I also think this is important to consider following shootings. The victims should really be the focus. No shooter should be given any more attention than we can help, because it humanizes people who really don’t need to be humanized. Well said.

I liked how you highlighted the fine line between telling the story and respecting the victims. It’s is tough to know when something is crossing the line. But one thing is for sure, the media shouldn’t glorify and try to make audiences sympathize with a killer.

I thought this post was really interesting. It made me think of Ted Bundy, who was often praised for his looks and sex appeal, when this should be the last thing that people are thinking about. It also reminds me of the show “You” on Netflix. The show is about a man who stalks and manipulates a girl into loving him, and later kills her friends, family, and even herself. A lot of the feedback I saw about this show was about how good looking the main actor was, instead of how sick he was.

I personally disagree that physical characteristics mean someone is going to be a serial killer. I do believe that the psychological aspect of this topic is valid. However, people are not born serial killers. I think there are many factors that can lead someone to doing that. Something i would like to see is Lombroso’s research, like how he studied this and where and who he studied. This article talks about his theory and may help you if haven’t seen it already. https://criminal-justice.iresearchnet.com/criminology/theories/biological-theories-of-crime/9/

This is a very interesting theory. I do think that the physical traits can be damning and at risk for being connected to racial bias. However, I would be very interested to see if there are any connections between these brain differences and common personality disorders such as psychopathy, sociopathy, and narcissistic personality disorder. Also, there is a phenomenon called the MacDonald Triad that may be interesting in connection to this.

I think that the connection to physical feature might be a slight stretch, but I the mental aspects are very interesting. I would like to read more about how they discovered this.

The part about serial killers not being able to feel empathy was very interesting. I think talking about the chemical makeup and how their brains work different than ours would be a really interesting route to take with this paper.

I think this is a really interesting topic. I think it’s interesting how even though as humans we acknowledge murder as a unethical thing, yet we still are fascinated with killers. I would definitely like to read more about this topic.

Hi Maggie! I really enjoyed reading this. I think that learning about serial killers is fascinating, especially because I am so interested in psychology. I liked when you said “We have ideas about what a serial killer is and when someone is found that contradicts our mindset, we are shocked”, because it shows how people make snap judgments as to what they believe the persona of a serial killer is supposed to be. Thanks for writing this, and keep up the good work!

People are fascinated by what scares and shocks them. This topic is interesting because its a topic that should repel us, but instead it draws us in.

I think this topic is so prevalent among a lot of people. The idea that we are attracted to the unknown is very interesting, and I agree that as human beings we crave mystery and intrigue. In addition to that, I like how you used the example of Ted Bundy to show how shock factors into our interest in certain topics. I really want to read your final essay on this and learn more about this quality that so many of us seem to have.

This topic is fascinating, especially in a time when it seems crime is an inescapable part of culture. It is really interesting in the context of domestic terror and mass shootings, and how the two equal brands of evil can become oddly alienated in our own minds. Keep up the good work.

I have always held a fascination with why this topic is so interesting to today’s audiences. I believe that there is two sides that one can take to it. First, theres the dangerous side, which is the glorification and romanticizing of these killers. The second, is just the fascination, which I’m sure many of us have with true crime and the psychology behind it. I look forward to reading more.

I really like this topic and why you’re researching it. This would honestly be something I would research. It’s interesting to see someone’s mindset who is capable of doing something like a murder, especially more than once. I love how many people find this topic interesting instead of terrifying.

I this this is an amazing topic to do this essay on because there is much to be said about it. You did a great job with introducing a couple of reasons as to why human are so amused by the mystery of murders. I hope you get into more details and examples of other famous murderers who have been glorified. This will make for a really interesting essay.

I have noticed an insane increase in focus on serial killers and murder mysteries. There are endless documentaries, Youtube videos, Netflix series, and social media articles strictly about serial killers and their stories. Despite being interested myself in this topic, I have always wondered why it intrigues me (and apparently many other people). I am excited to see what your research turns up!

Maggie,
I think this is such a fascinating topic to research! This fascination with serial killers is something that is very relevant in our world today. I have often considered how our society seems to erase the horrific actions of the serial killers, or at least choose to ignore it. Here is an article that I think you would enjoy and is very connected to your essay.
https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/life/features/why-notorious-serial-killer-ted-bundy-is-still-glorified-37797405.html
Nice job!

Maggie,
I think the idea that humans are naturally fascinated by things we don’t know about, even when that means murder, is interesting. I liked that you used Ted Bundy as an example because of the new movie about him that has received a lot of backlash. I would love to hear more about the impact of the glorification of serial killers. Here is an article that I think you would like: https://www.thisisinsider.com/ted-bundy-film-director-says-glorifying-claime-are-naive-and-knee-jerk-reaction-2019-2

I agree, this is a super interesting topic. I think that the reason that a lot of us are fascinated by serial killers is because the psychology surrounding the typical serial killer is so strange, and that with a lot of serial killers there are patterns in childhood and behavior. I’d be interested in reading more!