Question 10 of my survey was:
Explain what you think witchcraft is?
The most common words used were;
Power
Spiritual
Nature
Potions
Occult
Magic
Spells
Religious
This indicates that some people think that witch craft is an aspect of a religion to do with being in balance with nature and having the spiritual ability to have supernatural powers. I think that some of these words are very powerful and meaningful, for example 'occult' could suggest that witchcraft is very mystical and not understood by people who are not directly involved in it themselves, which I have found is the truth and the reason that people think witches are evil or even delusional is because they fear the power and the skills that these witches have because they do not understand it and never will because they have not been involved with it in any way,
Other words that were used were;
To bring harm
Fear
Heal
Evil
Devil worship
Harmony
Alternative
Sinister
Crystals
Candles
Cards
Palm reading
Chants
Superstitious
Protecting the innocent
Skills
Monday 27 January 2014
Friday 17 January 2014
What is a witch?
Question 9 of my survey was:
Explain what you think being a witch is?
The most common words to describe a witch were;
1. Black magic
2. Spells
3. Nature
4. Influential
5. Alternative
This suggests that a large proportion of the people who responded on my survey were open minded people who thought witches were people who are outside of 'normal' society but they live in a balance with nature and are influential within their social groups or the rest of society.
Other words that were used were:
Hobby
Groups
Female
Old
Cauldron
Earth
Help
Magic
Tradition
Belief
Religion
Cool
Awesome
Supernatural
Wicca
Balance
Skill
Potions
Harmless
Explain what you think being a witch is?
The most common words to describe a witch were;
1. Black magic
2. Spells
3. Nature
4. Influential
5. Alternative
This suggests that a large proportion of the people who responded on my survey were open minded people who thought witches were people who are outside of 'normal' society but they live in a balance with nature and are influential within their social groups or the rest of society.
Other words that were used were:
Hobby
Groups
Female
Old
Cauldron
Earth
Help
Magic
Tradition
Belief
Religion
Cool
Awesome
Supernatural
Wicca
Balance
Skill
Potions
Harmless
Thursday 16 January 2014
Hate crimes
Question 8 of my survey was:
Should it be a hate crime to 'attack' a person who calls themselves a witch?
85% of people thought it should be a hate crime to 'attack' a person who calls themselves a witch. To me this indicates that many people think that witches shouldn't be treated with prejudice and deserve to be respected as any other human being is.
Some of the comments that came along with this question suggested that the 85% of people who thought it should be a hate crime agreed that everyone has the 'freedom of choice' and that no one has the right to hurt another person for their beliefs or lifestyle. This is very accepting of not only witches lifestyles but also other lifestyles that are in the hate crime bracket.
In the 15% of people who said it shouldn't be a hate crime, there were no malicious comments. Common comments were based around that fact that certain groups of people shouldn't get special treatment if they are attacked, it should be treated as an attack not a hate crime as we are all human beings. There was one comment that specifically said "there should be no such thing as a hate crime and every human being should be treated exactly the same way regardless of their belief, skin colour or lifestyle". This is a good quote for me because it suggests that this person doesn't think of witches as different from any other type of person and shows that witches are socially accepted in today's secular society which after all was the aim of this survey and if I have proved that one person thinks that witches are accepted today then that would make me happy.
Should it be a hate crime to 'attack' a person who calls themselves a witch?
85% of people thought it should be a hate crime to 'attack' a person who calls themselves a witch. To me this indicates that many people think that witches shouldn't be treated with prejudice and deserve to be respected as any other human being is.
Some of the comments that came along with this question suggested that the 85% of people who thought it should be a hate crime agreed that everyone has the 'freedom of choice' and that no one has the right to hurt another person for their beliefs or lifestyle. This is very accepting of not only witches lifestyles but also other lifestyles that are in the hate crime bracket.
In the 15% of people who said it shouldn't be a hate crime, there were no malicious comments. Common comments were based around that fact that certain groups of people shouldn't get special treatment if they are attacked, it should be treated as an attack not a hate crime as we are all human beings. There was one comment that specifically said "there should be no such thing as a hate crime and every human being should be treated exactly the same way regardless of their belief, skin colour or lifestyle". This is a good quote for me because it suggests that this person doesn't think of witches as different from any other type of person and shows that witches are socially accepted in today's secular society which after all was the aim of this survey and if I have proved that one person thinks that witches are accepted today then that would make me happy.
Wednesday 15 January 2014
Are witches evil?
Question 7 of my survey was:
Do you think witches are evil?
70% of people did not think that witches are evil or bad people. 20% thought they were evil. 10% thought they were both good or bad or they were unsure.
When asked to explain why they thought witches were or were not evil the most common words used were;
1. Evil
2. White witches
3. Helpful
4. Magic
Other words that were repeated were;
Kind
Religious
Wicca
Witchcraft
Healing
Harmless
Craft
Powerful
Women
Mistrusted
Labelled
Fear
Unknown
Good
Misguided
Different
Revenge
Do you think witches are evil?
70% of people did not think that witches are evil or bad people. 20% thought they were evil. 10% thought they were both good or bad or they were unsure.
When asked to explain why they thought witches were or were not evil the most common words used were;
1. Evil
2. White witches
3. Helpful
4. Magic
Other words that were repeated were;
Kind
Religious
Wicca
Witchcraft
Healing
Harmless
Craft
Powerful
Women
Mistrusted
Labelled
Fear
Unknown
Good
Misguided
Different
Revenge
Tuesday 14 January 2014
Secret life of a modern day witch
Here is an interesting article I found on the BBC website about prejudice in the 21st century that has been passed down from witch trials and hunt in 1612 in Pendle, Lancashire.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lancashire-19211852
It's good to see that witches and people who are pagans (or are devoted to other religions surrounding being a witch) are not afraid to speak freely about their lifestyle and what they believe in. It may be titled 'secret life of modern day witches' but it appears that his life is not so secret and he not afraid to show it.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lancashire-19211852
It's good to see that witches and people who are pagans (or are devoted to other religions surrounding being a witch) are not afraid to speak freely about their lifestyle and what they believe in. It may be titled 'secret life of modern day witches' but it appears that his life is not so secret and he not afraid to show it.
To be a witch...
This poem sets out what it is to be a true witch who lives in balance with nature. It's a lovely romantic way of describing a witches life and it fits with the true a lot better than a Disney film, such a 'Hocus Pocus' which of course are for children. However these types of films still describe witches as 'hags' and 'devil worshipers' (which I'm sure there are some people who claim to be servants of the devil). From what I have found out from my investigation, witches are lovely people who want to live in peace with nature and live in harmony with the world.
To be a Witch is to love and be loved,
To be a Witch is to harm none.
To be a Witch is to know the ways of the old,
To be a Witch is to see beyond the barriers.
To be a Witch is to follow the moon,
To be a Witch is to be one with the gods.
To be a Witch is to study and to learn,
To be a Witch is be the teacher and the student.
To he a Witch is to acknowledge the truth,
To be a Witch is to live with the Earth, not just in it.
To be a Witch is to know, to dare, to will,
And to keep silent.
To be a Witch is to be truly free!
By Solitary Witch.
To be a Witch is to love and be loved,
To be a Witch is to harm none.
To be a Witch is to know the ways of the old,
To be a Witch is to see beyond the barriers.
To be a Witch is to follow the moon,
To be a Witch is to be one with the gods.
To be a Witch is to study and to learn,
To be a Witch is be the teacher and the student.
To he a Witch is to acknowledge the truth,
To be a Witch is to live with the Earth, not just in it.
To be a Witch is to know, to dare, to will,
And to keep silent.
To be a Witch is to be truly free!
By Solitary Witch.
Typical characteristics of a witch
Question 6 of my survey was:
What are the typical characteristics of a witch?
The words that were repeated throughout the responses were stereotypical of a witch in a Disney film such as;
1. Female
2. Pointed hat
3. Pointed nose
4. Boils/warts on face
5. Broomstick
6. Cackly voice
7. Dark clothing
8. Couldrons
9. Potions
10. Evil
11. Mean
12. Cats
13. Powerful
14. Black magic
15. In touch with nature
Apart from 13 or 15, to me these seemed a bit childish and it was evident that the image of a witch is what films and literature have made them appear to be, which is an old woman who makes potions and has an evil laugh. This however is not how witches that I have been in contact with would describe themselves. It was surprising to me that throughout the entire survey, there was not one mention of wizards or warlocks at all from any responses.
Other words that were used to describe witches int his question but not repeated in other peoples answers were;
Green complexion
Bent double
Spiritual
Strong sense of wrong and right
Isolated
Witchcraft
Sacrifices
Whatever the establishment wants them to be
Devil worship
Healers
Destroyers
Eccentric
Occult
Alternative
Supernatural
Square feet
Threatening
Religious
Ordinary
Mediums
Hairy chin
Spells
Long. Fingernails
What are the typical characteristics of a witch?
The words that were repeated throughout the responses were stereotypical of a witch in a Disney film such as;
1. Female
2. Pointed hat
3. Pointed nose
4. Boils/warts on face
5. Broomstick
6. Cackly voice
7. Dark clothing
8. Couldrons
9. Potions
10. Evil
11. Mean
12. Cats
13. Powerful
14. Black magic
15. In touch with nature
Apart from 13 or 15, to me these seemed a bit childish and it was evident that the image of a witch is what films and literature have made them appear to be, which is an old woman who makes potions and has an evil laugh. This however is not how witches that I have been in contact with would describe themselves. It was surprising to me that throughout the entire survey, there was not one mention of wizards or warlocks at all from any responses.
Other words that were used to describe witches int his question but not repeated in other peoples answers were;
Green complexion
Bent double
Spiritual
Strong sense of wrong and right
Isolated
Witchcraft
Sacrifices
Whatever the establishment wants them to be
Devil worship
Healers
Destroyers
Eccentric
Occult
Alternative
Supernatural
Square feet
Threatening
Religious
Ordinary
Mediums
Hairy chin
Spells
Long. Fingernails
Sunday 12 January 2014
Collecting data from the survey
I have gathered the responses from my survey and after sifting through the answers I have summarised that; 30% of people who filled in the survey was 31- 40 years old (this was the most common age of people), 70% of people who filled in the survey were female, 60% of people who responded were interested in witches however 70% do not believe that witchcraft exists but 70% of people do think that witches exist today.
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