reseach essay

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Olivia A Newey

Dr. Erin Dietel-McLaughlin

WR: 13300 Multimedia Writing and Rhetoric

1st April 2014

Research Essay

How has public perception of vindictive, malicious serial killers and the madness that defines

them as psychopaths changed over time with the medias presentation and the appreciation of

them in film and television?

My interest in the topic stems from my own experience. WatchingDexter, a modern

interpretation of how a psychopath can positively affect society, inspired my thought on how an

emotionless, violent, assassin can conjure likability and popularity amongst viewers; a very

different perspective to just over 50 years ago whenPyschodisturbed the screens of the

population. I then took to analyze why this change in perception has occurred and where it

originates from. Naturally, I looked to the two biggest influences on society and perspective

today: the media and Hollywood. Within my essay I ask myself: is it a genuine change in

perspective or is it more a false indoctrination which falsely amplifies a body that should instead

be loathed and feared.

Before one can analyse the changing view on psychopaths, I think it is first important to

understand what a psychopath is and what characteristics it occupies. According to J. Blair,

psychopathy is a disorder that consists of multiple components ranging on the emotional,

interpersonal and behavioral spectrum. More so, there are 16 criteria for the diagnosis of

psychopathy: superficial charm, lack of anxiety, lack of guilt undependability, dishonesty,


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egocentricity, failure to form lasting intimate relationships, failure to learn from punishment,

poverty of emotions, lack of insight into the impact of ones behaviour on others, and failure to

plan ahead(The Psychopath). This is otherwise known as the PCL (Psychopathy Checklist) inScience and Psychology. Now we have an understanding of what constitutes a psychopath, we

can start to analyse whether the public has it changing perspective towards it. We can do this by

using a modern day example:Dexter.

Dexter is originally an American TV drama that has spread pervasively around the globe as an

entertainment sensation. Focused on the main character: Dexter Morgan, who as well as working

for Miami Metro Police Department as a blood spatter analyst, also leads the secret life a serial

killer. Originally derived from a novel and adapted for TV,Dexter hit a total of 6.1 million views

a week across all platforms (IMDb) and more than 3 million viewers for the series 8 finale

(IMDb) the largest overall audience in ShowTimes history. What does this say? When suchTV programs challenge our judgment and morals; shown by the lack of angst and remorse when

an innocent individual is killed but the overwhelming concern at the thought ofDexter getting

caught or imprisoned, we have to ask ourselves: Is this a new fad for the sedentary individual or

crazed TV personality and has the population become captivated by psychopathic killers? More

so, the lack of surprise or distress at the fact that not only is he a psychopathic serial killer who

has to make a frequent kill to remain composed, but that he works for the enforcement agency

that is meant to protect one from such danger. We further see this with other modern day

television programs such as Sherlock Holmes and Breaking Bad who are offering a new

portrayal of cold inhumane beings becoming necessary evils in society. What is called into

question through this analysis is: is this indoctrination? Is a psychopath becoming acceptable to


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the general public if they can have us believe that he has good intentions? Or, are we just

overthinking the whole concept of TV entertainment? Are we making the mistake of placing

reality and fantasy in the same dimension and not excusing the fact that many working

individuals want to come home at the end of a long day and submerge themselves into a show

that is perplexed and in no way parallel to society? That is what this essay will explore

eventually concluding what the real consequence of modern day interpretations is.

On another note, before one can really identify if public perception really has changed on the

subject of psychopaths, it is important to first identify how and why public opinion is changed.

As argued by Daniel Yankelovich, public opinion is not static. It is interchangeable and

malleable when presented with new concepts, feelings or ideas. However, to overcome the raw,

unstable opinion of individuals, they must journey through 7 stagesin order to form a moredeveloped and reliable picture of opinion. These 7 stages consist of: 1) Dawning Awarenessthe act of becoming aware of an issue. 2) Greater Urgencypeople move beyond a generalawareness to acquiring a sense of urgency. 3) Reaching for Solutions individuals look foralternatives to dealing with issues. 4) Wishful Thinking= the publics wishful thinking must beovercome before they come to grips with more realistic solutions. 5) Weighing the choicesweighing the pros and cons of the alternatives for dealing with the solution. 6) Taking a stand

intellectually. 7) Making a responsible judgement morally and emotionally(7 Stages of PublicOpinion). Many people have been faced with the concept of a friendlyserial killer over recentyears - as concept that was originally hard to grasp because of the many negative connotations

society has pinned on psychopaths, the horrific crimes we hear committed by such people, and

the horror stories we hear as a child. Because of this, the idea that they can be goodand


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thoughtful, and acting in the best interests of the public is very strange. But, its also arguable

that such a concept been accepted. However, what one must analyse is judging by the 7 stages

of public opinion, has public opinion really changed, or is it a faade are we looking toodeeply into a fictional TV show, shown for entertainment? According to the article, step 1 is

dawning awareness. There has certainly been widespread awareness of the TV shows

introducing affable serial killers into living rooms all across the world it has conjured up muchinterest socially. Stage 2 is arguably also fulfilled as there are many who have taken to media to

express their concern with what Dexter and other shows are implying to those who are easily

convinced in following a trend. Reaching for solutions, step 3, is also seen to have been

attempted: the show was moved, after large concern, to be aired after 8pm as an attempt to target

it to more mature, developed minds over those more impressionable. Then lastly, if the last step

is achieved does this automatically confirm a change in public opinion? Looking at Step 7:

Making a Responsible Judgement Morally and Emotionally, it states that, even if it occurs

overtime, the public comes to accept the idea. That is, the public comes to accept the idea that

serial killers and psychopaths alike are deemed acceptable to the public. Although this is not

what I am arguing directly in this research paper - I am arguing if we have become fixated with

them not if we have come to accept them as tolerable beings in society, it can still give us anidea as to if public opinion has changed due to such TV shows and interest, or whether its just

another TV show on another TV network..

After the above background information, I can now sufficiently present my argument and come

to a well-rounded debated conclusion as to whether we have accepted the psychopath in the non-

fiction world, or if its just a phenomenon in the fiction realm of entertainment.


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Firstly, the Article The New American Hero (Donnelly)presents an interesting idea on how

Dexter is becoming a hero to the American television world. The show offers the contrast

between traditional American ideology and Americas new pop culture. Donnelly quotes another

author, Simpson, stating that killers are coded as monsters, but a tragic personal history of abuse

or neglect is also usually fore grounded as a part of the narrative, humanizing them to at least

some extent and making them capable of earning our sympathy(Donnelly) - this counteractsthe view that it is only recently that perceptions have changed towards serial killers and we don t

see them just as all being bad. What Donnelly does do in this this publication, however, is

present a view as to why Dexter is likedrather than despised for the killer he is. The reason is:Dexter is differenthe is not like us and we are not like him. Clear black and white boundaries

reinforce difference and pose no threat to our conceptualizations of what is right and wrong.

Dexter can kill because he is Other, he is not like us(Donnelly). What this view does iscounter the expectation that it is the media that is the reasoning behind our change in perception

in psychopaths. It instead states that it is the lack of similarities and fictional characteristics that

separate the Dexter from us, the general public and thus likeability comes from his difference

and lack of threat.

Secondly, the underlying morals of the storyline are recognizable. In other words, it has parallels

with the values that we are grown to love as children. A hero normally epitomized by Captain

America or Iron Man, is originally a victor who acts in the interest of the good by defeating the

very bad. Upon analysis, this is comparable toDexter.Iron Man defeats its villains, those who


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are a threat to the innocent in society. Dexter does this too - he just so happens to defeat his

villains in more questionable methods: stabbing a knife through their chest. Although a similar

context, the execution is very different much more brutal and cold-blooded. However, bothshare the same values of a good guy catching a bad one a real life superhero scenario.Therefore, this offers the view that one could be merely forgetting the barbarous implementation

because of the underlying relativity and comparability to true superhero stories.

Furthermore, another reason we have become so obsessed with Dexter is not a culture change or

media influenced, but the techniques of screenwriters and editors. This view is supported by

Collerton, featured in The New York Timesarticle, who is a representative for CBS (the network

that airsDexter). He sates that We really try to handle the violence in a suggestive, elegant way

rather than a very explicit way(Jenson). This implies that it isnt necessarily that we are goingthrough a cultural transition of psychopaths gaining acceptance in society, but more so that the

editing and script almost indoctrinates the viewer to fall in love with the character. The character

was written to be liked by its viewers, not detested, and thus this is merely portrayed on screen.

What must be taken into consideration is the reliability of the quotation it was published by anewspaper that was quoting a man representing a network only positive comments would bereleased to the press. However, this is not a subject of which is in need of debate and thus its

credibility is more accepted.

Moreover, further accreditation to my statement that it is more a viewing for entertainment than a

cultural change, is an interview conducted with the actor who portrays Dexter himself. Michael


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Hall, the actor behind the main character Dexter Morgan when he says:"I took about two weeks

to consider whether this was something I wanted to commit to. I recognized that I was making an

open-ended commitment to try to beat life into a character that claimed to be without

fundamental human traits, and that was kind of dicey for me(Alston). The hesitation from Hall

contradicts the idea that we are warming to the idea of psychopaths - or is it just merely showing

the difficulties for an actor that a role like this can show? The article does however show the

portrayal of Dexter being very different from the portrayal of a normalpsychopath when itsays: a viewer could just as easily be watching a heroic, likable, traditionally moral character. It

is therefore arguable that our acceptance comes from a facade created by the professionals within

entertainment rather than a general change in perception towards the matter.

On the other hand, there are opposing arguments that offer insight and evidence into the claim

that it isnt just entertainment, but a cultural transformation to the acceptance and obsession with

psychopaths.

Firstly, Michael Birch supports that film and television are changing the way people view serial

killers, but also offers reasoning as to why. He states that it is the social changes taking placewhich is because of economics and technologythat is influencing public perception, thuscontributing to significant changes in the media(Birch). In other words, due to the changespeople are experiencing in their daily lives, this is affecting their outlook on people and

situations. Birch introduces the study of the Steadman and Cocozza Project, 1977, USA, which

was designed to assess the impact of media coverage on beliefs and attitudes. Although the study


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found that the mental insane (among those: psychopaths) to be dangerous and harmful, it found

that there was public confusion as to who was criminally insane. H.J. Steadman and J.J. Cocozza

identified that such confusion arose from the medias emphasis on prior history of mental

treatment of individuals committing violent and bizarre crimes, and from misunderstanding of

the role of mental health professionals in criminal proceedings(PubMed). What this outlines isthat although there isnt necessarily an obsession with serial killers, nor is there an acceptance,

the portrayal by the media has led to confusion amongst the general public and thus we could be

confusing this confusion with acceptance.

Philip Simpson inPsycho Paths: Tracking The Serial Killer Through Contemporary American

Film and Fiction looks at film production in recent years and identifies how filmmakers portray

serial killers. He states: almost every narrative in the serial killer canon of fiction exhibits

ambivalence toward stability and detestability(Simpson). It goes on to explain how in many

films, serial killers are violent, predatory men who in most cases seek women, but are the reason

behind brutal and seemingly unnecessary killings. Taking into consideration that this print was

published in 2000, and comparing it to previously mentioned articles such as:A Warmer, Fuzzier

Kind of Serial Killer(Jenson) and The New American Hero: Dexter, then this is evident that that

was the view over a decade a go and this newperspective on serial killers such as Dexter iswhat is now. In other words, perspective has changed over the years, whether that is due to

society or the media.


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Additionally, concern at the effect it is having on minds that is the new, positive representationof a vicious being, is shown via The Parents Television Council (PTC) raising their concerns at

Dexters content and depiction. PTCs President Timothy F. Winter said the series compels

viewers to emphaises with a serial killer, root for him to prevail, to hope he doesnt get

discovered(Parents Television Council). His use of the word compelsimplies that the viewersminds are impressionable and shows likeDexter are leaving an impression that it is okto backa serial killer and to want him to succeed. This concern is further aired when the PTC fought for

Dexter to be shown at a time when the more impressionable minds namely those of childrenand teenagers

are in bed, as it was advised for the

adult viewer

. This highlights that there is a

concern that public perception may be changing and those who have identified this and are

concerned are trying to voice this.

After analyzing the above statements, concerns and affirmations, I have come to conclude that

what we are seeing in society is not a genuine change in perspective or a shift in tolerance

towards malicious demons thought to be once disturbing, such asPyscho 50 years ago, nor is the

media indoctrinating us to believe that psychopaths can act in the interest of the good and be

utilitarians. I am not saying that people do not believe serial killers can be an advantage to

society, likeDexterthere may be some who have taken to believe that although the scientificdefinition of psychopaths implies they cannot act in good of one another, they are heroes. What I

am stating is that the TV show, just like many others with similarities in topic, are produced and

aired for entertainment purposes. Entertainment has been around ever since we can think to do its

job of taking peoples mind off of their tough, undesirable or otherwise mundane lives, and

although them to live in a fictional environment or another reality. Yes, Dexter does portray a


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serial killer in a favourable light, and yes we do find ourselves anticipating his next kill, but we

havent become malicious or emotionless, nor have we decided that serial killers deserve

commendation. Perhaps, we use TV shows such asDexter as a way of portraying an alter ego, a

way of enacting our most violent, malicious thought without any repercussions in society. I

believe for the underlying values of protecting the will of the innocent, defeating the villains and

for purposes of pure entertainment, that is why we have become more involved in TV dramas

such asDexter. Although it seems we are very much fixated with serial killers in television in

this decade, it is more a fad and will soon move onto the next big thing.


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Bibliography

7 Stages of Public Opinion. Public Agenda, 2014. Web.

Alston, J. Sympathy for the Devil; Homicidal? Yes. Charming? Absolutely. Meet Showtime's

Dexter, TV's latest, and perhaps most twisted, antihero.Newsweek. 2006. Web.

Birch, Michael.Mediating Mental Health: Contexts, Debates and Analysis. Ashgate Publishing,

UK. 2012. Print.

Blair, J. and Blair, K. and Mitchell, D. The Psychopath: Emotion and the Brain. Blackwell

Publishing, MA. 2005. Print


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CBS Shows Ultra-Violent Serial Killer Drama Dexter in Prime Time. Parents Television

Council, 2008. Web.

Cocozza, J.J and Steadman, H.J.Public Perceptions of the Criminally Insane. PubMed.gov,

1978. Web.

Dexter. IMDb. 2012. Web

Donnelly, A. M. (2012), The New American Hero: Dexter, Serial Killer for the Masses.The

Journal of Popular Culture, 45: 1526

Jenson, Elizabeth.A Warmer, Fuzzier Kind of Serial Killer?.The New York Times.

nytimes.com, 26 Sept. 2008. Web.

Simpson, Philip L.Psycho Paths: Tracking The Serial Killer Through Contemporary American

Film and Fiction. Southern Illinois University Press. 2000. Print.


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