The state like the vampire cannot stand the light of day.
Though both the state and vampires possess great powers, neither can stand the light of day. While it is widley believed that it is the light itself which causes them pain this is not so. It is the revelation of the nature and the actions inherent to both states and vampires that causes the revulsion. Perhaps this is not just because the state and vampires cannot bare for others to see what they are and what they do, but they cannot abide the revelation themselves.
Both a vampire and the state can change shapes at will.
Whenever good folks start to get a little bit suspicious about either a vampire or the state --when they start to realize just what is what-- the vampire or the state responds by changing its shape. Of course here is a minor difference: the vampire can change at will into the shape of a variety of animals, the bat being the most common, with dogs and cats making fairly regular appearances; the state on the other hand must , except in one important instance, go through quite a bit of difficulty in changing shape, due mostly to the necessity of changing stationary, signs, employment contracts, and justifications for existence.
Both the state and vampires can change at will into the shape of an amorphous fog.
This is that one important instance noted above, and deserves its own extrapolation. Anyone who has hunted vampires knows that just when you think you have the son or daughter of darkness cornered, and you are ready to drive the proverbial stake through its heart, the vampire will transmogrify itself into an amorphous fog, and flow through a key hole or under the door, and thus escape its just fate. In a similar fashion, if you can ever manage to corner the state, just when you are ready to take rightful vengence a responsible party cannot be found. It is just as if those who were responsible had turned into that amorphous fog. In the few instances where someone real can be pinned down and punished, it is invariably one of the poor demented minions of the state, not the monster itself.
Neither can abide free flowing water.
Flowing water in the form of a block of moving ice, as you doubtless recall, killed Nosferto (or one of those clasic movie vampires). Flowing clean water is anathema to both the vampire and the state. As to whether a good clean flowing river might actually kill the state if it was forced to behold such a sight, I do not know. What I do know is that damns are beloved of the state and where once free clear water tumbled through the land, now turbid lakes of stagnant water serve as fetid replacements for great rivers. Damned by the government.
Both Vampires and the state love bland uniformity while abhoring spicy individuality.
Remember, garlic (and I suspect other strong spice) repels vampires. Ever hear of a spicy school lunch? I wonder if currie powder would repel IRS agents; nutmeg might keep the ATF away; liquorice which quells the upset stomach, is hated by the FDA. As a matter of fact herbs of all kinds seem to be abhorred by the government, and the state will commonly send its minions to collect and destroy various medicinal plants. The state just does not seem to feel safe when certain herbs are present. Herbs and spice protect and perserve, relieve suffering and pain whilst all vampires and the state can manage is destruction and decay.
Both evil entities seem to love uniformity. Everyone should look alike in both the vampire world, and the world of the state. Although one must admit that vampires are generally far better dressers than the state, all vampires dress the same - black cape and fancy evening clothes. One notable yet queer fact regarding the uniformity of the state and the state of the states dress is the fact that Nazi Germany was, without a doubt, the best dressed state since the Roman Empire. (This fetish for style forever defined the difference between a Nazi and a Communist. Nazis dress better, and without this it would of course be impossible to detect any real difference . . . but I wander.) Like the army or the police - and it really doesn't matter how good or how shabby they appear - vampires all look the same, and so does anyone the state gets its tentacles around. Anyone for school uniforms?
Both the state and vampires hypnotize their victims and their minions.
Ever debated a drug warrior? If that ain't a zombi there ain't no zombies. Is TV the evil eye? Look into my social security card, you are feeling sleepy, sleepy. Medicaid, medicare, peice with honor, divine right of kings, force of history, social contract, and many other hypnotic phrases are used to turn thinking human beings into mind numb victims and/or death comandos for the state.
Hard to Kill
Penultimately, the state and vampires are very hard to kill and so far, whenever individuals have managed to kill one or the other, another state - or another vampire - has always arisen. Only the names change (and the letterheads)-- maybe the next one will be named La'State.
Ultimately, the final comparison is that both vampires and the state must consume the blood of the living to continue their pseudo life. The surest way to kill the beast is to deny it the living blood which it so craves.
Of course there really are no vampires, at least I don't think there are any real vampires. But with the state around, who needs them anyway? Maybe all our vampire legends, along with a lot of other nasty stories of things that eat children and other people in the dark, are our unconcious mind's method of manifesting that undead being we call in our waking time "the state". But if I were to say that, it would be practicing psychiatry without a license and that would get me in trouble with the state.
