What Prompts Psychopathic Behaviour?

Seil · 08-12-2008, 11:24 PM

Serial Killers. What prompts the idea to kill people? Certainly it's different for each person, whether for ethnic, ulterior gains, or religion. But it prompts the question - why murder? What could prompt a person to commit one of the most socially heinous, religiously hedonistic crimes?

Herbert Mullin believed that he was chosen to stop a massive earthquake. Ed Gein was the son of a drunk and a harpy of a mother. Gary Ridgway had a strange childhood. Yang Xinhai was just upset about a breakup. Aileen Wuornos had a bad childhood. John Wayne Gacy was hit in the head with a swing.

We tend to view actual violence and murder as a bad, horrific thing, but in the media, who do we look for? Jonathan Kramer, Hannibal Lecter, Norman Bates, Dexter Morgan,
Leatherface, Freddy Kruger, Jason, and Michael Myers. Why do we watch violence portrayed in the media when we find reality so macabre?

08-12-2008, 11:24 PM	#1
Seil Super stressed! Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: British Columbia Posts: 8,081	What Prompts Psychopathic Behaviour? Serial Killers. What prompts the idea to kill people? Certainly it's different for each person, whether for ethnic, ulterior gains, or religion. But it prompts the question - why murder? What could prompt a person to commit one of the most socially heinous, religiously hedonistic crimes? Herbert Mullin believed that he was chosen to stop a massive earthquake. Ed Gein was the son of a drunk and a harpy of a mother. Gary Ridgway had a strange childhood. Yang Xinhai was just upset about a breakup. Aileen Wuornos had a bad childhood. John Wayne Gacy was hit in the head with a swing. We tend to view actual violence and murder as a bad, horrific thing, but in the media, who do we look for? Jonathan Kramer, Hannibal Lecter, Norman Bates, Dexter Morgan, Leatherface, Freddy Kruger, Jason, and Michael Myers. Why do we watch violence portrayed in the media when we find reality so macabre? Last edited by Seil; 08-13-2008 at 12:57 PM.