Ignorant Icon

The late 1960’s and early 1970’s were a time of great change in America. The Vietnam War, the civil rights movement and the sexual revolution were just some of the issues on the evening news in American households. For citizens of the San Francisco Bay area, as well as the rest of California, the late 60’s early 70’represented terror, fear and death. “The bizarre and theatrical and still unresolved serial murders by real-life ghoul who called himself Zodiac, who claimed in letters to have killed 37 people (though police have focused on five homicides and two attempted murders in the greater Bay Area in 1968 and 1969” (Booth,2) have intrigued people for nearly four decades. How has Zodiac remained so elusive? What

Marilyn Manson has always been one to move against the grain, to be himself and express his opinions through his music. Most consider him to be kind of dark and full of hate; suicidal through violence and drug use, and rage. But Marilyn Manson has brought to light alot of the cluotism of American culture by exposing truths, whether good or bad. . Dubbed the “Anti-Christ Super Star”, his name itself speaks of the ideology of violence and celebrity. By cleverly mixing Marilyn Monroe and Charles Manson names together. Showing that sex and death/killings are things that make people famous and bring entertainment to the masses. Brainwashing to conform and make people not see the real truths around them.

Charles Manson had a way of picking up on people’s weaknesses and fears, and used it against them. He preyed on vulnerability and, as Linda James said, he offered them wealth and perfect relationships (Fennel, 1993). And, although his claims were extraordinary, he was able to attract a good amount of followers.

     Charles Manson has been named "the most dangerous man alive." Society referred to him as the devil. They believed he was the reason society was so bad in the 1960's. The 1950's to the 1960's was uncontrollably filled with violence. Our culture was shattered by the assassinations of President John F. Kennedy, Martin Luther King Jr., and Senator Robert F. Kennedy. At the same time, body bags from Vietnam were building up from a war that was tearing our nation apart. Riots and antiwar protesters marched across America. Many people worried that the US was getting out of control. "The Sixties ended abruptly on August 9, 1969..." wrote Didon in The White Album. On August 8,1969, director Roman Polaski's housekeeper found

He believed that waging a war between races was the right thing to do. Any sane person would be able to tell that waging war is wrong in this aspect. However, due to the Anti-social Personality Disorder, Charles Manson was unable to see the error in his ways. Also, those with Anti-social Personality Disorder then to exploit those around them. In the case of Manson, he manipulated his followers into committing murder for him by using religion. This trait could also be connected to the superiority complex that is often found in those with Anti-social Personality Disorder. Those with this disorder may consider themselves superior to those around them. This was evident in Manson as he claimed to be both the reincarnation of Jesus Christ and Satan. This sense of superiority over his followers allowed Manson to manipulate them as he saw fit and continuously fueled his delusions of grandeur. Manson fit other symptoms that fit this disease as well. Manson undoubtedly has Anti-social Personality Disorder.

The owner of the secluded home in Benedict Canyon was Roman Polanski, but Terry Melcher lived in the house before he sold it to Polanski. Six people were brutally murdered that night, including a woman who was eight months pregnant, all on Manson’s command (“Manson Family Murders”). Afterwards, Manson was delighted his only reason for killing everyone in the house was because it was once home to Terry Melcher. Melcher was a record producer who once denied to work with Manson many years before. Consequently Melcher’s denial made him another victim of Charles Manson's death list. Upon entering the house the police were shocked. “The police found a number of bizarre clues: DEATH TO PIGS, and RISE on the living room walls, and the misspelled HEALTER SKELTER on the refrigerator door, all printed in the blood of one of the victims” (Bugliosi 160).

Homicide always will be an aspect of life, whether it is in the 16th century, 21st century or in the future. At times of extreme stress, people may turn to murder as an outlet of a greater problem they cannot fix or control. Presently, homicide has a greater value in society due to popular culture references through the media such as television, film and writing; society constantly has homicide and murder in the subconscious. In David M. Buss’ findings in The Murderer Next Door: Why the Mind is Designed to Kill,

In order to better understand the serial killer, Buffalo Bill, we must first understand what motivates him to kill. I will be using three theses to state my claims in this paper and they are the following: Thesis 1: The Monster's Body is a Cultural Body, Thesis 2: The Monster Always Escapes, and Thesis 4: The Monster Dwells at the Gates of Difference. The purpose of this paper is to dissect Buffalo Bill's monstrosity and to examine what sets him apart from the rest of society. I intend to argue that Buffalo Bill is indeed an insecure murderer.

These are some of the most infamous names in the history of murder, but they hid in plain sight, and Manson did not even commit murder. He was so manipulative he could convince others to do his bidding for him. How is that even possible? Surely one would be able to recognize someone who is such a dangerous threat or would they? One of the reasons these killers can be so successful is their ability to blend into their surroundings and at times even be considered a stand up member of the communities they live in, but what is going on inside their brains?

Truman Capote, a reporter of one of the many cold blooded murders in our nation takes an unorthodox path in reporting the murder of the “all-American” Clutter family of 4 by Dick Hickock and Perry Smith. In his story In Cold Blood, by giving the reader an insight into the past and the minds of both Dick and Perry, a likeness can be observed between them and the psychological profiles of thousands of other cold-blooded killers since the murder of the Clutter family. However, this gives a false impression that all deranged killers have rational, easily detectable reasons for their abhorrent crimes. Perry had an appalling childhood and is psychopathic. Dick had a great childhood, but because he couldn’t go to college, he became bitter and resentful, hating the entire world. Simple enough, right? However, through an analysis of Capotes In

The year was 1969, and in early August seven people were brutally murdered; words like “Pig,” “Healter Skelter” and “Rise” were found printed in blood at the crime scenes. Eventually it is discovered that the perpetrators of these horrific crimes are cult members living on the outskirts of society, led by a man named Charles Manson. But who is Charles Manson? Charles Manson is a monster, certainly, but as a monster he offers us a unique look into the human mind. This semester we have learned about the many different types of people who may engage in individual forms of interpersonal violence. Charles Manson however, provides us the case study of a man whose life revolved around interpersonal violence in all its manifestations. There was

His followers claimed that he was their “God”. They said that he made them feel like they were one with him and that he could be whatever they wanted him to be. Manson had manipulated them to thinking they could do nothing or be nothing without them.

In the 1960’s, Manson gathered hundreds of followers which he called “The Family.” They lived on a deserted ranch. Most of Manson’s followers were impressionable young females and he used LSD and amphetamines to help manipulate and convince them to act out his wishes. He slowly broke down his follower’s beliefs and made them believe that he was Jesus and that a race war was impending. Eventually Manson’s most loyal followers carried out his acts of violence and left seven people dead. In 1969, police raided the ranch on suspicions of vandalism, unaware of the murders committed until after the arrests. Charles Manson has been labeled “The Icon of Evil.” (Rosenberg, 2009)

Manson told people to kill themselves, he never actually performed the act. The same as Michelle Carter with the suicide by text. Charles Manson did not kill people, he just lead them to their death. He just told them to kill themselves instead of texting them because they did not have cell phone back in the 1960’s. “Michelle Carter, who as a teenager sent texts urging her then-boyfriend to commit suicide”.

Charles Maddox was born November 12, 1934 in Cincinnati, Ohio. His mother was Kathleen Maddox, she was a prostitute and an alcoholic, and only 16 years old when she had him. She later married William Manson, who adopted Charles giving him the Manson last name. It was said that his mother once traded him for a pitcher of beer to a woman that couldn’t have children. His uncle had to go track down the women to get him back. Charles spent time in a boy’s school then on the streets doing petty crimes to survive. By 1952 Manson had spent more time in prison than he had out of prison. In Charles Manson probation reports it described him as, “suffering from a marked degree of rejection, instability, psychic trauma, and constantly striving for status and securing some kind of love. Other descriptions included dangerous, unpredictable, and safe only under supervision.”(Biography Channel 2013.) In August of 1969 Manson gathered his group of most loyal family members to do the massacres. The first murder took place August 9, 1969 on Ceilo Drive in Beverly Hills at the home of Roman Polanski’s, and his wife Sharon Tate. The victims of this crime were Sharon Tate, Wojciech Frykowshi his partner Abigail Folger, Jay Sebring. There was also an 18 year old boy a friend of the gardeners who was walking down the driveway when he saw the