Elizabeth Báthory. Jeffery Dahmer. Ted Bundy. These names invoke a psychological movie reel of sex, violence and intrigue.
What drives our fascination with serial killers? Why do such disturbed individuals gain immortality in modern mythology? Why are we, as humans, compelled to study, discuss and even write stories inspired by what is often the worst of humanity?
Is the obsessive frenzy for serial killers proportionate with their impact on society? Statistically, no, but the effect on the public psyche is undeniably ingrained.
The enigma of the global relationship with serial killers is too complex to be satisfied by any single answer, but a combination of ideas could find a piece of the puzzle.
Perhaps the most seductive myth is that of the power fantasy. Not, that is, the desire to become the suave, charismatic killer but rather to tame the monster.
Blood and violence are traditional metaphors for intimacy.
For example, the vampire bite. There is penetration, an exchange of bodily fluids, a rebirth and the grieving of a previous life — the loss of virginity.
Sex is frightening. Tying metaphors to violent monsters can alleviate that anxiety.
Being the ultimate kill, or the one that stops the killings altogether signals a command and an attraction so strong it transcends physical force. The victim, in this fantasy, is the one in control.
The serial killer sparks curiosity. What could be so damaging to a psyche as to cause such egregious behavior. Are we all capable of atrocities? No, the killer must be inhuman, a hyper-intelligent predator, a special circumstance — a monster.
The serial killer is a tantalizing boogeyman.
Krampus, a Christmas boogeyman, whisks misbehaving children off to hell. He can be warded off by adhering to the morality of Santa Claus who gives gifts to children who do not pout, or cry.
The pop culture serial killer has a fictional Santa counterpart: the brilliant detective.
It’s the modern knight that slays the dragon; the monster hunter.
Daytime TV plays this parasocial relationship relentlessly. A killer and a detective match wits and then, once the killer is behind bars, the public can breathe again. Only, reality is not so cut and dry.
The FBI estimates an average of 27 serial killers per decade from 1920–2018, with some years having significantly more than others, (104 in the 1980s for example), as defined by killing 3 or more victims in their career.
Statistically, these boogeymen are far less dangerous than more common threats, like cartels and human trafficking organizations and thousands die from domestic violence disputes every day than have ever died from serial killer attacks.
Society needs to realize that it faces a greater chance of death from friends and family, cartels and traffickers. The cultural fascination with exceptional killers ignores real statistical danger.
Putting one violent person away doesn’t mean that the doors can be unlocked — humanity’s predators are everywhere, and they look just like everyone else.
