Self-Generation of Paranormal Phenomena In Contrast With Spiritualism

Automatism or some other form of internal generation is offered as explanation for how the Ouija board works as an alternative to actually divining with spirits. This dichotomy is presented throughout, starting with Pearl Curran, who had a prolific collaboration with a spirit that resulted in numerous written texts. In this first example, Schneck admits that "...it remains unclear how much of it came from the author's subconsciousness" (131). Pearl Curran herself denied that her material came from a Ouija board, but her readers "maintained that Pearl had buckled under the pressures and criticisms from outsiders" (132).

Schneck determines through his investigation that the Bye Bye Man is a creation, but how, why, and by whom remained mysteries. The final possible explanations that Schneck propose are both self-generated, however the line between automatism and spiritualism begins to become blurry as both...