What Would Happen if Vampires Were Discovered?

I interview a LOT of authors and every time I do I throw in a random question or two that has absolutely nothing to do with their book (because it’s fun!). One of my favorite questions to ask is – If vampires were discovered to exist today, do you think our society would accept them or try to destroy them? Every author I have asked this has given me a fantastic answer, and as much as I love reading their answers, I am now curious to hear from you, my beloved readers. I recently asked a similar question over at Werewolves.com (yes, I write there too) and got loads of awesome responses, so of course, I had to bring the fun here to Vampires.com.

So, in your opinion, if vampires were discovered to exist today, like those in your favorite books and films, do you think our society would accept them or try to destroy them?

Here are a few past answers from a couple of authors I have interviewed:

“I think a lot of people would want to join them. No matter how unattractive you make them – whether they’re evil killers as they are in many stories, or fascistic, unhygenic fighting machines as they are in my books – fans love their vampish souls and yearn to join their ranks! There’d be no more recession if vampires were proved to be real – people worldwide would down tools and run off to sign up for the cause!” – Darren Shan, author of The Cirque du Freak series

“From a historical standpoint, human beings don’t have a good track record when it comes to accepting difference. So I’m not optimistic that we would make an exception for vampires.” – Deborah Harkness, author of A Discovery of Witches

“I think that first of all, most cultures would go into shock.  Then, when the media declares that vampires are not out to get us, ordinary people would be skeptical and hesitant but would make an effort to be accepting.  At the same time there would be that rabid element of society actively trying to destroy them.  A bit like the configuration on the TV show True Blood!  <laughing>  There are all sorts of vampires, as you well know.  V’s like the ones in 30 Days of Night, the comic and movie, are hard to live with, to put it mildly.  Other vampires have a more humane approach and exhibit a lot of restraint, so that is workable for us breathers, aka: the prey.” – Nancy Kilpatrick, editor of Evolve

“I think they would be heavily exploited, and someone would try and make a lot of money out of them. Maybe they could get some good endorsement deals (for sun-block, perhaps). I think, after Twilight, they could probably be accepted. I think if they looked like Robert Pattinson or Stephen Moyer they would be accepted but if they looked like Count Orlok in Nosferatu they’d be killed by armed police units with stakes and crossbows.” – Matt Haig, author of The Radleys

Now it’s your turn, what do you think? If vampires were discovered to exist today, do you think our society would accept them or try to destroy them?

– Moonlight

By Moonlight

Moonlight (aka Amanda) loves to write about, read about and learn about everything pertaining to vampires. You will most likely find her huddled over a book of vampire folklore with coffee in hand. Touch her coffee and she may bite you (and not in the fun way).

25 comments

  1. Of course it depends upon what the vampires are like! The shark-mouthed killers of 30 DAYS OF NIGHT would ultimately inspire genocide (ditto LET ME IN and Rice’s VAMPIRE CHRONICLES), while those of TRUE BLOOD or BLOOD TIES might well have a chance at integration.

    Without doubt even then the most “acceptable” forms of vampires would inspire a wide range of reactions. I would expect cults devoted to their destruction, while others would worship the creatures–and that would mimic the range of reactions.

    Three factors seem to me most important in how vampires would be treated: 1. Do these vampires have to kill? 2. Are they impacted by religious items? 3. What are their powers?

    1. while I agree with you on the most part i have a feeling that even if the vampires were like the ones on 30 days of night i have a feeling some people would still worship them, personally if vampires truelly showed them selves to society the first thing i would do would call my mom and tell her “remember all those looks you would give me when i would talk about vampires, you should have paid attention” lol

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  5. I think some would want to be chosen also, because they fear death. I also think some would want to destroy them thinking their world would change. People fail to realize that if Real Vampires did exist as some book or fictional vampires did, they still also have to interact with society today, and have to abide by common and local laws of the cities and state, so therefore they couldn’t just run amok like they could in the country or rural mountain areas where laws may be different.

  6. I’ve actually thought about this before. I think if vampires were real, we’d all be screwed…because vampires eat people! They suck thier blood and kill them. lol. It would be like a vampire apocalypse. I’d load up on the stakes, the crossbows and the silver bullets and try to stay alive by killing as many of them as I could.

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  9. Some vampires are different than humans make them to be. Their not cold blooded killers… their almost humane. They may want blood but they stop themselves. They can make a heart rate and the don’t worship the Devil. it’s god they worship. I should know…

  10. Vampires, discovered? Yeah, right! I’ve taken vacations to Forks/LaPush, and no one gave me a second glance. One of the nice ladies at the Forks Chamber Of Commerce even asked me if I’d heard of “Twilight”. >;^)

    The ‘regular’ Vampires in my forthcoming novel blend into normal society very easily. They’re living, breathing, aging (very slowly), can eat normal food (including garlic cloves), and are no more susceptible to sunburn than normal humans.
    Naturally, my ‘other’ type of Vampires (immortal, bullet-resistant, but averse to garlic and UV radiation) target the ‘regular’ Vampires, despite the others’ being way out-numbered.

    My regular Vampires would be objects of desire for the normal human population, because their DNA would be a literal fountain of youth. Many people would give anything just to slow their rate of aging, so even non-immortal Vampires (who eventually die of old age after “x” centuries) would be the #1 acquisition targets for medical science industry testing.

    1. To sum it up: If the vampires were of a type that was not too hostile to normal humans, and could be captured, they’d be going straight into science labs for study (like Selene in Underworld: Awakening), barring some sort of concurrent “apocalyptic” world event that disrupts modern-day technology and procedures.

  11. As other people said, depends on the type. (Even though it would make more sense if many different kinds were real, after all, different countries have different myths… right?) But my guess is that if vampires were discovered; police, military, FBI – and whatever else – would start Go-Go-Go-ing and shooting all over the place. Of course, there would be people who would want to study them… be like them… In my opinion, it would probably best for the vampires to try and stay hidden. e_o

  12. I don’t think there is any way it could end well. I don’t think humans would ever be able to accept a different species that challenged their authority as ‘the master race’. The threat that vampires pose, even if their intent is not to destroy humans would scare the population. A lot of us would run off to try and become vampires, some would be willing to donate blood and the remaining humans would be terrified of being outnumbered, and would lash out. Humans would definitely throw the first punch in the war and vampires are sure to win. Vampires would never want their secret revealed though. The chaos that it would cause isn’t worth it when they rely on humans to survive.

  13. I think the same as Darren Shan a lot of people would want to be a vampire and just run over to them not caring what type of vampire it is.
    the other part of society would go and make a lot of stakes and wooden bullets and start killing them one by one (and end up death or eaten by one)
    while another part would just be like told you so !! and be like the “hang back and see what happens”-type ^^

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  15. As for me I wouldn’t care either way. If vampires do exist then more power to them but if they don’t then I guess some people in this world are safe to sleep with there eyes closed at night.

  16. Vampire is a loosely used subject and not to be interpreted as a blood sucker or savage nocturnal beast but should be used as you would say human their are many of them among you every day and you still feel comfortable around them without knowing what they truly are so why should knowing change anything i’ll tell you why it would mankind is a demented and abusive race at the fear of extinction they would act irrationally and try to destroy what god has allowed to live we are not a cursed race we are a reminder of the wrath of the allmighty for our so called condemned existence is a gift of life without pain suffering or death the curse is never being accepted or truly loved for what we really are out of that fear of our own extinction we are not adaptable to society so we masquerade as mortals and dread every moment of our truly cursed existence as lonely and hurt monsters we are not lab rats or an abomination we are the police of a savage world we balance out the illusion of the afterlife we are the protection in a dark alley we are the survivers of this world so leave us be and we will protect you as we always have as our laws state we are your chance of redemption in a world of darkness we are your faithful shadow

  17. I don’t know what society would do, but I would try and find a non-lethal to humans, vampire lady, and ask her out. I have always been attracted to the lady vampire, and I have a crush on Alice in twilight.

  18. I don’t know if they exist or not but vampires in our time and ave I believe people would fear them and try an destroy them. Is it right? Probably not. They would be a creature and were not suppose to destroy them as long as we’re left alone why should it matter.

  19. Even if they existed, the government wouldn’t tell us about it. Aliens exist, but you don’t see them walking around and you really aren’t sure if they exist because the government doesn’t want you to know they exist. If vampires came out as a legit thing the government will call it a conspiracy theory and try to kill every last one of them.

  20. I truly believe that if vampires were real, that they’d be accepted by society as long as they didn’t want to enslave everyone, obey common laws, and not to replace humans as master race. If they would feed on animals and or blood donations and not necessarily hunt humans, then I think with the type of society we have today, with so many humans desiring vampires be real, then they’d be accepted.

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