Why are we so fascinated by the history of maniacs?

A real surge of interest in the stories of serial killers and maniacs was recorded in the 70s and 80s of the 2nd century. Massive human hysteria was spurred on by television. Everyone knew who John Wayne Geisy Jr., Ted Bundy, Zodiac, or Gary Ridgeway ("Assassin with Green River") were. The stories of these and other bloody maniacs formed the basis of motion pictures.

Public interest in the atrocities of notorious psychopaths has been observed in society before. Great resonance in the Victorian London of the 19th century was caused by the notorious murderer Jack the Ripper. His sad glory was ensured not only by urban legends, but also by the newspapers of the tabloid press. And now, decades later, with the flowering of television, fiction and the film industry, serial killers are once again attracting the eyes of a common man in the street. What is the mysterious mystery of these cruel villains?

The flowering of the Internet increases the popularity of terrible stories from life

Now, with the flowering of the Internet, it became even easier to learn about the atrocities of cruel maniacs. Your unhealthy curiosity can be satisfied with the documentary footage of electrocution, photos taken by the crime scene police and movies based on real events. But why is the consciousness of people so perverted? Do we, like in childhood, want to get another scarecrow that will force us to stand on the brink of the abyss, and then understand that this is happening or was not happening to us?

People are disgusted at the sight of blood and violence

Psychologists say that only psychopaths can experience pleasure at the sight of blood and scenes of violence. All other people experience fear, excitement and panic at the sight of loathsome crimes. The body begins to behave as if the audience is in real danger. Each blow with an ax, each cry of the victim further increases the pulse of the observer. Breathing becomes frequent and intermittent, the level of glucose in the blood increases. A similar reaction is demonstrated by our body at a time of intense excitement.

But did you know that along with fear in the brain, a dose of dopamine and adrenaline is sent, which are responsible for pleasure and joy? That's why people are so fascinated by serial killers and their atrocities. That's why onlookers again and again are ready to look at the disfigured corpses of the victims. All this causes fear and disgust, but then the brain realizes that it all happened to another person. Now you can exhale and relax.

Certain chemicals are associated with survival

The neurotransmitter dopamine, which is responsible for joy and well-being, is produced from food and from sex. These two activities are designed to survive our species as a whole. Nature has tried to provide maximum enjoyment from all these processes, so that people always want to enjoy food and have sex.

Fear is at the other end of the spectrum

Fear is at the other extreme of the spectrum. He is also useful for our survival, keeping us from thoughtless and reckless decisions. It's fear that makes us huddle in a corner and sit without moving until the threat passes. This feeling doubles the strength of the victim when she resists or runs away from the chase. And only when fear lets go, in the mind of a person settles the thought: "I'm safe, everything is behind".

A safe way to experience the thrill

Now we have a safe way to experience the thrill. Having included the film about serial killers, you can watch the situation from the side. You will empathize with the victims, and at some point you will lose touch with reality. You want to escape from the clutches of a cruel maniac, and your heart will begin to pound in a furious rhythm. And even if the film ended badly, with the final credits you will be overcome with relief. You will again find a connection with reality, realizing that it was all not with you.

Why are people ready to experience disgust?

In 2014, a study was conducted, which addressed the following question: how do people react to films and serials that cause a feeling of disgust and disgust? Scientists made measurements of physiological changes in the bodies of volunteers while they were busy watching the video. All presented videos were divided into three categories, one of which demonstrated death, another in human grief, and the third one betrayal. When people saw the bloody cadres of death, initially they were disgusted. But, despite the fact that the reaction was negative, it caused obvious signs of excitation of the central nervous system.

Curiosity and excitement win aversion

It's easy to think that the human desire to look at bloody scenes of violence is a trivial guide to survival and stimulation of a pleasure center in the brain. Paradoxically, people are attracted by repulsive moments. Despite the fact that at the sight of bloody dismemberment, many horror filmgoers turn a blind eye, a minute later curiosity and excitement prevail.

Beyond morality

This rule can be applied to any terrible tragedy. Each observer can go beyond the framework of generally accepted morality for a few minutes. And the atrocities of serial killers are the best suited for this purpose. Some of them have a motive (for example, assert themselves at the expense of weaker creatures or take revenge on women for past grievances), and some kill only because it gives them pleasure.