Disclaimer: I in no way endorse the actions of serial killers or criminals in any way! It’s simply a perspective that I found interesting enough to discuss here.
Serial killers have long fascinated us as a human race.
TV shows, movies, video games, books, and podcasts galore explore the strange and bizarre rituals of serial killers, diving into the mysteries of what makes these killers tick.
There is a certain element of excitement when discussing the Zodiac Killer or the Alphabet murders—not because we condone the actions, but because of the inherent mystery and bizarreness of such aberrant behavior.
I ran across an article in Psychology Today that took an unusual view on serial murders. Specifically, that they might actually provide a FUNCTION in society.
Strange, right? But as intriguing as the serial killers themselves…
The article mentions functionalism, a tradition of sociology that believes our society is “held together by social consensus, or cohesion, in which members of society agree upon—and work together to achieve—what is best for all of society”.
But this agreement doesn’t always work. There will always be criminals and people who deviate from the social consensus.
According to functionalism, crime and deviance might end up being “functional for society”.
Why is that?
A 19th Century sociologist by the name of Emile Durkheim believed that “because there cannot be a society in which the individuals do not differ to some extent from the collective type or average member, it is also inevitable that among the deviations there will be some individuals with criminal character.”
What’s fascinating about this theory is that it states that crime and deviance might actually be NECESSARY!
“Because criminal behavior promotes clarification of the moral boundaries that define society,” is the reasoning cited by this sociologist.
As humans, we’re hard-wired to want more of everything. Lust and greed are two of the cardinal sins for a reason, right?
Well, it’s not uncommon for us to become enslaved to the pursuit of that “more”, whatever it is. Success, money, power, love, fame, and so on—the more we have, the more we want, and the more we’re willing to do to obtain it.
Get where that’s going? Without some way to rein in that desire for more, some clear delineation of moral boundaries we shouldn’t cross, there’s nothing to stop us from doing whatever it takes or whatever we want to continue to get more.
Simply put, “crime helps society to define and delineate its collective consciousness and establish proper limitations.”
When a criminal is identified, apprehended, and punished, it shows the rest of us that their aberrant behavior is not to be tolerated. Thus, it sets limits on what is acceptable and unacceptable behavior, helping us to better conform to the social consensus.
But not only that!
“Crimes that are punished most severely by society are generally those which violate the most deeply cherished values of the community.”
Murder gets the highest punishment (the death penalty), and by this act, it proves to all of us that we as a society place a high value on human life. Compare it to the punishment for other minor crimes—like vandalism or battery assault—or the punishment for more serious crimes—like terrorism or kidnapping—and you get a clearer idea of how much these various values matter.
Serial killers take things a step further.
They are basically the living example of what happens when our wants and desires—in this case, the very human urge to kill other humans—get out of control or aren’t kept in check.
They are also an example of people without moral bonds and restraints, thereby helping us to understand the importance of developing those restraints and bonds of our own.
Basically, these outliers are what help us to firmly find our place in a “moral” society, teaching us by their bad example not only what NOT to do, but how we can fit into society better and become better human beings.
