I’ve been a fan of myth and folklore for just about as long as I can remember. My boyhood bookshelves (and heck, my current bookshelves) had collections from around the world. But it’s always nice to discover a new vein to explore. It’s even more surprising when someone points out that a new field of folklore has been right in front of my nose the entire time.
A aeon magazine, Will Wiles has a great article about how creepypasta (creepy, urban-legend-like short stories posted on various internet forums, such as the subreddit /r/nosleep) might be the folklore of the 21st century. Annalee Newitz has some great commentary on Wiles’s article up on io9.com as well.
It’s a good read. And if you like what you see, go check out some creepypasta. Just remember, it’s called nosleep for a few reasons: it’s an addictive rabbit hole to fall into, and once the lights go out, you’ll have a whole new appreciation for the dark.