Introduction
Media portrayals of serial killers as heroes, celebrities, and symbols are becoming more controversial. This article identifies, discusses, and critiques media formats, genres, and methodologies utilized to illustrate these issues. It will also examine popular culture forms that engage audiences with violence or vicarious experience. The complicated interaction between media, audience, and serial murderers may be understood by reviewing diverse viewpoints, forms of research and expression, and decision-making processes in many disciplines.
Serial Killer Heroes, Celebrities, and Icons
Movies and TV
Serial Killers in Crime Dramas: Antiheroes
Crime shows have recently portrayed serial killers as antiheroes. These shows generally portray serial killers as nuanced and compelling characters with painful pasts. These novels humanize killers by analyzing their motivations and inner battles, blurring right and wrong. “Dexter” and “Hannibal” have loyal fans who sympathize with murders (Schmid 7). This portrayal contradicts traditional heroes and villains, providing moral uncertainty that may make these people disturbing.
Sympathetically portraying serial killers.
Some movies and TV shows humanize serial killers by showing their weaknesses, traumas, and tragic pasts. These narratives aim to elicit sympathy by exploring their minds. This method humanizes the killers so much that their horrible crimes may be justified, blurring morality. “Monster” and “Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer” show their characters as products of their surroundings, probing what made them violent. Humanizing killers may complicate stories but can also romanticize or encourage misdirected compassion.
Cinematically glorifying serial killers.
Films may unintentionally glorify serial killers. Stylish imagery, rich stories, and compelling performances may unwittingly make killers appealing. In “American Psycho” and “Natural Born Killers,” killers are portrayed as seductive, charming, and twisted. Such representations risk romanticizing serial killers and encourage idolization.
True Crime Novels
Serial Killer Obsession
Serial killers are famous in fiction, especially in actual crime. These novels reveal the inner workings of notorious criminals. These narratives create a sick fascination with serial killers by concentrating on their grisly details and complex psyche. “The Stranger Beside Me” and “Helter Skelter” chill readers, fueling their curiosity with these frightening beings (Schmid 177).
Narratively Romanticizing Serial Killers
Some fiction and nonfiction romanticize serial killers. These narratives stress the killer’s brain, ingenuity, and thorough planning, making them seem remarkable or admirable. In “The Silence of the Lambs” and “In Cold Blood,” the killers’ characters are romanticized, blurring the limits between horror and fascination. Idealizing these perpetrators risks diminishing their victims’ suffering and their crimes.
Serial Killer Exploitation
Serial murderer stories are becoming more commercialized. True crime novels, podcasts, and films often sensationalize or exploit these situations to entertain the audience. Some of these publications explore serial killer psychology and punishment, whereas others focus on sensationalism and profit (Oliver et al. 201). Serial killers’ stories may be commercialized, glorifying their atrocities and fostering a popular fascination with them.
Online and Social Media
Serial killer memes and viral content
Social media has spread serial killer content. Memes, jokes, and viral material about notorious murders have normalized their deeds. Dark humour may desensitize viewers and blur the border between enjoyment and violence. Serial killer forums on Reddit spread information and may attract unhealthy obsessives.
Serial Killer Fandom
Fan groups that romanticize serial murderers have also formed on social media. These networks, known as “true crime fandoms,” celebrate the murders through debates, fan art, and fan fiction. These communities may project their imaginations and want onto the murderers. This idolization can prolong serial killer myths and misinterpret their crimes. Modern media portrayals of serial killers as heroes, superstars, and symbols are complicated and ethically problematic. Films, TV, literature, and social media have humanized, glamorized, or commercialized these offenders (Signorielli 181). These representations influence audience perceptions and behaviour beyond entertainment. Media makers and consumers must critically evaluate these depictions, considering media workers’ ethical obligations and the impact on society’s understanding of violence and crime.
Violent and Vicarious Popular Culture
Video Games
FPS Games and Player Perspective
First-person shooter (FPS) games put players in a virtual world with weapons and battle. Players can act violently and kill in these games. The protagonist’s perspective may empower and delight, merging real-life repercussions and virtual deeds. FPS games can be thrilling and challenging, but there are worries about violent desensitization and real-life aggression (Scharrer 67).
Role-Playing Games
RPGs can include violence and ethically dubious decisions. Players may have to injure people or do immoral things. These games present difficult moral choices. RPGs may provide thought-provoking storytelling and character development, but ethically ambiguous circumstances may legitimize violent or unethical action.
Unethical Games
Video games with graphic violence or content have caused controversy. The “Grand Theft Auto” series has been criticized for its depiction of crime and player brutality. The game’s content may affect users, particularly children, raising ethical problems. The discussion centres on game makers’ responsibilities to consider their products’ repercussions and age ratings’ role in regulating violent material.
Lyrics and Music
Rap and Metal’s Violent Themes
Rap and metal lyrics are often brutal. The lyrics show brutality, hostility, and defiance. Critics worry about the impact on listeners, especially vulnerable ones who may be influenced by violence. Music’s impact on attitudes and actions depends on the listener’s susceptibility and life situation.
Controversial Lyrics and Society
Controversial music lyrics can promote violence and bad behaviour. Misogynistic, gang-related, and drug-related lyrics might influence listeners. Artists may claim that their lyrics represent their personal experiences or the reality of specific groups, but they must consider the ramifications of sharing such information (Schmid 137). Given music’s effect on teenage culture, critics say the entertainment sector should spread good messages.
Art vs. Violence
Popular music often debates the relationship between art and violence. Critics worry about susceptible audiences, bad societal standards, and real-life mimicry, while artists say their work is self-expression. Artists should be able to express themselves while contemplating the impact of their work on society.
Extreme Sports
Reality competitions and aggression
Conflict, violence, and drama draw viewers to competitive reality shows. High-pressure competitions might cause violent conduct. Winning at all costs, manipulating interpersonal relationships, and depicting clashes create an aggressive and hostile society. Some argue that these shows are just entertainment and that participants willingly engage in these behaviours, but others worry about the psychological and emotional effects on participants and viewers who may view aggressive behaviour as acceptable or even desirable.
Vicarious Sports and Thrills
Base jumping, skateboarding, and mixed martial arts offer high-risk, adrenaline-pumping activities. These sports let participants and viewers experience risk, thrill, and physical prowess. The excitement of conquering fear and pushing boundaries is the draw. While these sports prioritize safety and follow strict regulations, the glorification of extreme activities may encourage people to try them without proper training.
Media Ethics
Media makers must consider ethics while depicting violence and vicarious experiences. They must assess their content’s effects on viewers. Ethical narrative and responsible portrayal must be prioritized to prevent normalizing or condoning violence while providing captivating entertainment. Media professionals can use rules, age limitations, and content warnings to help audiences make educated decisions about violent or vicarious material.
Video games, music, and reality TV can incite aggression. Video games, music, and reality TV that promote violence raise ethical issues about their effects on society. Media developers and users must critically analyze and examine the effects of these entertainments. A healthy and ethical popular culture must combine artistic expression, entertainment value, and social responsibility.
Perspective, Inquiry, and Decision-Making Evaluation
Psychological Perspective
Media affects audience behaviour and perceptions from a psychological standpoint. Exposure to violent media can desensitize, enhance aggression, and influence attitudes toward violence (Potter 127). This view highlights the psychological benefits of watching violent media and identifying with violent characters. It raises ethical problems concerning the media’s effect on vulnerable people like youngsters and those with violence or mental health difficulties. Psychological research informs responsible media production and consumption practices.
Sociological View
Media reflect society’s preoccupation with violence, according to sociology. It acknowledges that cultural norms, values, and beliefs drive media content. Violence in media may strengthen or challenge societal norms. Media shapes group identity and ideas, according to sociology. Sociologists may illuminate the social processes that shape media depictions of serial killers as heroes, superstars, and symbols and their effects on society (Savage 298). To promote a more conscious and responsible media culture, this approach suggests critically examining media-society relations.
Ethical View
The ethical viewpoint examines media portrayals of serial murderers and violent material. It examines media representations’ societal impact and artistic freedom. Media workers have a moral obligation to evaluate how their job may damage people or perpetuate dangerous views. Media ethics can help media practitioners make responsible decisions. These criteria may include minimizing gratuitous violence, valuing accuracy and context in the narrative, and providing appropriate content warnings. Understanding media’s social and cultural effects is essential for ethical media creation and consumption.
Interdisciplinary methods that incorporate psychological, social, and ethical viewpoints are necessary to comprehend how serial killers are portrayed as heroes, celebrities, and symbols in modern media. These viewpoints illuminate the complicated processes. Quantitative studies can show how media affects audience behaviour and perceptions, whereas qualitative research can capture individual experiences and interpretations. Sociological research of media content reveals power dynamics and societal ramifications. Ethical inquiry encompasses the moral assessment and value-based media professional obligations.
These fields weigh evidence, ethics, and societal influence while making decisions. It weighs creative expression, freedom of speech, and entertainment against the hazards of normalizing violence or harming individuals and communities. Media power and responsible content development, dissemination, and consumption are part of ethical decision-making. To traverse the intricacies and make informed judgments that promote responsible and ethical media, media, psychology, sociology, and ethics, specialists must collaborate. To comprehend and analyze media portrayals of serial murderers as heroes, superstars, and idols, one must evaluate viewpoints, modes of investigation, and decision-making processes. Psychological, sociological, and ethical perspectives focus on the media’s influence on individuals, societal norms, and media workers’ obligations. Ethics and media responsibility require interdisciplinary approaches and critical analysis.
Conclusion
Modern media portrayals of serial killers as heroes, celebrities, and symbols are complicated and contentious. This study investigated serial killer media, genres, and strategies, as well as popular culture forms that foster audience identification or involvement through violence or vicarious experience. By examining multiple perspectives and methods, these representations’ implications and ethical issues have been fully understood. The media need it.
Works Cited
Oliver, Mary Beth, and Arthur A. Raney. “Media Psychology: A Field of Study That Enhances and Is Enhanced by Communication.” Journal of Communication, vol. 67, no. 2, 2017, pp. 193–204.
Potter, W. James. “Media Effects.” The Sage Handbook of Media Processes and Effects, edited by Robin L. Nabi and Mary Beth Oliver, 4th ed., Sage, 2014, pp. 115–134.
Savage, Matthew. “Serial Killers as Celebrities in Contemporary American Culture.” Crime, Media, Culture, vol. 3, no. 3, 2007, pp. 294–311.
Scharrer, Erica, and Rebecca Leone. “Media and Aggression: Where Have We Been and Where Do We Go from Here?” Media Psychology, vol. 20, no. 1, 2017, pp. 49–71.
Schmid, David. “Introduction: Idols of Destruction: Celebrity, Consumerism, and the Serial Killer.” Natural Born Celebrities. University of Chicago Press, 2008. 1–28.
Schmid, David. “3. Natural Born Celebrities: Serial Killers and the Hollywood Star System.” Natural Born Celebrities. University of Chicago Press, 2008. 105–137.
Schmid, David. “5. Next Door Monsters: The Dialectic of Normality and Monstrosity in True-Crime Narratives.” Natural Born Celebrities. University of Chicago Press, 2008. 175–208.
Signorielli, Nancy. “Violence in the Media: A Moral Panic.” The Routledge Companion to Media and Gender, edited by Cynthia Carter, Linda Steiner, and Lisa McLaughlin, Routledge, 2017, pp. 375–384.
write