This is where Ouija boards came from. And it might surprise you. Subscribe to our channel! http://goo.gl/0bsAjO In this episode of Overrated, Vox’s Phil Edwards explores what Ouija means, from a historical and cultural perspective. The Ouija game and Ouija movies permeate our culture. But their origin might be surprising. Before this board game was a staple, it emerged from the spiritualist movement in the United States in the mid-1800s and an aggressive entrepreneur who believed he could make a buck off of it. Ouija’s overrated — it’s not real and it’s just a piece of cardboard. But it's also a way for people from the past to speak to us (through history, at least). Overrated is a series that takes a look at the things we all know — the books, the trends, and the ideas that have become iconic — and answers the question: “Why is this so famous"? Watch the more Overrated videos: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YSVlSmZWzm0&list=PLJ8cMiYb3G5elLvDjph8cAd91weWxBfyN Vox.com is a news website that helps you cut through the noise and understand what's really driving the events in the headlines. Check out http://www.vox.com. Watch our full video catalog: http://goo.gl/IZONyE Follow Vox on Facebook: http://goo.gl/U2g06o Or Twitter: http://goo.gl/XFrZ5H