I did eventually find the copy I wanted, the
one with an introduction specially written for the 20th anniversary edition.
Much of what Dan Simmons says about vampires
in general in his new introduction is of great interest and relevance; it is both
horrific and very familiar; it stirs up very painful memories.
He starts by informing his readers that while
blood-drinking vampires of the type portrayed in horror films do not exist in
real life, mind vampires certainly do. I think in terms of energy vampires,
people who have a negative effect on those around them, but the scenarios and
effects are much the same.
“I regret to be the one to inform you,
Dracula and his blood-slurping ilk are make-believe.
But mind vampires are real.
Few if any of us get through life without
being preyed upon by more than one mind vampire. Even children are not exempt
from falling victim to these foul fiends.”
It is probably true that most people
will encounter at least one vampire along the way; I would not say even children but especially
children, at least vulnerable, defenceless and unprotected ones. Some unfortunate if not doomed children even have vampires for parents.
“Mind vampires feed on violence, but the
ultimate violence for them is the imposition of their will over yours. I long
ago discovered that such an exercise of will and control of one person over
another is a form of violence, and one we can all gain an unholy taste for if
we’re allowed to.”
This says it all. The exercising of control
of and power over others, overtly or covertly, is a very familiar
characteristic of energy vampires. They want their victims to dance to their
tune.
“As adults, we suffer such mind-vampire
attacks in almost all of our jobs— some petty, power-mad manager making our
work harder and daily life miserable, some administrator or supervisor who
revels in exercising arbitrary power over us and then lapping up the violence
of that power as if it were warm blood— and we also encounter mind vampires in
our daily lives, on the highways, in public places, in politics, and, sadly, in
too many of our personal relationships."
All of this is very true. Dan Simmons’s
mention of arbitrary power will come close to home for many people. These power-mad
managers care more about imposing their will on the people who work for them
than they do about the efficiency or effectiveness of their department.
I would
add that their superiors almost always let them get away with it. The vampires
have the power to stop people confronting them or even noticing what they are
doing.
I know all this from experience.
“No one carries scars on their necks from
actual blood-drinking vampires, but all of us have psychic mind-vampire scars
that heal slowly, if at all. And once invited into our lives, a mind vampire
can return whenever he or she or it wants. And they do. Always.“
Yes, yes and yes. Many people have such scars,
and the scars may indeed never heal. It is very true that once you have given
in to a vampire they will keep coming back for more.
Dan Simmons goes into more detail here:
“Reader, which is the worst mind vampire
you’ve ever encountered?
Was it a pettifogging boss who made your
employment a living hell as he or she got off on exerting control over you in
your work or profession, ruining your own pleasure in that work?
Was it a lover who turned the most sacred
things in life into tools of leverage over your heart and mind and life and
emotions?
Was it someone you were sure would be your
mentor who turned out to be a monster?
Was it one of your own children who devoted
his or her young life to controlling your life with demands and confrontations
and scenes and tantrums?
Or was it someone you would never have
expected to be of the mind-vampire variety— the lurker in the shadows, the
stranger soul-drainer hiding and gathering its strength while it waited for you
to enter its web?”
I am not sure about that last one, but the devastating
scenario of the hoped-for mentor who turns out to be a monster is one that I
have experienced for myself. The never-ending destructive demands of family
members are very familiar too.
All this is more than enough for now.
All this is more than enough for now.
