I always saw vampires (at least in Bram Stoker) as a metaphor for the slowly decaying aristocratic class in Europe. There's a good scene in Nosferatu where Orlock is setting his own chairs at the table, which would be unthinkable for a noble to perform the work of servants, but he's left with no other options. Has to keep up the illusion of pageantry.
And that's how I see the invitation thing. Vampires keep up the pageantry and pomp of noble, refined, aristocratic behavior while themselves being decaying undead corpse people feasting on blood. They keep up the hollow shell of pleasantries and manners. They respect your property rights while not respecting the right to keep your blood inside your body.
I see it as a metaphor for "allowing" (even though we were too young to have a choice) our minds to be colonized
I always saw vampires (at least in Bram Stoker) as a metaphor for the slowly decaying aristocratic class in Europe. There's a good scene in Nosferatu where Orlock is setting his own chairs at the table, which would be unthinkable for a noble to perform the work of servants, but he's left with no other options. Has to keep up the illusion of pageantry.
And that's how I see the invitation thing. Vampires keep up the pageantry and pomp of noble, refined, aristocratic behavior while themselves being decaying undead corpse people feasting on blood. They keep up the hollow shell of pleasantries and manners. They respect your property rights while not respecting the right to keep your blood inside your body.