The term bogey man has an interesting origin: in old India each community chose a man to be the “bogey.” He was to be slaughtered at the end of the year and to take the evil deeds of the community with him. The people were so grateful for this service that until his death the bogey was not required to do any work and could have anything he wanted. He was treated as a representative of the next world. Since he had the power of the collective shadow in him he was supremely powerful and feared. From India through the West we still have the threat ’The bogey man will get you if you are not good!”
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