Psychopaths - The most complex killers in history?
Brookside
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This can include real life or films based on real life... from any era?
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Brookside
Posts: 1,381 Brookside
Posts: 1,381 Brookside
Posts: 1,381
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I'd argue that psychopaths that kill are less complex than other sorts of murderers. They have no regard for human life, which makes it all a lot easier for them.
That would be fantastic as long as they have a back story to them, I don't know many infamous killers. Just what films I have seen.
While we are meant to see him as a harmless gentle giant, his lack of compassion or regret for killing small animals [ and women ] is a classic psycho trait.
I did find him sinister rather than a benign figure.
If you want a list of notorious killers who may or may not be psychopaths then you might want to read up on:
Ted Bundy
Jeffrey Dahmer
Ed Gein
Dennis Nilson
John Haigh
John Christie
I never had the pleasure of reading of Mice and Men all the way through! My English lessons in school never seemed to have the staying power to read it all the way through!
Could you tell me some more... I always thought people who kill animals for fun start of doing that then moving onto new things.
You are spot on there and I myself seem to fall for the media headlines in this case.
Erm... both with a explanation as to why they are or aren't psychopaths?
Tyrants like Hitler, Stalin, Putin and Khan. Serial killers like Norman Bates and Leather Face. Or modern killers...
Could anyone give a good essay on each of them and what they did?
Wow really? Wasn't a film based on this man? Did he give reasons as to why he did the killings and who and how did he kill? How did he escape jail!?
Why do you believe that?
Bundy's victims were young women, he killed at least 30, but it may have been more. He was always popular with the ladies and never had any problems luring them to desolate spots. He was eventually arrested and escaped from a prison in Colorado, after which he committed more murders whilst on the run. He was recaptured though in Florida, where he was ultimately sent to the electric chair. Not sure if there is any film about him, (you'd have thought so, as it's a fascinating if gruesome story). If you're after a good film I'd recommend the one on the Zodiac killer (who was never caught) or the Boston Strangler.
Interesting. I just thought he was a man with learning difficulties who didnt know the consequences. But I havent read it since school
That is what I thought?
Just like Jack The Ripper? Who was the Boston Strangler?
That's a good read if you're interested in the why and how's of serial killers. It's explains why they do what they do and what motivated them. There's also a few case histories if I remember correctly.
There's also the Jigsaw Man which is another good read
The Jigsaw Man by Paul Britton http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0552144932/ref=cm_sw_r_udp_awd_IJ9Ytb0A44PW4
John Christie - an English serial killer of eight women, including his wives, during the 1940s
Film about his murders: 10 Rillington Place (1971) with Richard Attenborough as Christie. There are loads of books about him.
Leopold and Loeb - two self-indulgent, rich male college students who murdered a 12-year-old to test their 'intellectual theory' on whether they can get away with it.
Films based on them: Rope (1948), Compulsion (1959), Funny Games (1997), and Murder By Numbers (2002).
Miyuki Ishikawa - murdered over 100 newborns during the 1940s.
Best to read this Wikipedia entry: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miyuki_Ishikawa
John Haigh a.k.a. the Acid Bath Murderer - dissolved his murdered victims in a bath, hence the nickname.
I became aware of him when we visited the Chamber of Horror at Madame Tussand's during early 1980s. I have no idea if his wax figure is still there, but it was rather vivid. He stood over a blood-splattered bath. Does anyone remember this?
The Shen brothers (Changyin Shen (28) and Changping Shen (20)) - murdered and ate at least 10 prostitutes (not including two survivors) in one year.
What makes it interesting is that they forced their victims to do the killing. They forced the second victim to kill the third victim. They killed the second victim, then forced the fourth victim to kill the fifth victim. I think the first and eighth victims are the survivors.
Forgot this one: Amelia Dyer - murdered over 300 babies.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amelia_Dyer
Nice one for that.
A lot of successful people have psychopathic traits.
Selfishness, lack of guilt/remorse/empathy, ruthlessness, etc.
Interesting. I've never considered Lenny as a psychopath but you're right he does seem to lack empathy.
Indeed, a psychology journal did a small scale study a couple of years ago on 39 British senior managers and CEOs and found that they were more psychopathic than the average patient at Broadmoor. I'd extend that to cover about 90% of all the managers I've ever worked under, along with the vast majority of politicians and other people in power.
He is the perfect psychopath.
I agree I don't think Lenny as a psychopath. That is a sad thought poor Lenny.
Another who enjoyed "the game" was Dennis Rader, a.k.a. "BTK" (Bind, Torture, Kill). He would communicate with the press and police, sending them letters, even admitting to a murder that hadn't previously been attributed to him. He was eventually caught when he sent the police a floppy disk and they were able to trace him from that.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dennis_Rader
http://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/2825gf/im_the_psychologist_who_evaluated_ted_bundy_and/