Steve Becker raised the issue of psychopaths in movies a few months ago – I’d like to raise it again. I’ve been watching the second series of the TV show ‘Dexter‘. For those who don’t know it, Dexter is a serial killer who operates according to a code taught to him by his father. Dad, a cop, realised that Dexter was different (socially inept, blood lust, etc.) and so instilled in him the principle that he was not to hurt people in general, but to work at getting along with them. Dexter is permitted to kill only those who deserve it, e.g. killers who’s escaped justice.
Commentators automatically call Dexter psychopathic. That’s what these words seem to mean in the general public: psychopath = serial killer = psychopath.
Hannibal Lector seems to be the association. Either him or a character like Chigurh in ‘No country for old men’. In fact he’s portrayed like a schizoid automaton – where’s the famous psychopathic charm? Only in the scene where he verbally torments the old store-owner get a whiff of psychopathy. It’s not helpful; it’s just one of the reasons regular folks can’t/won’t understand what psychopathy is really like. (For starters, psychopaths aren’t by any means all killers.)
This despite the fact the Dexter himself feels most understood at a program for addicts. (To my mind he’s a pervert.) His girlfriend Lila, though, does seem to me to be a psychopath, though with a definite female bent. A clue, Dexter is wholly likeable whereas Lila is terrifying. A bit like Sante Kimes as depicted in ‘A little thing called murder’.
This public confusion occured around ‘The Sopranos’ too. Donna Andersen has argued that Tony is not a psychopath (she prefers the term sociopath). I agree. (My diagnosis: narcissist – not that it would matter if he had you in his sights.) To me his buddy Paulie ‘Walnuts’ is the true psychopath.
Lovefraud readers have earned the right the hard way to know what is and what isn’t a believably psychopathic. Which movies/shows/books do you think get the essential quality?
Indigoblue
Star
If it is possible stay put in the getto I lived in a trailerpark for two plus years , the doublewide was acctually twodifferent trailer put together , one of the rooms had Orlando Blooms signature writen in the exposed twobyfour the bathroom floor almost caved in no air no heat my cat could get in and out without using a door It was Marvalous :)~ love jere
Wini
StarG: I always had excellent credit …
One year I took off to Calabasa, CA for vacation (best vacation ever) … anyway, I put school on my credit card and my vacation on my credit card. Came home, got the bill and said … oh, oh, I better pay this in full. Which I did, days before the bill was due. Yup, you got it, it came back with a zero balance due to cashing my check, but they still charged me the percentage points. So I called them up and told them to shove it up their greedy butts … and I cut that card in half.
Unbelievable the greed of all of them … I feel bad for the folks that had these sliding cards … whacking everyone with outrageous percentages …and you wonder why everything went in the toilet?
Peace.
Wini
GREED GREED and more GREED … in case you couldn’t figure out the answer.
Stargazer
Oh dear. I’ve also had to write a check to my credit card company for $0.00 because that’s the amount they billed me for. It certainly shut them up.
IndigoB, I don’t know why, but I picture you living in a beautiful house with very nice furnishings.
My place is not quite the ghetto, but it’s starting to go there. I just need a change. I’ve been here for about 6 years and in the same office job for 7 years. It’s just time for a change. (I sound like Barack Obama).
BTW, where is wonderwoman?????? Has anyone heard from her?
Indigoblue
I have a unique situation
I’m broke ! 🙂 I make due w/what I have everything is handmedowns but is very nice! I love it! Quiet big backyad
Ox Drover
Dear Jen,
Ann’s response to finding the evidence pointed to bundy was interesting, and even after she essentially ‘knew for sure’ she kept writing to him, and sending him money for commissary.
The last chapter in her book though, she does call him a psychopath but I am not sure she ‘got it’ even then. But you know, knowing my P-son, and sitting and talking to him, KNOWING that he put the gun to that girl’s head and pulled the trigger without any more remorse than Bundy felt, it still is difficult for me to “see” that picture.
When I met myP- X-DIL that tried to kill my other son at the bank to cash her and my son’s IRS check, she was so sweet to me that if I hadn’t made myself ‘see’ her standing there trying to take the phone out of my son’s hand as he was trying to call 911 because her BF was at the door with a gun trying to push his way in, i would have actually liked her, enjoyed being with her.
It is a bizarre feeling is all I can say. how can someone who appears so ‘normal’ be that horrible? how can someone, anyone, be sitting, acting like anyone else in the world, and yet still have been capable of such atrocities? You’d think that anyone who could kill someone (or more than one person without any remorse) would have some “mark of cain’ on their forehead, something that would be visible to anyone who looked at them to show just how evil they were.
BloggerT7165
Warning You are not going to like what I am going to tell you so if you want to stay in your own little pity party and fantacy Island skip this blog and read something else ! Love Jere
Ok I have to say something at this point. How is insulting/denigrating people if they don’t agree with your views not abusive and acting like an abuser? Gee I went to LF to find help, education, comfort from an abuser only to find that I am “staying in my own pity party and fantasy island” because I may not agree with what a person has said. There is nothing humble or loving in that statement. I am really put off by how much I see theology being used by some on here as a powerful weapon of authoritarianism.
If you want to preach the gospel then do so BUT The gospel is best communicated through acts of love and compassion and through attitudes of openness and humility. Love is the fulfillment of the law of God and love bears witness to the grace of God that calls all of us to put down our theological weapons and relinquish our power over others.
And FYI the war in Eruope was over on May 7 and 8th 1945 where as the bombs dropped on hiroshima and nagasaki occurred on August 6 and 9th 1945. The bombs being dropped had nothing to do with fearing a two front war.
Indigoblue
I don’t mind at all explaining every word!
Pity party -I spent 6 years , thinking was it somthing I had done to him, If I could have done somthing different! Is this punishment for my own behavior ! If I give him another chance will it be different! If I give him another chance will he do as he has said he will do! It’s my fault!
Fantacy Island – Now that I live in a nice house in a nice neighborhood , newly remodeled, fresh paint , close to everything , walking distance , Place for a dog, private bath,Quiet neighborhood away from trafic,away from the other HOOD ! Things will be different!
when I read ,I take from what I have read what I can use! Because it is writen does’nt make it so!
Love is not always prety,gay,w/flowers and lace ! The love I had to go through was miserable ,degrading,physicaly painfull and almost cost me my life!
Have you ever seen the pictures of the aftermath of those bombs? Have you ever seen the pictures of the area around Chernobl,Russa ? Did our media cover each year of the after effects of what today are called tiny bombs ?
any other questions? If you don’t like what you read of me,don’t read me! I gave you a Warning!
ya know all those warnings I got from my Psyco that should have made me step back and say hold on a minute!
I ignored them! (love) jere
Indigoblue
BloggerT7165
I am looking for your site and I can’t find it ? LOVE jere
Jen2008
Indigo, On the left side scroll down until you see blogroll. Then click on “when Mom is the abuser” and you will go to BloggerT7165’s site.