Whether monstrous or sparkly, vampires’ allure lies in their beauty, power and eternity. Even the most wicked among them seem to have fine taste in design and fashion and command a powerful bank account. Though often isolated and violent, vampires live out their endless days in material excess. The tragedy of their lot is that while they appear to have everything, they lack the sublime gift of mortality. With an economy that can’t seem to recover, and wars that go on without end, vampires — in all their remote, isolated, protected luxury — no longer offer the kind of escape we need.

The werewolf, on the other hand, has a striving, earthbound appeal that’s much more in tune with our current culture. It’s not hard to imagine a werewolf clocking nine-to-five, suffering through days of banality, then finally breaking free to run wild and howl at the moon. They run in packs, reminding us that we aren’t alone. They are human, but never helpless, able to lash out against the constraints of society. The beast within gives voice to the frustrations we humans feel but can’t find a way to fight.

(via Livin’ La Vida Lycan: Andrea Cremer On Why Werewolves Make Us Howl for More | Bookish Staff Blog)

Turns out vampires and werewolves are all about the economy too. Except for the part that’s all about “passions of the flesh.” Read the whole thing!