Creating Monsters

[PolarBearClub]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dnepropetrovsk_maniacs

The link above details the case of two men who, along with an accomplice, were convicted of the killings of 21 people in the Ukraine in 2007. The victims were beaten to death, some in public places, with the deaths long, protracted tortures in some cases, with the perpetrators using hammers and other blunt objects. A video exists online showing the killing of one of their victims, which I'd suggest no one watches. This isn't a case where you should immediately Google it and see what the big deal is, not just for its gruesome nature, but I feel as if it's giving these men some kind of twisted publicity, and sullying the memory of the dead man to have his final moments displayed in such a manner, as a form of perverted entertainment for the masses.

Youtube is filled with 'reaction' videos, and comments denouncing the two men as every evil under the sun, but my question is: how does this happen?

I'm of the opinion that no one is born evil, it's a case of nurture over nature. I don't believe any child harbours evil intentions. The men in this case were 19 when they committed the crimes, and there's countless examples of people committing crimes just as atrocious as these. In Britain there's the famous case of Jamie Bulger, a 3 year old tortured and murdered by two 10 year old boys.

What kind of world have we created that allows for the existence of people such as these. Is it actually an inescapable part of human nature that people such as these will always exist, or are we as a society doing something extremely wrong in certain cases.

We hear the same old stuff as explanations: kids watching horror films, which has nowadays been replaced as the go to scapegoat by videogames. But to me these excuses seem to be coating over larger issues, about family, upbringing, society.

TL;DR - how is there such evil in the world? Is it unavoidable, or do we have a part in creating it, either directly or indirectly

 

[NinjaDeathSlap]

Humanity has always been a violent and calculating species. It was what we needed to be to survive in a world where most of our surroundings would eat us given half the chance, it's just that there are laws governing us now.

It's a sad thought, but no matter what kind of society you try and build around us, some people will just not be able to contain the dark side of themselves.

 

[PolarBearClub]

But is that to imply that some people are born that way? That would mean at some stage, you could pinpoint a gene in people that could lead to them being a serial killer, a rapist, and remove it.

I'd be curious to know what is the youngest age someone has ever been found to be involved in a pre-meditated murder. Events that care when we are young can have a profound effect on us, and I'd almost guarantee that in every case of a serial killer or similar person, issues can be traced to their childhood or early teens. Though it can't always be down to individuals such as a parent, so what are we doing?

 

[MikailCaboose]

Well, there is some evidence that children whose genetic parents (even if they were adopted and raised by others), particularly the father, were violent, aggressive or criminal, did have a higher tendency to exhibit violent and/or criminal behavior.
So, at least from what my IB psych text book states, there is some genetic basis to it.

 

[Grospoliner]

One part nature, one part nurture. We are all products of our experiences and environments. It is invariable that for any species that gives birth to a Gandhi or Mother Teresa, there will be an Adolf Hitler or a Josef Stalin who are born as well.

The nature nurture argument is one that is long, and both sides have valid points. There are people born with mental illnesses which cause them to have problems with inhibition control. Then there are those societies who somehow have never succumbed to their own inherent, internal instabilities. Societies with archaic practices and belief systems that state things like, my enemies have no honor and should be eradicated, women are second class citizens and should not speak, children should be seen and not heard; ilk of that nature which damages and represses the psyche of the individual, causing the build up of neurosis and stress until a tipping point occurs.

Like all things, it is most likely a combination of factors which results in the explosive psychotic. A series of failures both natural and societal which results in the creation of serial killers and maniacs.

 

[WolfEdge]

But is that to imply that some people are born that way? That would mean at some stage, you could pinpoint a gene in people that could lead to them being a serial killer, a rapist, and remove it.

I'd be curious to know what is the youngest age someone has ever been found to be involved in a pre-meditated murder. Events that care when we are young can have a profound effect on us, and I'd almost guarantee that in every case of a serial killer or similar person, issues can be traced to their childhood or early teens. Though it can't always be down to individuals such as a parent, so what are we doing?

Of course people can be born with a murderous vibe. All it takes is the right combination of chemical imbalances in the brain and you've got yourself an uncaring monster who has no ability to connect emotionally with another human being. People can be raised to be killers, this is true, but sometimes a person just ain't right.

 

[smearyllama]

Some people are just fucked up.
Nothing we can do to prevent it, really. Just gotta find out before these people do any harm, and try to help them in some way.

 

[AroLombardi]

A video exists online showing the killing of one of their victims, which I'd suggest no one watches.

Three Guys One Hammer? (At least, that's the name I saw it given when I watched it....) I watched it long time ago. I'm no queasy stomach, but that video is the first video on the internet to make me physically sick.

[small]And no I haven't seen Two girls One Cup...[/small]

 

[theheroofaction]

*sigh* when people are kids they always have one pretending to be a hero and a villain. Eventually you either realize that isn't for you, or you find out that at some point, you stopped pretending.

That is why monsters exist, fortunately it's also why there are good people.