Discussion Serial Killers & The Public's Superiority Complex

[Alcoholic Teletubby]

Rewatching certain videos made me realize something: People want to portray themselves as being in some way superior to others who have committed serial murder. Whether it be in a moral, physical, or mental sense. I think such an idea is completely absurd. I can see why people think that way (that fear may be overcome by hostility) but it has the same energy as saying, "If it were me, I would have..."
You wouldn't, though. You can never be sure of what you would do in that circumstance. That is how so many people were able to be killed.

My attention has been drawn mostly to the cruelty of the general people. When someone engages in behavior that we deem aberrant, we try to put a stop to it. However, the general population subsequently embraces the notion that it is okay to imagine or act out the same behavior as the person in question. The public shies away from consideration even when the killer is being honest about their opinions or presents a compelling argument (not specifically about the crime, just generally). In an effort to distance oneself from that person and demonstrate they are...better than them, the public makes an effort to belittle or dehumanize them. As if everyday people don't murder one another.





(Take note of how they focus on rather insignificant stuff.)

Img. 1) Victorian Illustration Depicting a Crowd of Onlookers, Viewing a Public Execution Img. 2) Onlookers Celebrating Ted Bundy's Execution

When a threat has been removed, the public has every right to feel relieved and vindicated. But I find it disturbing when this sort of egotism occurs. I find myself thinking, 'What does this kind of behavior reinforce? What if this ends up having an impact on how other, less serious criminal cases turn out? Will there be an effect that trickles down?'

Again, I understand where all of this is coming from, but I believe that continuing to act in this manner simply makes it harder to view things objectively and make informed judgments.

(I might expand upon this thought in the future.)

 

[CTB Dream]

Human group terrible, not understand other, truth crime orher type all human all circumstances, people not think root problem birth not understand human variable. This all repetitive history people think bad criminal Nad rule overthrow same repeat again, truth human species cruel, cruel person not do cruel them keep cruel, kill again kill make crime again, human use word advantge own nothing more. People root problem all this happen terrible world terrible human crime only result, people try not see how own one cruel possible how group bad hypocrite human. Not want science study crime see result people cruelty

 

[freedompass]

People want to portray themselves as being in some way superior to others who have committed serial murder.

Uh. Is it really so wrong? Are you saying we all need to realise we are on a par with serial killers, they are regular people just like us? I'm genuinely confused…why not feel superior, who is hurt? Are you worried about the serial killer's feelings?

And I'm afraid it's human nature to build ourselves up by putting others down (even if only in our minds). In the case of serial killers I think it's justified.

 

[WhatPowerIs]

In an effort to distance oneself from that person and demonstrate they are...better than them, the public makes an effort to belittle or dehumanize them. As if everyday people don't murder one another.

We all have the capacity for violence and cruelty but the average every day person is not a killer and they certainly don't go around killing people. Murderers kill people. You stop being an 'everyday person' once you've taken a life, I think.

 

[makethepainstop]

Well we as a society tend to frown on murder, especially when someone does it on a large scale.

 

[Pluto]

I see your point, because to take into account the entire picture of an individual's genes and environment, we are all the same thing fundamentally (consciousness). There's no intrinsic reason to believe that you or I would behave differently to the serial killer given the exact same time/place/body/situation.

Oftentimes, society's condemnation and judgement of criminals is an attempt at projecting our own insecurity at having a potential demonic side outward. Most of us have behaved in substandard ways at least occasionally and can imagine going down extremely dark paths given the wrong combination of events.

Using less extreme examples, we could take the dynamite debate of US race relations. Regarding higher average crime rates amongst African American men, the armchair experts would want to present arguments of those individuals lacking civility (hence an implicit superiority of themselves), while those in the know see a need for reform in terms of educational opportunities and so forth.

 

[Alcoholic Teletubby]

Human group terrible, not understand other, truth crime orher type all human all circumstances, people not think root problem birth not understand human variable. This all repetitive history people think bad criminal Nad rule overthrow same repeat again, truth human species cruel, cruel person not do cruel them keep cruel, kill again kill make crime again, human use word advantge own nothing more. People root problem all this happen terrible world terrible human crime only result, people try not see how own one cruel possible how group bad hypocrite human. Not want science study crime see result people cruelty

'Right on the mark. Watching videos of folks who were present at Ted Bundy's execution was really odd. They appeared to be at a late-night potluck.



"It sounds more like vengeance to me than um,...justice."

 

[makethepainstop]

Sorry but I cannot feel sympathy for murderers. They in most cases, chose to take a life or lives. They chose their path, so they have to accept the consequences of their evil. How much choice did they give their victims? I'll tell you none! So f them!

 

[JustSwingingTheD]

Uh. Is it really so wrong? Are you saying we all need to realise we are on a par with serial killers, they are regular people just like us? I'm genuinely confused…why not feel superior, who is hurt? Are you worried about the serial killer's feelings?

And I'm afraid it's human nature to build ourselves up by putting others down (even if only in our minds). In the case of serial killers I think it's justified.

Nothing wrong with it but it certainly is moronic. "Look at that killer guy, he's in prison now, not so big and bad anymore, me not scared anymore, everybody look at me! DOOOH *beats chest"

As if everyday people don't murder one another.

Serial murders are not an everyday thing, they are usually a form of compulsive ultra-violent behaviour caused by extremely rare combinations of certain psychological abnormalities, such as psychopathy, malignant narcissism, extreme sadism, often (but not always) combined with traumatic childhood/youth experiences.

In a big part of the world murder IS a everyday thing, true, but it's usually about money, or the lack of it to be more exact, not about weird sexual fantasies and sadism. To me, this kind of murder/violence is much more tragic, because it's much much much more common and because there is no "biological factor" forcing these people to act, mostly just poverty and neglect upon neglect.

As for the serial killers, most people can't even faintly understand the necessity to act arising from having such a sexual deviance. Try to imagine doing something as crazy as killing an another human being, a stranger, the stakes being your own life/imprisonment for the rest of your life. Imagine the fear of getting caught, pounding on your brain 24/7. This is your lifestyle now, and you must kill all the time to sate that need, so the fear is always there.

Now imagine doing it for nothing else but basically for getting sexual satisfaction from it.

As for the serial killers, most people can't even faintly understand the necessity to act arising from having such a sexual deviance. Try to imagine doing something as crazy as killing an another human being, a stranger, the stakes being your own life/imprisonment for the rest of your life. Imagine the fear of getting caught, pounding on your brain 24/7. This is your lifestyle now, and you must kill all the time to sate that need, so the fear is always there.

Now imagine doing it for nothing else but basically for getting sexual satisfaction from it.

This is something that sometimes pops into mind about when i see people telling "incels" (not one of them and hate the term personally), to stop their whining about not getting laid. These abnormal freaks are ready to face extreme consequences every day just in order to "get laid", that is, what is their idea of having a good time, sexually. Maybe go tell them what they are doing is completely unnecessary?

Which it of course is, goes without saying. Point being, the need to be sexually fulfilled is obviously much stronger than some people seem to appreciate. The lengths some people, not just serial-killers either, go to achieve that fulfillment seem limitless.

 

[WhiteRabbit]

Ted Bundy killed women, dumped their bodies in the woods and then went back multiple times to have sex with the corpse until they were so decomposed he couldn't anymore. I can't think of a situation where I'd ever do the same.

 

[Alcoholic Teletubby]

Sorry but I cannot feel sympathy for murderers. They in most cases, chose to take a life or lives. They chose their path, so they have to accept the consequences of their evil. How much choice did they give their victims? I'll tell you none! So f them!

My idea wasn't necessarily to feel sympathy for them. I was attempting to make the point that when a "bad" person dies, the public seems to revel in it.

Remember that this term has been used interchangeably in a number of instances where a person's acts or perceived actions by the public were sufficient grounds for prosecution. A dramatic example would be the case of George Stinney Jr. (a person falsely accused of a crime, but who was still put to death). Or say, when someone is mentioned as a possible suspect. Details about them are divulged to the public. They become the subject of conjecture. However, even after it has been declared that they are no longer a person of interest, they are still being considered as the murderer or other possible suspects. The want for a resolution is the first priority. Even if the evidence points to innocence, the victim's relatives could adamantly claim that person is guilty.

Does someone anatomically waive their right to fair treatment if they kill someone else? You cannot claim to believe in equal treatment for all people while advocating for the complete opposite (not you specifically, anyone).

TLDR: People who claim to believe one thing while acting in a different way are what I find most objectionable. Inconsistency is normal. Bullshitting is also.

(Don't apologize. This is discussion. You are expressing an opinion.)

Uh. Is it really so wrong? Are you saying we all need to realise we are on a par with serial killers, they are regular people just like us? I'm genuinely confused…why not feel superior, who is hurt? Are you worried about the serial killer's feelings?

And I'm afraid it's human nature to build ourselves up by putting others down (even if only in our minds). In the case of serial killers I think it's justified.

Simply put, I think it's weird when people try to make themselves look better than a serial killer. Not just morally, but also in terms of power.

"Richard Kuklinski, I would beat that son-of-a-bitch!" (The Iceman)

Maybe you could. But I doubt it.

 

[Angst Filled Fuck Up]

Serial killers are low hanging fruit as far as content creation, whether someone's angling for book sales, documentary views, or YT clicks. There is no crime worse than murder so even someone who's done time for robbery can look at Dahmer and say "what an evil person."

I can confidently say I'd never kill anyone - if a person can't comfortably say that, they should probably seek help. I don't even judge people for having violent or homicidal thoughts. But I think if that particular person has the sense that they're losing control or that the mask is slipping, they need to be self-aware enough to check themselves.

From what I can gather, the majority of infamous serial killers in the US weren't out of touch with reality per se. They were aggrieved - fired up about the government, lack of sex, being canned from their job, whatever. It's unfathomable to most that someone would be capable of mass murder as a result of something like that, me included. Something like "oh, they were narcissistic" isn't going to cut it as far any type of justification.

So I mean yeah, it makes perfect sense to me that someone would feel "better" than a serial killer. It's hard not to really.

 

[Alcoholic Teletubby]

Ted Bundy killed women, dumped their bodies in the woods and then went back multiple times to have sex with the corpse until they were so decomposed he couldn't anymore. I can't think of a situation where I'd ever do the same.

Although you wouldn't, it doesn't mean that you couldn't. I don't think we should regard morality as something special. It ought to be the standard, right?

 

[WhiteRabbit]

Although you wouldn't, it doesn't mean that you couldn't.

huh?

I think with with the famous serial killers, it's more about the gruesome details. I wouldn't and couldn't live with 30 something boys buried in the crawlspace of my home. Neither would the vast majority of people.

 

[Julgran]

Rewatching certain videos made me realize something: People want to portray themselves as being in some way superior to others who have committed serial murder. Whether it be in a moral, physical, or mental sense. I think such an idea is completely absurd. I can see why people think that way (that fear may be overcome by hostility) but it has the same energy as saying, "If it were me, I would have..."
You wouldn't, though. You can never be sure of what you would do in that circumstance. That is how so many people were able to be killed.

My attention has been drawn mostly to the cruelty of the general people. When someone engages in behavior that we deem aberrant, we try to put a stop to it. However, the general population subsequently embraces the notion that it is okay to imagine or act out the same behavior as the person in question. The public shies away from consideration even when the killer is being honest about their opinions or presents a compelling argument (not specifically about the crime, just generally). In an effort to distance oneself from that person and demonstrate they are...better than them, the public makes an effort to belittle or dehumanize them. As if everyday people don't murder one another.





(Take note of how they focus on rather insignificant stuff.)

Img. 1) Victorian Illustration Depicting a Crowd of Onlookers, Viewing a Public Execution Img. 2) Onlookers Celebrating Ted Bundy's Execution

When a threat has been removed, the public has every right to feel relieved and vindicated. But I find it disturbing when this sort of egotism occurs. I find myself thinking, 'What does this kind of behavior reinforce? What if this ends up having an impact on how other, less serious criminal cases turn out? Will there be an effect that trickles down?'

Again, I understand where all of this is coming from, but I believe that continuing to act in this manner simply makes it harder to view things objectively and make informed judgments.

(I might expand upon this thought in the future.)

In today's society, it's perfectly accepted to deride the common criminal, but it's also expected not to be held accountable for supporting illegal wars of aggression - all the while people who are starved for attention create videos in order to make fun of, or feel superior to, common criminals.

Nothing makes sense in this world - we are living in the movie "idiocracy".

 

[Alcoholic Teletubby]

Serial killers are low hanging fruit as far as content creation, whether someone's angling for book sales, documentary views, or YT clicks. There is no crime worse than murder so even someone who's done time for robbery can look at Dahmer and say "what an evil person."

Yeah. They're also frequently referred to as a "monster." There are no monsters, thus I consider that to be a cop-out. There are simply other human beings.

Humans are capable of doing terrible things. That's just reality.

huh?

I think with with the famous serial killers, it's more about the gruesome details. I wouldn't and couldn't live with 30 something boys buried in the crawlspace of my home. Neither would the vast majority of people.

You're just making a statement, though. Since I don't personally know you, I can't say what you're capable/incapable of.

I'm approaching this with the mindset that anything is possible.

 

[WhiteRabbit]

Yeah. They're also frequently referred to as a "monster." There are no monsters, thus I consider that to be a cop-out. There are simply other human beings.

Humans are capable of doing terrible things. That's just reality.

You're just making a statement, though. Since I don't personally know you, I can't say what you're capable/incapable of.

I'm approaching this with the mindset that anything is possible.

To me, there is a clear difference between someone who cannibalizes multiple victims and keeps their body parts in the freezer and people who never do those things. Are humans capable of terrible things? Sure. Are most humans capable of the horrific crimes that serial killers commit? No. If they were, wouldn't we see a lot more of that kind of thing?

 

[Alcoholic Teletubby]

To me, there is a clear difference between someone who cannibalizes multiple victims and keeps their body parts in the freezer and people who never do those things. Are humans capable of terrible things? Sure. Are most humans capable of the horrific crimes that serial killers commit? No. If they were, wouldn't we see a lot more of that kind of thing?

That may be the case.
To be clear, I'm saying that anyone has the capacity to commit atrocious acts. I'm saying it shouldn't be seen as noble to not be a serial killer; it should just be the standard. Similarly, just because someone commits a crime or murder doesn't imply you have to treat them cruelly in return.

The same is true of permitting or overlooking such cruelty.

 

[Chinaski]

It shouldn't be seen as standard, or normal, to be a serial killer as it's a grotesquely abnormal act. The human capacity for inhumanity is well documented and l don't think you've touched upon anything insightful here.

 

[Alcoholic Teletubby]

It shouldn't be seen as standard, or normal, to be a serial killer as it's a grotesquely abnormal act. The human capacity for inhumanity is well documented and l don't think you've touched upon anything insightful here.

I'm going to kindly ask you to re-read what I typed out again. Never once did I imply that it was adnormal NOT to be a serial killer. I was trying to make the point that it's odd how some people's deaths seem to be celebrated by the general populace. Serial killers, specifically. You don't instantly acquire this superiority over every facet of them and their personality (for instance, the killer prefers lettuce and you like fries). You are not necessarily better now because of it.

If (SK) dismembered (victim) while they were alive, would it be okay to do (or celebrate) the same thing happening to (SK)? (Wouldn't this virtually be the same as approving their behavior?)

If I'm incorrect, correct me, but it appears like you have completely straw manned my point.

 

[Chinaski]

I'm going to kindly ask you to re-read what I typed out again. Never once did I imply that it was adnormal NOT to be a serial killer.

If you're going to adopt the supercilious tone it might be advisable to make yourself clearer. See below:

To be clear, I'm saying that anyone has the capacity to commit atrocious acts. I'm saying it shouldn't be seen as noble to not be a serial killer; it should just be the standard.

Fwiw l don't believe in the death penalty nor do l believe there is such a thing as an evil human being, just fucked up assholes who do fucked up things. I do however believe people should be held accountable for wilful actions that are harmful to others and serial killers are not illustrative of the everyday human condition but a presentation of it at its maddest edge. Your post is garbled and incoherent, suggesting a society which is ego-driven in its desire to separate itself from the sexual psychopath, the sadist, the person who takes gratification from killing. This is not a collective superiority complex - for all the sensationalist reporting of horrific crime and the jingoistic sabre-rattling regarding criminal justice when votes are at stake it still stands to reason that a human being will be assessed on his or her deeds and an actual serial killer would probably expect an ensuing societal ostracisation as part of the territory.

BTW please don't throw "strawman" around like it means anything, it's the hallmark of the most tedious online pseud who has mistaken their own fag-packet analysis for something resembling insightful and original thought and habitually uses it to "press x to win" whenever it's exposed.

 

[Alcoholic Teletubby]

If you're going to adopt the supercilious tone it might be advisable to make yourself clearer.

Sorry if my tone came off that way, but I'm also approaching this from the viewpoint of someone who is thinking, 'Huh, this is kind of weird. Aren't we not supposed to be like this? Why is it okay now?"

Fwiw l don't believe in the death penalty nor do l believe there is such a thing as an evil human being, just fucked up assholes who do fucked up things. I do however believe people should be held accountable for wilful actions that are harmful to others and serial killers are not illustrative of the everyday human condition but a presentation of it at its maddest edge. Your post is garbled and incoherent, suggesting a society which is ego-driven in its desire to separate itself from the sexual psychopath, the sadist, the person who takes gratification from killing. This is not a collective superiority complex - for all the sensationalist reporting of horrific crime and the jingoistic sabre-rattling regarding criminal justice when votes are at stake it still stands to reason that a human being will be assessed on his or her deeds and an actual serial killer would probably expect an ensuing societal ostracisation as part of the territory.

BTW please don't throw "strawman" around like it means anything, it's the hallmark of the most tedious online pseud who has mistaken their own fag-packet analysis for something resembling insightful and original thought and habitually uses it to "press x to win" whenever it's exposed.

I'm not trying to be insightful (besides bringing this up). When we are frequently told that this (celebrating someone's death) isn't part of a healthy mindset, I'm attempting to understand why this still occurs.

I was interested in hearing other people's perspectives on situations in which individuals or the general public rejoice at the death of someone who has committed heinous crimes. Additionally, I brought up how some individuals try to hold themselves to a higher regard for not engaging in something so simple as not murdering another person and attempt to contrast certain qualities of their own character with the killer.

I'm also not throwing around the term. You stated, "It shouldn't be seen as standard, or normal, to be a serial killer as it's a grotesquely abnormal act." That wasn't my argument, and it's a claim that implies the reverse of what I was trying to say. If that wasn't what you were implying, please tell me.

 

[Chinaski]

Personally, yeah l agree in so much as the way we treat our criminals, however heinous the offence, often serves a separate purpose to justice. The death penalty in itself is an act of barbarism and it relegates society to the level of the transgressor rather than elevates itself above it. There is an obvious element of sadism involved in the process, l would also generally agree that there is often a broader societal requirement for an arch villain to personify a background hum of moral panic.

The thing is, it's impossible to accept that displays of psychopathic violence are an extension of human nature or an illustration of it on a broader scale. For all of man's inhumanity to man, and as much as l genuinely believe we are a doomed species, your average person is still pretty decent in as much as they would phone an ambulance if you collapsed in the street, they would respond to a distress signal, they would treat those around them with due respect. Obviously assholes are everywhere, but those who seek to do serious harm upon others for their own sadistic gratification will naturally be greeted with revulsion - l don't think it's a case of people taking personal pride in being better, superior, to a killer as much as it is a case of instinctive, guttural revulsion at a grossly inhuman act.

 

[Alcoholic Teletubby]

Personally, yeah l agree in so much as the way we treat our criminals, however heinous the offence, often serves a separate purpose to justice. The death penalty in itself is an act of barbarism and it relegates society to the level of the transgressor rather than elevates itself above it. There is an obvious element of sadism involved in the process, l would also generally agree that there is often a broader societal requirement for an arch villain to personify a background hum of moral panic.

The thing is, it's impossible to accept that displays of psychopathic violence are an extension of human nature or an illustration of it on a broader scale. For all of man's inhumanity to man, and as much as l genuinely believe we are a doomed species, your average person is still pretty decent in as much as they would phone an ambulance if you collapsed in the street, they would respond to a distress signal, they would treat those around them with due respect. Obviously assholes are everywhere, but those who seek to do serious harm upon others for their own sadistic gratification will naturally be greeted with revulsion - l don't think it's a case of people taking personal pride in being better, superior, to a killer as much as it is a case of instinctive, guttural revulsion at a grossly inhuman act.

I agree. You've summarized my own genuine feelings on the subject. While I brought up the possibility that the general public has a superiority complex or sense of egotism toward serial killers, I also was questioning why people take it so far with such inconsequential things. Despite how much I accept things, there are still occasions when I feel as though reality requires a second take.

Some individuals will go that far and claim they are better for something minimal. I used the example of someone preferring fries while the killer chooses salad.

Simply said, I don't get it. I can speculate, but the more insistent someone is, the more I start to doubt their logic. What do they have to prove to me, exactly?

 

[Someone123]

Ted Bundy killed women, dumped their bodies in the woods and then went back multiple times to have sex with the corpse until they were so decomposed he couldn't anymore. I can't think of a situation where I'd ever do the same.

We don't know for sure though. There are reports that he was physically and sexually abused by his grandfather when he was a one year old, and he surrounded his female teenage cousin with knives while she was sleeping when he was three years old. These are early indictainos of issues, though he did make conscious choices to do terrible things that he didn't have to make.

 

[WhiteRabbit]

We don't know for sure though. There are reports that he was physically and sexually abused by his grandfather when he was a one year old, and he surrounded his female teenage cousin with knives while she was sleeping when he was three years old. These are early indictainos of issues, though he did make conscious choices to do terrible things that he didn't have to make.

Sorry, I'm not following? Are you saying if I were abused I might kill people and fuck their dead bodies? Maybe he was born a psycho and any possible abuse just made things worse.

 

[freedompass]

to stop their whining about not getting laid

It's not the whining that concerns me and of course it sucks not being able to find a partner. I would never minimise that but incels adopt a toxic misogynistic ideology that is extremely offensive to women, maybe soothes their sense of grievance in the short term but actually just digs the hole deeper.

Simply put, I think it's weird when people try to make themselves look better than a serial killer. Not just morally, but also in terms of power.

That's pretty weird

 

[hamvil]

Sorry, I'm not following? Are you saying if I were abused I might kill people and fuck their dead bodies? Maybe he was born a psycho and any possible abuse just made things worse.

there could be also genetic aspects to consider. this was/is a seriously sick person. I do not support the death penalty in any case. In this particular case i doubt the person could be recovered in anyway, so he must be put in a place where he cannot hurt other. in some movies there was the possibility to erase the mind of a person and reprogram the person with a new personality this is not possible in real life but it could be useful in similar cases.

Personally, yeah l agree in so much as the way we treat our criminals, however heinous the offence, often serves a separate purpose to justice. The death penalty in itself is an act of barbarism and it relegates society to the level of the transgressor rather than elevates itself above it. There is an obvious element of sadism involved in the process, l would also generally agree that there is often a broader societal requirement for an arch villain to personify a background hum of moral panic.

I know that in some states the relatives of the victim attend the execution of the criminal. I do not get what why plan to get from this experience. Is that really closure? Knowing that a person will spend his/her life in jail is not enough for you? Sure some people need to be removed from society if they cannot be helped, but is death penalty the way? I do not think so.

 

[Alcoholic Teletubby]

Let me add that I feel the same way about folks who essentially dick-suck SKs. Do I feel sympathy or empathy for them? Yes. Do I believe that their faces should be displayed on clothing with catchy one-liners? Not really.

(I'm not going to lie, though; I kind of want this shirt.:)

Now, I find things of a macabre sort to be fascinating. But, I'm going to start questioning your own mental stability when you post about how you would go on a picnic date with a REAL serial killer. You will not and cannot be an outlier in these people's lives.

Sorry, I'm not following? Are you saying if I were abused I might kill people and fuck their dead bodies? Maybe he was born a psycho and any possible abuse just made things worse.

I believe Someone123 is bringing up the fact that many serial killers were abused as children.

There is a potential that you could dehumanize people if your guardian treated you horribly every day. If your guardian hits you while they're angry, you might hit other people. Even if people it's the wrong thing to do, your brain is still trying to process why you are being subjected to that treatment. For you at least, it has become normal.

A person could fail to recognize that they are putting others in distress because their own reaction was similar. But nothing changed. Or they choose to disregard it and try to exert their own dominance over someone else.

He might have been born that way. But we also need to consider the other aspects of his life.

 

[freedompass]

You lost me after saying you have sympathy and empathy for serial killers