meant but am taking Don’tDisJacks word for it that it was not as bad as I interpreted it. At least there was someone who understood that I had no way of knowing about cockney rhyming slang.

If that had been the only issue, it could easily have been straightened out, but it was not the only one. Other anti-American jabs were thrown in as well, and I admit to ignorance on this issue, because I never knew there were such sentiments from Britain of all places. I thought Britain and the US were one big happy family.

Dab’s critique, whether harsh or not, was only that, a critique of the post, and had nothing to do with estrogen. It was only after the testosterone began permeating the post in response to that critique, that any estrogen even made its first appearance. So to say this was like a Jerry Springer show with a lot of estrogen is not accurate. It was more like a Jerry Springer show with a lot of anti-American testosterone, and american estrogen just didn’t feel like taking it.

That said, I agree it got out of hand. Apparently, any joking (by Americans) with AC, or any critique (by women ) of AC, incites both international feuding and a battle of the sexes. Something I intend to steer clear of in the future.