Public Interest in Serial Killers

In this week’s module five on the public’s interest in fictional and real serial killers a lot of interesting information was given. As much as we don’t like the fact that people kill people out of random acts and for no reason, we can’t just turn a blind eye to it. These killings weather we like to admit it or not draw us in and we want to know how it happen and the details of the crime that was committed. This infatuation isn’t just for one reason but for many different reasons depending on the type of person someone is.

One of the reasons a person might be infatuated with a serial killer is because of the curiosity of the crime in the way that the crime that was committed was so rare that it invokes a greater interest then that of a random killing (Bonn, Scott), or a killing that has been done before.  A second reason is that some killers kill at random and don’t know their victims this it like a shark attack to people and makes them feel hat anyone can be a target. Another reason is that when some killers kill their inner demons come out (Bonn, Scott) and in a great rage and force it is this rage that draws people to try and comprehend their mind set and try to understand it.

When it comes to the monsters portrayed in movies it especially plays on the feeling and emotions of people and this is why we are so attracted to it. It draws us in by playing on our emotions of fear and anger (Bonn, Scott). There is a fine line between those people that have an interest in the fictional characters that are played in movies that are killers versus those that are actual serial killers. Those that have a high interest in fictional killers don’t acknowledge those that are actual killers. This to me might be because the crimes committed in the movies haven’t happened in real life but the fact that the scenarios in the movie could happened and bring upon feelings of fear that makes it interesting and an infatuation occur.

There are some people that have gone so far with the infatuation for a real life serial killer that have written them in jail and build a friendship with them because they are obsessed with the crimes they did and their mind set (Bond, Michael). For these people their infatuation has brought them to an extreme. It is because they have a want to be like them or just understand them and have brought their fantasy into reality to get to know them on a personal level.

The media is a high influencer of these infatuations and this is because when these kinds of crimes they are highly wanted in the news and that because they are integrating and as far as the media is concerned builds up their ratings. Law enforcement and the media in a way bump heads and this is because when a crime occurs and the media catches wind of it they report on it and they use some facts of the cast and they exaggerate and make their own assumptions about the crime that happen (Morton, Robert). This makes it especially hard for law enforcement with an ongoing investigation because when they make false claims to the public it evokes fear in people (Morton, Robert) and they are looking for the person that did these and any person that they feel is the killer because of the false facts of the media is reported on making law enforcement follow false leads.

Our interest and obsession with serial killers could be for many different reason weather that person is a real serial killer or one made up by movie producers. The fact is that this infatuation is a little scary that a person could be so interested with someone that has actually committed a crime and harmed another because they want to be like them and they committed a crime that they know they could not do. On the other hand those that are drawn to killers because of the need to understand their mind set and know what drove them to such extremes, profilers that classify serial killers do this to catch a serial killers and prevent it from happening,. Infatuation and interest in serial killers will always be something the human mind does because of the need for understanding.

References

1.) Bond, Michael. Why are we eternally fascinated by serial killers? March 31, 2016. Retrieved from http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20160331-why-are-we-eternally-fascinated-by-serial-killers

2.) Morton, Robert. Behavioral analysis unit 2, Federal Bureau of Investigation. Serial Murder: Multi-Disciplinary Procedures for Investigators. Retrieved from http://ct2learn.com/els/resources/ebooks/serial-murder-multi-disciplinary-procedures-investigators/view-serial-murder-multi-disciplinary-procedures-investigators/

3.) Bonn, Scott. Here’s Why We Love Serial Killers. September 22, 2014. Retrieved from https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/wicked-deeds/201409/here-s-why-we-love-serial-killers