The Serial Killer Thread

Key · 06-16-2016, 11:14 AM

Here's my thoughts on serial killers in general, prepare for tl'dr.

Serial killers, to me, are fascinating. And before you judge me by saying "oh man, you like people that kill people?" No, that is not the case. I'm human and I know right from wrong, and I understand the stigma around people that are fascinated by this type of thing. It's very easy for someone to go up to someone when they express in an interest in this type of thing and say "man, you're ****ed up." I don't find people that are interested in this type of thing to be anywhere near as ****ed up as people claim that they are, because to me, being interested in serial killers is the same as being interested in murder mysteries, or horror games, and the like. There's something about it that sparks an interest in some people, and for other people to tell them they're ****ed up in the head is a weak mans argument.

To me, a serial killer is interesting for one thing and one thing only: their brain. When I first heard about what a serial killer is, I did my research and found people in the past that have committed these crimes such as Jeffrey Dahmer, Ted Bundy, and Richard Ramirez to name a few. There's countless others, but those three are the ones I did extensive research on. You have to wonder what kind of brain chemistry these people had when they committed these crimes. A normal person wouldn't just go out one day and think "man, i'm going to kill people today." No, it seems like it's much deeper than that. A lot of serial killers, even today, have had some common trends that made them this way. Some of them had a really bad upbringing, and I mean really bad. When it comes to the way the brain works, there's never been any certainty especially with how quickly people can be manipulated into thinking something is right, and vice versa. I've always wondered and I still wonder about how the serial killers think when they progress from victim to victim. Normal people obviously feel remorse even for the smallest things, like when a cat dies, or a parent dies, but something about the brains of the individuals that commit these crimes have been said to not feel any remorse, some of them have found enjoyment and pleasure out of it, i.e. rapists, necrophiliacs, etc. There are also countless pictures whether they're in court, or even documentaries of such individuals where their facial expression doesn't change, even when they speak about the people they have killed. A good example of this is the interview with Ted Bundy before he was executed.

If you watch his face as the interview progresses, he doesn't seem fazed by his acts at all. He's able to speak openly about his crimes and smile as he does so. He also states that he feels calm even though he is so close to his execution. He again states that his home life was fantastic and never dealt with any sexual or physical abuse.

When I watch interviews about these killers, there's also a common trend that the killer is able to speak about the crimes openly and not feel any remorse. You have to wonder as they are speaking openly about their crimes what seems to be going through their heads. Is there something that the brain is telling them to say? Or do they really feel that what they did isn't considered a bad thing? The obvious answer for normal people would be that it is of course a bad thing, but when you look at the killers in their interviews, you can't help but wonder what's going through their head.

One more thing I would like to mention is the fact that I strongly believe, and have believed this for some time, that serial killers are actually (and most of them are) considered geniuses. I know I mentioned before that they seem to lose control of their mind and get twisted into thinking whats right and wrong, but it has to take some sort of intelligence be it about how humans work or how the brain works, to allow yourself to be manipulated to the point of feeling no remorse for killing people. A lot of killers have had a history of going to college and being successful and had they not been manipulated mentally, they could have been something great. For me, if there was ever an opportunity to look into a killer brain and just see what they're thinking, it would be a fascinating experience. Hell, would it be scary? Of course it would, but ever since I discovered the process of serial killers and the way they think and how they came to be, I've been more and more interested in how the brain functions. Like I said, there's never really been a direct answer as to how this stuff works, but even in the interview I posted above, I don't think i'd be scared giving the interview at all. Instead, I'd actually be excited to be sitting down and being able to tap into the mind of someone that is obviously mentally ill, in some way.

I do also often wonder how one could have stopped a serial killer from committing the acts that he did, and whether that person would have been successful. This also brings to light how one thing that either goes right or goes wrong could change someone's life forever. It's like from Back to the Future when they go back in time, and it's stated that one small change could change the future forever. I feel like this in some way related. Imagine if any of the killers would have met one specific person, or had changed their direction on the street, like going left instead of right. It could have been a difference of whether they decide to go on a murderous rampage or not. Then again, some killers did have a fantastic upbringing and a good life, so I suppose in that case it wouldn't make sense. But just imagine if one person made a difference in their life, it could have changed them forever. Granted, that is how some killers came to be killers in the first place.

At the end of the day, being interested in serial killers becomes the easiest thing to judge about people, and it's not fair. It sparks an interest, and yes, they are interesting. Some may say that it can create comfort in reading about these people. I find it to be the same as if I were researching a past president, or someone who died in war, it's all the same to me. I've never once considered anybody who finds interest in serial killers to be bad people. Hell, most of them are super cool and fun to talk to because they don't get offended so easily.

Chula Vista · 06-16-2016, 11:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ki

One more thing I would like to mention is the fact that I strongly believe, and have believed this for some time, that serial killers are actually (and most of them are) considered geniuses.

Have to disagree with this. Gary Ridgeway, Jefferey Dahmer, Otis Toole, Fritz Harrman, Aileen Wuoros, Charles Ng, Richard Ramirez, and most others I've read about were troubled kids with below average IQs and/or learning disorders.

Ted Bundy is a rare exception.

Key · 06-16-2016, 11:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chula Vista

Have to disagree with this. Gary Ridgeway, Jefferey Dahmer, Otis Toole, Fritz Harrman, Aileen Wuoros, Charles Ng, Richard Ramirez, and most others I've read about were troubled kids with below average IQs and/or learning disorders.

Ted Bundy is a rare exception.

True.

The Batlord · 06-16-2016, 12:08 PM

To me the fascination with serial killers is that they are the ultimate example of the dark underside of the human race. We have such a sanitized culture of Facebook, late night talk shows, Christmas dinner, overpriced clothes designed to make us fit in, politicians with their double speak, and just a general whitewashing of the more brutal side of reality.

But serial killers are something that are totally at odds with white picket fences and pop culture. They're a blemish on our society that forces us to admit that Kim Kardashian is totally innocuous, no matter how much we might demonize her as the worst thing to ever happen to our culture. Serial killers are real in a way that is ignored by our day-to-day lives.

It's the same reason we're so fascinated with the Nazis, or watching footage from conflicts in the Middle East. It's why half of our shows are police procedurals or somehow involve crime.

FRED HALE SR. · 06-16-2016, 12:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chula Vista

Have to disagree with this. Gary Ridgeway, Jefferey Dahmer, Otis Toole, Fritz Harrman, Aileen Wuoros, Charles Ng, Richard Ramirez, and most others I've read about were troubled kids with below average IQs and/or learning disorders.

Ted Bundy is a rare exception.

Huh? Ted Bundy had a 136 iq which while above average is not genius level. Dahmer was a 145. Charlene Williams had the highest iq of any serial killer in history with a 160. Loeb and Leopold had 150 and 158 iq's. Carrol Cole had a 152. Andrew Cunanan surprisingly had a 147 iq. There are many more that fall in the genius level but i'm not gonna look anymore up. Ted Bundy is the exception to being genius maybe because he wasn't.

Chula Vista · 06-16-2016, 12:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FRED HALE SR.

Huh? Ted Bundy had a 136 iq which while above average is not genius level. Dahmer was a 145. Charlene Williams had the highest iq of any serial killer in history with a 160. Loeb and Leopold had 150 and 158 iq's. Carrol Cole had a 152. Andrew Cunanan surprisingly had a 147 iq. There are many more that fall in the genius level but i'm not gonna look anymore up. Ted Bundy is the exception to being genius maybe because he wasn't.

Anything above 130 is considered extremely gifted. But after researching this more you're right. There's lots of very intelligent serial killers.

FRED HALE SR. · 06-16-2016, 12:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chula Vista

Anything above 130 is considered extremely gifted. But after researching this more you're right. There's lots of very intelligent serial killers.

Genius level is 140 and up.

Chula Vista · 06-16-2016, 01:16 PM

FRED HALE SR. · 06-16-2016, 01:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chula Vista

I found it odd that Dahmer had a higher iq then Bundy myself. Bundy always came across as so polished and engaging in interviews i suspected he was genius level also.

The Batlord · 06-16-2016, 03:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FRED HALE SR.

I found it odd that Dahmer had a higher iq then Bundy myself. Bundy always came across as so polished and engaging in interviews i suspected he was genius level also.

He was much more charismatic (at least on TV) than Dahmer, so it makes him look smarter. I imagine there are plenty of used car salesmen who can make you think they're much smarter than they really are.

06-16-2016, 01:16 PM	#38 (permalink)
Chula Vista Toasted Poster Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: SoCal by way of Boston Posts: 11,332	__________________ “The fact that we live at the bottom of a deep gravity well, on the surface of a gas covered planet going around a nuclear fireball 90 million miles away and think this to be normal is obviously some indication of how skewed our perspective tends to be.”

06-16-2016, 11:14 AM	#31 (permalink)
Key . Join Date: Dec 2010 Posts: 13,153	Here's my thoughts on serial killers in general, prepare for tl'dr. Serial killers, to me, are fascinating. And before you judge me by saying "oh man, you like people that kill people?" No, that is not the case. I'm human and I know right from wrong, and I understand the stigma around people that are fascinated by this type of thing. It's very easy for someone to go up to someone when they express in an interest in this type of thing and say "man, you're **ed up." I don't find people that are interested in this type of thing to be anywhere near as ed up as people claim that they are, because to me, being interested in serial killers is the same as being interested in murder mysteries, or horror games, and the like. There's something about it that sparks an interest in some people, and for other people to tell them they're **ed up in the head is a weak mans argument. To me, a serial killer is interesting for one thing and one thing only: their brain. When I first heard about what a serial killer is, I did my research and found people in the past that have committed these crimes such as Jeffrey Dahmer, Ted Bundy, and Richard Ramirez to name a few. There's countless others, but those three are the ones I did extensive research on. You have to wonder what kind of brain chemistry these people had when they committed these crimes. A normal person wouldn't just go out one day and think "man, i'm going to kill people today." No, it seems like it's much deeper than that. A lot of serial killers, even today, have had some common trends that made them this way. Some of them had a really bad upbringing, and I mean really bad. When it comes to the way the brain works, there's never been any certainty especially with how quickly people can be manipulated into thinking something is right, and vice versa. I've always wondered and I still wonder about how the serial killers think when they progress from victim to victim. Normal people obviously feel remorse even for the smallest things, like when a cat dies, or a parent dies, but something about the brains of the individuals that commit these crimes have been said to not feel any remorse, some of them have found enjoyment and pleasure out of it, i.e. rapists, necrophiliacs, etc. There are also countless pictures whether they're in court, or even documentaries of such individuals where their facial expression doesn't change, even when they speak about the people they have killed. A good example of this is the interview with Ted Bundy before he was executed. If you watch his face as the interview progresses, he doesn't seem fazed by his acts at all. He's able to speak openly about his crimes and smile as he does so. He also states that he feels calm even though he is so close to his execution. He again states that his home life was fantastic and never dealt with any sexual or physical abuse. When I watch interviews about these killers, there's also a common trend that the killer is able to speak about the crimes openly and not feel any remorse. You have to wonder as they are speaking openly about their crimes what seems to be going through their heads. Is there something that the brain is telling them to say? Or do they really feel that what they did isn't considered a bad thing? The obvious answer for normal people would be that it is of course a bad thing, but when you look at the killers in their interviews, you can't help but wonder what's going through their head. One more thing I would like to mention is the fact that I strongly believe, and have believed this for some time, that serial killers are actually (and most of them are) considered geniuses. I know I mentioned before that they seem to lose control of their mind and get twisted into thinking whats right and wrong, but it has to take some sort of intelligence be it about how humans work or how the brain works, to allow yourself to be manipulated to the point of feeling no remorse for killing people. A lot of killers have had a history of going to college and being successful and had they not been manipulated mentally, they could have been something great. For me, if there was ever an opportunity to look into a killer brain and just see what they're thinking, it would be a fascinating experience. Hell, would it be scary? Of course it would, but ever since I discovered the process of serial killers and the way they think and how they came to be, I've been more and more interested in how the brain functions. Like I said, there's never really been a direct answer as to how this stuff works, but even in the interview I posted above, I don't think i'd be scared giving the interview at all. Instead, I'd actually be excited to be sitting down and being able to tap into the mind of someone that is obviously mentally ill, in some way. I do also often wonder how one could have stopped a serial killer from committing the acts that he did, and whether that person would have been successful. This also brings to light how one thing that either goes right or goes wrong could change someone's life forever. It's like from Back to the Future when they go back in time, and it's stated that one small change could change the future forever. I feel like this in some way related. Imagine if any of the killers would have met one specific person, or had changed their direction on the street, like going left instead of right. It could have been a difference of whether they decide to go on a murderous rampage or not. Then again, some killers did have a fantastic upbringing and a good life, so I suppose in that case it wouldn't make sense. But just imagine if one person made a difference in their life, it could have changed them forever. Granted, that is how some killers came to be killers in the first place. At the end of the day, being interested in serial killers becomes the easiest thing to judge about people, and it's not fair. It sparks an interest, and yes, they are interesting. Some may say that it can create comfort in reading about these people. I find it to be the same as if I were researching a past president, or someone who died in war, it's all the same to me. I've never once considered anybody who finds interest in serial killers to be bad people. Hell, most of them are super cool and fun to talk to because they don't get offended so easily.