Emotional Vampires

THE TV series ‘What We Do in the Shadows’ depicts vampiric housemates living in a quiet suburban neighbourhood in the US. One of the characters is an emotional vampire. He doesn’t suck blood, he sucks the joy and pleasure from the lives of those around him, instead of sharpened canines, he uses a deadpan and monotone diatribe containing the most boring detail.

How many of us have met people like him? Seemingly innocuous folk who carry with them an aura of despair, woe and despondency. I’m not talking about those suffering from depression, but the people who take great pleasure in dampening the mood or metaphorically stamping on moments of joy and passion.

Some people cannot help their negativity, I myself am quite a pessimist and a fully paid up member of the cynics club, but I desperately try not to trample on anyone’s joy (unless they are racist, homophobic, sexist, loudly opinionated, or just boring).

At work they are the colleagues who tut and moan at new initiatives, complain about any and everything at full volume and who trample on any early morning excitement with announcements of impending doom or admin.

These people are also known as lemon suckers, but not in a shot of tequila, salt and lime, sense of it.

As humans we all need a moan or to let off steam as it prevents us from storming into the bosses’ office and giving them a piece of our minds and leaving with a P45.

Historically, bitching about people helps the members of a tribe to filter out the predators (or those who would bore you to death around the campfire). So by all means bitch away but please remember unless what you say is constructive you’re not a romantic vampire, you’re just a troll.

Suzanne Manners’ opinions are her own and are not necessarily representative of those of the publishers, advertisers or sponsors.