Serial Killer Culture

When I started explaining my ELI topic to various family members, friends, and peers at the beginning of the semester, I received two reactions. The first was a concerned look accompanied by the words “That’s...interesting.” The second aligned more with how I feel about the topic, a sincere interest and fascination. I won’t argue that studying serial killers isn’t morbid, but I will argue that there is so much more to these deranged individuals than just their crimes. I am focussing society’s captivation will serial killers and how Hollywood and the media has created an extensive culture that is not accurate.

The stereotypical serial killer is a white male in his thirties, but in reality serial killers are as diverse as the the planet we live on. They have existed since the beginning of civilization, and come in all shapes and sizes. Some serial killers claim to hear voices ordering them to kill; some think it is their duty to cleanse the human race; some feel pleasure by taking another life; and some simply kill for the thrill. Men tend to be more violent in their crimes, while women are arguably more evil, nurturing their victims to death.

I have always loved grisly crime movies and books, and I know for a fact that I am not alone. Why is it that people are so enthralled by behavior that goes against all of our morals? Most people would agree that by watching and reading about gruesome murders, we are able to live out our own repressed fantasies of killing our mothers or neighbors. Why is it that people pay thousands of dollars for a lock of Ted Bundy’s hair, or that sites of serial murder become some of the most visited tourist destinations in the world? I’m not sure I will ever fully understand why I, or anyone else, is so captivated by serial killers and the culture created around them, but I am glad that I ignored the concerned looks from my parents because there is no question that my semester has been fascinating in every sense of the word.

~Anna