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A Defense of Quiet Loners
I just wanted to remind people that not all quiet, shy, introverted men are ticking time bombs.
With every high profile murder one expects to read somewhere in the news accounts some rattled neighbor saying the suspected killer was "a quiet man who kept to himself." In fact, the whole neighborhood figured the suspect was a ticking time bomb as evidenced by the way he minded his own business, never played his stereo too loud, and was disinclined to comment on the weather.
Just take this headline from a recent issue of the Hartford Courant: "Stephen Morgan: From Quiet Loner To Accused Killer." Morgan, as you no doubt have heard, allegedly slayed Wesleyan University junior Johanna Justin-Jinich on May 6. The subtext seems to be if Morgan had gotten out more, schmoozed a little, learned the fine art of small talk, if only he had been more of a "playa," he would be a candidate for Time's Man of the Year and not the FBI's Most Wanted.
Why is it we seem to notice only the fact that office shooters and homicidal maniacs are quiet and keep to themselves? What is it about these personality traits that so unnerves the populace? The rattled neighbors never seem to mention, for instance, that the alleged killer tended to wear sandals with socks, enjoyed Harry Belafonte records, refused to water his lawn, or drove a Pinto. It is only his supposed anti-social behavior they notice, that is, his taciturnity and shyness. He may own a large collection of chainsaws, and sport hockey masks off-season, but it is only his bashfulness that is attention-grabbing.
http://spectator.org/archives/2009/05/14/a-defense-of-quiet-loners
Just take this headline from a recent issue of the Hartford Courant: "Stephen Morgan: From Quiet Loner To Accused Killer." Morgan, as you no doubt have heard, allegedly slayed Wesleyan University junior Johanna Justin-Jinich on May 6. The subtext seems to be if Morgan had gotten out more, schmoozed a little, learned the fine art of small talk, if only he had been more of a "playa," he would be a candidate for Time's Man of the Year and not the FBI's Most Wanted.
Why is it we seem to notice only the fact that office shooters and homicidal maniacs are quiet and keep to themselves? What is it about these personality traits that so unnerves the populace? The rattled neighbors never seem to mention, for instance, that the alleged killer tended to wear sandals with socks, enjoyed Harry Belafonte records, refused to water his lawn, or drove a Pinto. It is only his supposed anti-social behavior they notice, that is, his taciturnity and shyness. He may own a large collection of chainsaws, and sport hockey masks off-season, but it is only his bashfulness that is attention-grabbing.
http://spectator.org/archives/2009/05/14/a-defense-of-quiet-loners
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