Serial Killers: Modern Human Monsters Main Menu Serial Killers An exploration of some of the most notorious serial killers and what makes them monsters What is a Serial Killer? Who Will I Meet? Six of the Most Infamous Serial Killers in History Jack the Ripper Ted Bundy Charles Manson Aileen Wuornos Dennis Rader Jeffrey Dahmer

Why Are We Fascinated With Serial Killers?

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Since the time of Jack the Ripper, people have been oddly fascinated with serial killers and the macabre in general. This fascination was reinvigorated in the 1970s with stories of serial killers like Ted Bundy, BTK and the Green River Killer running rampant in the media. Today, shows like Criminal Minds feed this fascination. American fascination with serial killers boomed when the FBI released a framework with which to make sense of serial killers in the 1980s. The FBI said that there could be dozens of serial killers operating at any given time in the United States and they were responsible for thousands of murders a year. This caused panic amongst Americans and serial killers took the forefront of every media outlet. The FBI and mass media benefited from this Serial Killer obsession sweeping the nation; the FBI was able to get more money to fight serial murder and films, books and TV shows about serial killers were very successful.

It is now clear that the scale and number of serial killers that the FBI was exaggerated significantly at this time. Some claim that current fascination with serial killers is due to the fact that people can not only define these killers, but put a face to their names and crimes. Killers like Ted Bundy, Jeffrey Dahmer and Aileen Wuornos became famous throughout their very public trials, so they not only represented ideas of disgust, but also fame. Popular culture and law enforcement worked together to package serial killers for the American public. This information about serial killers and their crimes gave people a thrill. They were both scared and intrigued. 

So, if you feel guilty or uncomfortable about your fascination with serial killers, don't. The media and law enforcement have made the consumption of serial killer information entertaining and interesting. I also believe that this fascination stems from the almost unbelievable nature of serial killers and their crimes. Most people cannot even fathom what is going on inside the mind of a serial killer. People are used to having all the information they want at the touch of a button, but this is different with serial killers. We cannot put ourselves in their shoes because we are not like them and never could be so, we try to get as close as we can to understanding by reading, watching and listing to information about serial killers. 

Interesting Sources:
1. Psychology Today Article 
2. Murders into Monsters 
3. America is Obsessed with Serial Killers