Ted Bundy (1) When we discuss serial killers, it is often impossible to suggest that social factors alone were behind forming their anti-social attitudes. With a case of Ted Bundy, we can say that his behavior was for the most part genetically predetermined. There is strong evidence, which suggests that Bundy was being conceived as the result of incest between his mother and his grandfather Samuel Cowell. It is well known fact that that reason why traditional societies do not tolerate incest is because it results in birth of children with physical and mental defects. Even though that Ted Bundy appeared as being absolutely normal, the neurological problems haunted him throughout his life and their nature was clearly biological. At the same time, we cannot underestimate the strength of social influences, when it comes to the formation of future serial killers character. It has been noticed that the most gruesome crimes occur in mentally repressive societies.
At the time when Bundy was growing up in Philadelphia, this state was being considered as the one where Bible thumpers had very strong influence. Christianity describes peoples natural drives as sinful, which is the reason why many people that were being indoctrinated with Christian nonsense, since they were kids, often show abnormal emotional leanings, when they grow up. During his interrogations, Ted Bundy revealed that his grandfather, who was a priest, kept a collection of pornographic magazines in the church. It appears that this is not the exception but rule, especially in the light of recent scandals, involving Catholic priests being caught, while buying child porn or sexually abusing children. This allows us to come to conclusion that Bundys growing intelligence came in conflict with what he used to think of as his own essence. However, he was unable to overcome the inconsistency between his upbringing and his realization that this upbringing was based on wrong principles. Even while being on the death row, he genuinely believed that he was a kind and gentle individual. Bundy seriously thought that the fact that his dark side was periodically taking over, did not affect his fundamental nature as a person. This proves that was a compulsive narcissist.
The Term Paper on Bill Bundy Ted Time Sears
... legally changed their names. So now, Ted Bundy is a four-year-old child who has spent most of his ... investigative agencies with its unique problems (Keppel 3). Ted Bundy grew up in what today's society would call ... 3). During the same time period, Ted broke out of his social enclosure and took part in his ... handsome as a movie idol, a sensitive psychiatric social worker, and 'a young man for whom the ...
In his book Narcissism: Socrates, the Frankfurt School, and Psychoanalytic Theory Fred Alford suggests that compulsive narcissism derives out of spirit of consumerism and the fact that people, in post-modern societies, are becoming atomized: Withdrawal, emotional aloofness, hyperactivity (emotional flatness), sex without emotional involvement, segmentation and partial involvement (lack of interest and commitment to things outside oneself), fixation on oral-stage issues, regression, infantilism and depersonalization. These, of course, are many of the same designations that describe the culture of narcissism. Thus, it appears that it is not misleading to equate narcissism with schizoid disorder (Alford, p. 19).
We cannot deny the fact that American culture is consumerist, in its essence. From the time they go to school, kids are being taught that there is only one goal in this life personal comfort. The most respectable professions in America are the ones that allow individual to earn the most money with the least effort applied.
This partially explains why Bundy choose the career of lawyer. The reason why majority of citizens do not become ultimate hedonists, like Bundy, is not that they are religious or moral, but because they are social beings, which does not allow their destructive anti-social drives to take over. Bundy, on the other hand, ceased to associate himself with society, because he thought that he was so much better. It is very likely that he was also thinking of his crimes as the part of social protest, on his part, in the same way modern homosexuals think of their own mental sickness. If he was trialed today, Bundy could have easily escaped the death sentence, because he would be able to claim that killing innocent people was a part of his religion or ethnic identity or his worldview, just as many serial killers do nowadays. He would be able to prove that it is a society that made monster out of him and there would be rallies of heart-broken liberals across America demonstrating their support.
The Essay on Family Values Importance Society People America
Family Values: Importance America's family values are very important to our citizens. For many years the American family and its values have been one of the top priorities of our nation. The family is even an essential part of the "American Dream" that we Americans are so fond of. The basic idea of success in America is measured by how well one can provide for their family. But what does ...
(2) In his book Killing for Sports Pat Brown says: Serial killers rarely break down even so far as the admit that they alone were responsible for their acts. They usually elaborate on some dreadful childhood happening that made them a killer, its always somebodys else’s fault, they’re not really guilty, they were just acting out against the abuse they suffered at some point (Brown, p. 34).
Such was Ted Bundy. His ego prompted him to commit horrendous crimes to satisfy his perversion, while he also strived to consider himself as a normal person. This is why he was always mentally detached from his victims, much like Buffalo Bill from Silence of the Lambs. Bundy is a typical representative of a third generation of White people, who are deprived of strength, will power and determination, while being intellectual hedonists.
These people do not dare to protest openly, while seeing more and more American towns turning into crime-ridden ghettos, because of celebration of diversity. However, occasionally, some of them simply become insane, which results in office and school shootings. Others, like Bundy, become serial killers. It is a fact that 80% of serial killers in America are White males. The willingness to kill innocent people for the sake of getting a thrill, on their part, points out to the fact that there is something seriously wrong with a society as whole. It is becoming more marginalized. The same processes were taking place in ancient Rome, just before it was being sacked by barbarians.
It was absolutely necessary for the Emperors to kill more and more people at gladiators shows, to keep crowds animalistic urges satisfied. It is the same with America nowadays movies are becoming increasingly violent. The rap is being thought of as the valid musical trend, even though it glorifies death and violence and has anti-melodic properties. This is the ultimate price of building a multicultural utopia in this country society is becoming corrupted. Therefore, it is only logical to suggest that it will be producing more monsters like Ted Bundy, as time goes by. He is nothing but the embodiment of physical and mental illnesses that undermine the unity of American society, as whole.
The Essay on Serial Killers Media Death Society
... introduction of serial killers into our society, with their precision and strategy of the murder, the media became fascinated with these people, and so ... Killers Serial Murder Kill Davis Berkowitz Son of Sam Ted Bundy John Wayne Gacy The nineteen-seventies was an incredible decade. ... when and where to kill. Ted Bundy, who is believed to have killed at least thirty-four people, was charged for only three ...
Bibliography:
Alford, F. 1988. Narcissism: Socrates, the Frankfurt School, and Psychoanalytic Theory. New Haven: Yale University Press Brown, P. 2003. Killing for Sports. New York: New Millennium Press.
Corpus, L. What We Learned From Ted Bundy. 1999. The Forerunner. Retrieved July 7, 2007 from http://forerunner.com/forerunner/X0332_Ted_Bundy.h tml Montaldo, S. Serial Killer Ted Bundy. 2006. About.Com.
Retrieved July 7, 2007 from http://crime.about.com/od/serial/p/tedbundy.htm Seltzer, M. 1998. Serial Killers: Death and Life in America’s Wound Culture. New York: Routledge. Abstract: This paper discusses reasons that prompted Ted Bundy to become a serial killer. Outline: Part one.
Pp. 1-3 Part two. P. 3.
