this post was submitted on 15 Jan 2025
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Can they rush in after the first two words, before you say "not"? Can they enter if they stuff their ears before they hear the final word?

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[–] [email protected] 9 points 3 hours ago (1 children)

I just realized that I'd be pretty safe from vampire infestations. I hate having visitors, and will make (up) any excuse to avoid them. "Sure, but I was about to leave to deal with a work-related emergency. I don't know when I'll be home."
...and then they can sit there alone until I see them leaving on my door camera.

I don't mind visiting others, because then I can leave when I'm spent. At home, however, it's where I expect to be left alone.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 2 hours ago

You said "sure", you're done!

[–] [email protected] 26 points 5 hours ago

Don't forget that a door mat that says "welcome" counts as consent.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 4 hours ago

They don't need to they just evict you instead.

[–] [email protected] 13 points 5 hours ago

I think it's safe to say that intent is what matters, not the technicality of communicating that intent. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intention

[–] [email protected] 23 points 6 hours ago (1 children)

This inspired me to keep a handheld mirror near my front door, for when someone inevitably asks if they can come in, I can grab it and do a very obvious vampire check

[–] [email protected] 20 points 5 hours ago (3 children)

I hope your can find a mirror made with silver, most modern ones aren't, and that's why vampires didn't show up in them

[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 hours ago

Dammit, time to hit the antique store.

[–] [email protected] 19 points 5 hours ago (1 children)

Dude. Thank you. I would've let so many vampires in.

As much as I appreciate it though, we're poor as fuck, vampires still welcome.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 4 hours ago (1 children)

You can use an old silver spoon or knife as a mirror

[–] [email protected] 7 points 2 hours ago

Or stab a stake in their heart! If they are a vampire, they will either instantly turn to dust or at least be paralysed, so you can easily dispose of them.

Otherwise it's going to be just ordinary murder.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 3 hours ago

You're mixing stuff up. Mirrors reflect souls, and since vampires don't have souls, they don't have no reflections.

[–] [email protected] 73 points 9 hours ago (1 children)

the preferred nomenclature is "come back with a warrant".

[–] [email protected] 4 points 7 hours ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 10 points 5 hours ago (2 children)

Hey, that’s an idea! A buddy cop movie, where they’re also vampires and execute warrants to get invited into the houses of the victims.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 4 hours ago* (last edited 4 hours ago)

So a documentary about America then

[–] [email protected] 3 points 4 hours ago

Would be a major improvement to normal cops since they would only enter your house with a warrant.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 5 hours ago (2 children)

If you live alone and vampire shows up at your door with a gun and shoots you dead, could it then enter the house

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 hours ago (1 children)

No, because you didn't grant it consent to enter prior to death.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 hours ago (1 children)

That only applies if you stick around haunting the house. If your soul moves on the house is no longer yours.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 15 minutes ago

OK, but what if you're still haunting the house, but a new person legally buys it and then invites the Vampire in? Who's preference takes precedent?

[–] [email protected] 9 points 4 hours ago

Yes but then it has to water my plants weekly forever.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 6 hours ago (2 children)

i guess not.

hollywood says vampires have to sparkly shine first.

some vamp lore says it is your invitation that counts and not the permission part.

some cultures need visitors to declare themselves human when knocking at your door.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 4 hours ago

Knock knock.
Who's there?
A human.
A human who?
A humangous 8 storey tall crustacean from the protozoic era.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 3 hours ago

some cultures need visitors to declare themselves human when knocking at your door.

I didn't think that much about it until this post. People here, me included, basically call out "(I'm a) human!" while knocking on the door.

[–] [email protected] 15 points 7 hours ago (5 children)

A lot of people here are telling you that the answer is 'no' because the vampires must respect your true intent or rely on trickery to get you to willfully invite them in.

But the real reason is 'no' because vampires aren't real.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 4 hours ago* (last edited 4 hours ago)

Answering the question necessitates engaging with the premise. Refusing to do so and acting smug just makes you look like a dick.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 6 hours ago

Sure Mr Suspiciously Pale Human, whatever you say, you still can't come in even if vampires don't exist.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 6 hours ago

But there's one asking to enter so it turns out you're wrong about that.

If someone pulls a gun on me I can't declare "bullets aren't real" and expect to endure being shot without taking harm.

I guess we could ask OP to try saying "you may not" and see whether he survives to post confirmation that it worked?

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[–] [email protected] 16 points 8 hours ago (1 children)

No, vampires usually leave that sort of "exact words" trickery to faeries and genies.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 6 hours ago

And in their case I think they'd let you finish speaking because they relish the challenge more than they want to simply squish you.

[–] [email protected] 32 points 9 hours ago (1 children)

It seems to me that the wording itself is unimportant, but rather the intention. So I would imagine no

[–] [email protected] 5 points 8 hours ago (1 children)

Hear me out, so what if the vampire gaslights you into thinking that you already invited them in and they're so good at it that you really believe it? Does that establish intent?

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[–] [email protected] 41 points 9 hours ago (2 children)

No. It is magic so they would not be able to enter partway through an answer as doing so would make it clear that the vampire knew it was really a no.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 5 hours ago

I admire your confidence

[–] [email protected] 11 points 9 hours ago (4 children)

What’s the longest duration between may and not that would be valid in keeping them out?

[–] [email protected] 20 points 9 hours ago (1 children)

At least 20 seconds if you yell "psych" afterwards.

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[–] [email protected] 10 points 9 hours ago

I imagine it's the intent, so it doesn't matter how long.

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[–] [email protected] 16 points 8 hours ago (1 children)

I would say, no, because the same magic rule prompting the vampire to ask permission in the first place also requires the answer to be complete. Otherwise, why bother? They would dart inside even before you had a chance to say "you" with the excuse that since you were taking too long you probably were okay with it.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 7 hours ago (1 children)

I wonder if the magic rule understands double negatives. If you tell a vampire "You ain't never coming in here," can they enter? What about sarcasm? "Oh yeah, I'm definitely inviting you in."

[–] [email protected] 6 points 6 hours ago

I suppose it depends on if you can write a fun story around either one. Since every rule about vampires that sticks basically only has one thing in common, the writing in which it was featured was popular. If what you write around it isn't very good, then no, I guess retroactively that isn't how vampires work. But if it becomes popular and part of peoples canon in the future, then yes, that is exactly how vampires work, now.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 7 hours ago

The statement is more of a ritual appliance. I think the intent is key.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 8 hours ago (2 children)

A vampire mesmerizing a victim into allowing entry always felt like cheating to me

[–] [email protected] 4 points 7 hours ago

Yes, that would be cheating.

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[–] [email protected] 2 points 5 hours ago

This is vampire propaganda.

You're already at their mercy if they are talking to you.

[–] [email protected] 16 points 9 hours ago

"You mayn't."

[–] [email protected] 8 points 9 hours ago

They're fast, faster than you can imagine, don't look away and don't blink. Blink and you're dead.

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