Jason Hawes Speaks Out: The State of the Paranormal Community and Why It Matters

Every so often, you have to step back from the investigations and talk about the bigger picture — not just what's happening in the haunted locations we visit, but what's happening within the paranormal community itself. That's exactly what I did in my latest livestream, and based on the response, it's a conversation that was long overdue. If you care about where this field is headed, this one's for you.

I've been doing this for a long time. Since the early days of TAPS, my mission has always been the same: go in skeptical, try to disprove everything first, and only when you've exhausted every rational explanation do you even begin to consider something might be paranormal. That approach has never wavered. But lately, I've been watching things unfold in the broader paranormal community that genuinely concern me — and I felt it was time to address them head-on.

The paranormal field has grown enormously over the years. When Ghost Hunters first aired, the idea of everyday people conducting serious paranormal investigations was still pretty novel. Now there are thousands of investigators, hundreds of YouTube channels, and more content than anyone could watch in a lifetime. That growth is mostly a good thing — more eyes, more locations, more data. But with that growth comes something else: drama. And not the kind you find in a reportedly haunted Victorian mansion. I'm talking about the manufactured kind. The personal attacks, the gatekeeping, the people who seem more interested in tearing others down than actually advancing our understanding of the unexplained. It's something I've watched creep into this community, and it does real damage — not just to individuals, but to the credibility of the entire field.

Here's where I stand, and I'll always be straight with you: I don't care about the noise. I never have. What I care about is the work. I care about the families and business owners who reach out to TAPS because they genuinely don't know what's happening in their home or their building. They're scared. They're confused. And they deserve investigators who show up with integrity — people who are going to look for the water pipe causing that knocking sound before they ever blame a ghost. That's the standard I've held myself to, and it's the standard I think every serious investigator should hold themselves to. When members of this community spend their energy on social media feuds instead of actual investigation, we all lose. The people who need our help most are the ones who suffer for it.

I also want to say this clearly: the paranormal community, at its core, is filled with genuinely passionate, hardworking people. I've met investigators all over this country who do incredible work with almost no resources, driven purely by curiosity and a desire to help. Those are my people. Those are the folks I want to lift up and support. The drama that some have brought into this space doesn't represent what this community truly is — and I refuse to let it define us. My commitment remains exactly what it's always been: honest investigation, transparent findings, and a healthy dose of skepticism applied equally to every claim, every location, and yes, every piece of so-called evidence that makes the rounds online. If we hold ourselves to that standard, the rest of the noise fades away on its own.

The paranormal community is worth fighting for — but only if we're willing to hold it to a higher standard. I'll keep doing the work the right way, the same way I always have, and I hope you'll be part of that with me. Thanks to everyone who tuned in and kept the conversation honest and respectful — that's exactly the kind of community I'm proud to be part of.