Sometimes reality and the truth of our perceptions, collide and what we are left with is fragments, a semblance of both, immersed into one another. A dip in a pool can send off shockwaves, alerting anything close by, that we are near, yet our very movement, changes the still waters of their existence. So it is with this thought of the constant converge and diverge of life, that I often wonder the, “what if” between doppelgangers, twins and clones. Have you ever wondered how they are all different from each other, perhaps not by much but enough to establish the definitive and unique peculiarities between them? Still, these peculiarities are the comparable qualities that connect them to each other. The question is, how are they defined by society?
The dubious shadows that are created within the mind, sometimes spill out into the transparent canvas of life, bringing its foreboding sentiments directly into our daily lives. Do dreams that wander in calling themselves memories, play a role in discovering the meaning of any said disclosure or are they remnants of jumbled recollections of daily life. Lurking in the midst of any imagination, is the conspiracy yarn that makes seeing double, a scary thing.
Funny, how we look to Hollywood to bring us our fears, desires and hidden flights of the imagination directly into our living rooms. What is intended as entertainment for the masses can sometimes include hints or clues into a reality that is beyond comprehension. Society can become its own perverted ambassador because we believe what is told to us within the numerous scripts of decadence and revulsion. Maybe, just maybe this is where the truth lies, hidden in a labyrinth of fictitious truths called, the unmitigated and disreputable, Pandora ’s Box. Is this where dopplegangers, twins and clones thrive or is this an attempt at showing elements of transgressions revealed … but by whom? Sometimes, Pandora’s Box can look a lot like the Rabbit Hole. They both can become an overlooked paradox, because they both offer similar temptations.
Can the mirror image of ourselves recognize the descriptive familiarity within the words, doppelgangers, twins and clones? I know my own reflection looking back at me, is for all intense and purposes me yet sometimes if I look too close at my own reflection, she becomes a blur.
Doppelganger
Years ago, I heard the word, doppelganger and I remember thinking it was just another weird word for a twin. There have been numerous movies done on this frightening, almost beguiling word because its definition means, an apparition or double of a living person. Do doppelgangers know they are doppelgangers or do they exist like us, thinking they are the original design for their soul? Are they us, in spirit form, simply our higher selves only better, wiser and indomitable? Alas, the question must be asked, are they immoral, seeking to take our identity into theirs, wiping out our very existence, making us an extension into nothingness? If there are two, usually one of the pair is more dominant then the other. Which would you be?
Interestingly enough, reality or truth acquired in science can hide itself within the confines of science fiction because there is room to maneuver and experiment within each person’s reactions, emotions and phobias. A trickle of the truth can be easier to swallow then a deluge of reality. For instance, the thought of a hidden, almost monster like double of ourselves, can create quite the stir inside us. If we are good does this mean our doppelganger must be bad? Maybe for some people, they fear their doppleganger is their comeuppance or deserved retribution for a mendacious and unscrupulous life.
On the back burner of a petulant mind, exhausted by fear, a question lingers, making itself home like an unwelcome guest. If the existence of a person could cease to exist, who would know the better? Included in this quandary, is the ruminating and foreboding feeling that family and friends wouldn’t suspect or know that the switch had been made. In fact, here it is, in science fiction form, a created movie plot; another “look alike” portrays a targeted person and their characteristics to perfection. The bloodcurdling realization for the victim would be watching themselves being replaced, yet isolated and hopelessly doomed from any assistance. Life goes on … without them. The bottom line here is, if society knew something could take its place without any hesitation, would that not be a terror beyond words.
The unsettling word, doppelganger’s origin is German, and hints of various portents of doom meant for any individual who sees themselves either at a distance or perhaps in obscure circumstances. Folklore says it can be a sign of illness or imminent death. An interesting example of a doppleganger in the 19th Century is Emilie Sagee, who lived in France. She was a school teacher at an exclusive girl’s school called, Pensionat von Neuwelcke. There is supposedly 13 student’s who saw her doppleganger appear right beside her as she was writing on a blackboard. It copied her every move but held no chalk. Emilie Sagee stated herself that she never saw her doppelganger but whenever it did appear, she felt drained of energy, and even her physical color went pale, a sign that it was near. I must ask then in this case, was her doppelganger dangerous? Could it have been a distant twin or a part of her soul that couldn’t be contained?
Twin
A twin could be considered a doppelganger of its sibling because in many instances people use the two words to describe one or the other. The obvious difference between the two phrases, is that twins are the flesh and blood consequence of child bearing. Doppelgangers seem to come from the ethereal world of the unknown.
Twin telepathy calls upon a different understanding, regarding their unique and shared relationships because of their intertwined supernatural abilities that have intrigued even the upper echelon of various medical fields. It has to be mentioned that one of the darker medical affiliations with twins is, Josef Mengele. In Auschwitz, his main study was twins even though he carried out a variety of projects with other groups. Mengele believed identical twins which shared the same ovum, could posses the same psychological characteristics and habits. Let’s just say, ethics went out the window because he had hundreds of twins at his whim and disposal.
An inmate doctor at Auschwitz stated that Mengele seemed to be something like, “the double man” who demonstrated human feelings yet commanded obedience and order. Perhaps, he was dealing with his own interpersonal doppelganger or envied the assumed abilities the twins seemed to share with each other. Never the less, death’s door was always close by for many of the twins. Josef Mengele had little patience when it came to his bizarre experiments and unfortunately for those around him, he showed very little humility and compassion.
This leads me to wonder what the difference would be between Josef Mengele and a clone. Their characteristics seem to be similar because both would be prone to serving a higher purpose without thinking about the consequences of the present.
Clone
The word clone to its benefit, has over 70 movies made up with various scripts and plots created to intrigue and scare the masses, but I also think they were all vehicles to get people used to the clone idea. Stem Cells are another way to create a mainstream push so that the idea becomes not only accepted but slowly integrates itself into daily life without anyone noticing. The idea of cloning in some ways, seems science fiction to a certain degree but there are projects in the dark arenas that have been playing around with this very idea for years. The end results are grey areas of a denied truth.
Let us glide down another tunnel within the Rabbit Hole that seems less traveled but only by people like you and me. Let’s talk about mind control for a minute. Mind control has become one of the leading radio show topics since super soldiers and whistle blowers have come forth claiming they are victims of various mind control methods. What would it take to make mind control a thing of the past? Would it be Aliens coming down from hidden and cloaked spaceships or bursting forth from underground in gravity defying vehicles with ray guns, directed at us surface dwellers. Well, that scenario or I should say type of movie has been done numerous times, so perhaps because the general public (you and me) are now aware of these illicit schemes, maybe those in the know had to change their tune and figure out another way to catch us off guard.
Perhaps this is where clones come in. They do as their told, they don’t complain and they get the job done. Mind control can be a bit messy because breaking another persons will can be time consuming and the end results aren’t always foreseeable. How many clones can be made of one so called person? Your guess is as good as mine but if this can be done, I am sure they can make a spare and possibly a third in reserve. So the obvious questions are, where does this place us as human beings and oddly enough if clones exist, where do they keep the clones in reserve?
Having a possible doppelganger is scary enough but if there was another clone of me, how would that work? Am I the blue print for the clone or would it be called an avatar? Would we think alike, have the same habits and mannerisms yet be different enough to exist in the same reality?
I know … so many questions but clones seem to be apart of the Star Wars or Blade Runner genre. Maybe this is where the idea of clones was first placed into society’s subconscious so that the very idea wouldn’t cause panic.
Today, clones are considered avant garde, apart of today’s idealism for progress and future proactive solutions to war and aggression, the industrial complex, space and whatever else you can think of. So which of the three terms makes the most sense in regards to future endeavors in scientific, sociopolitical or economic success schemes? The ripples of each word, leaves a slightly different mark on the psyche for most people. With technology changing faster then we can keep up, the internet and smart phones, it seems to me that the best way for anyone to meet their doppelganger, imaginary twin or sci-fi clone, is to forget their humanity and immerse themselves into the very gadgets that will eventually take over their lives. A scary movie can be a prelude into our darkest fears but then we can always walk away from a theater or video store knowing reality as we know it, awaits us, unchanged.
Obviously for most people the very reality in which they live, is defined by comfort, accessibility, consistent and unchanged routines and schedules. I have to ask, would this not be the perfect strategy in creating a society that depends on their alter egos and detailed profiles for access to family and community interaction without ever having to leave the house? The doppelgangers, twins and clones of society can be easily accessed at the click of any keyboard or button. Years from now, we may be living in a scary and shadowy world without ever having to leave our own homes. Perhaps we are the creators of our own Pandora’s Box and the Rabbit Hole we travel down is a computer screen that ties us into its multi layered sites, videos, promoting vices and unequaled desires for conquest with a self made character that has super human strength and mind altering abilities.
We can be checked up on or watched because everything that is related to any community oriented groups or chat rooms requires us all to create a password then sign in, in order to participate in the matrix. What if we gave away, willingly our individuality for a new world conformity without ever knowing the better. The doppelganger, twin or clone of our making is already beyond our doorstep but in our homes, comfortable just waiting for a click of a button. The surprise attack has already begun and all it took was easy access into multiple networks that not only encourages alter egos but insists upon them to gain entry. Ultimately, we have become the lead players in our own scary movie … your doppelgangers, twins and clones welcome you.
http://www.truthseekerhighway.com
http://www.cracked.com/article_20355_5-real-life-stories-twins-creepier-than-any-horror-movie.html
http://www.csa.com/discoveryguides/stemcell/overview.php
http://multiples.about.com/od/funfacts/tp/10-Amazing-Stories-Of-Twin-Telepathy.htm
http://www.bibliotecapleyades.net/ciencia/ciencia_mannequin01.htm