Serial killer Ted Bundy blames "violent pornography..."?

[bliss_eternal]

Was watching a show on serial killers last night, and heard this. Found this on his wikipedia page:


The night before Bundy was executed, he gave a television interview to James Dobson, head of the evangelical Christian organization Focus on the Family. During the interview, Bundy made repeated claims as to the pornographic "roots" of his crimes. He stated that, while pornography didn't cause him to commit murder, the consumption of violent pornography helped "shape and mold" his violence into "behavior too terrible to describe." He alleged that he felt that violence in the media, "particularly sexualized violence," sent boys "down the road to being Ted Bundys". In the same interview, Bundy stated:

"You are going to kill me, and that will protect society from me. But out there are many, many more people who are addicted to pornography, and you are doing nothing about that.

taken from:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ted_Bundy

How many here feel this was genuine and honest on Bundy's part? How many feel this was his attempt to manipulate (as he did)and refuse to take responsibility for his crimes?

Given our recent discussions of pornography, I thought this would be interesting to add to the discussion.

[mrreowwr_kittty]

1. I'm going to go with the latter. Bundy was a sociopath

And an extremely adept manipulator. People like him can often fool well-trained therapists and pass lie detector tests. That being said, it's possible that violent pornography played a role in his crimes.

Where I think the most harm from violent pornography, or other forms of entertainment depicting violence, comes is in the way it affects bystanders. It desensitizes people who watch it to rape victims, leads them to think that women are willing participants when they are not, and to believe that there are situations where men are entitled to sex from women. Studies have shown that men who are shown hardcore pornography are less likely to sympathize with a female rape victim. So while I don't believe that the majority of men who watch porn will go on to rape a woman, I do believe that an awful lot of them would be inclined not to convict a defendant who was on trial for rape.

[Katherine Brengle]

2. Agreed --

it's not that watching it will create a rapist, but watching it certainly creates rape apologists and people who are unable to relate to the victim in an appropriate way.

[mzteris]

5. I dunno about that -

I think watching it *could* "create" a rapist.

If a young boy see "rape" - it could create a rape mentality in him, could it not? (or even a young girl - she might think that's what it's supposed to be like?)

How many times have we seen that whole "pseudo rape" thing.

No. No. No. No. Noooooooooooo ooooooooooohhhhhh yes yes yes yes bullshit.

I've known people who think that's what it's like.

And then you have the whole s&m/bondage crowd but that's a whole 'nother story.

[ismnotwasm]

7. A child pornography expert

At a conference I attended, was adamant about keeping pornography, especially child pornography away from prepubescent, and pubescent males. (I posted on this before, so forgive me If I'm repeating myself) She was a forensic nurse and an expert on child development, often called to court as an expert witness. What she basically said was images are very powerful, very stimulating, and in the days when kids are forming sexuality, care needs to be taken on what they are exposed to. Unfortunately, we have a black hole for what I would consider healthy sexual images, or examples, so I think what happens, is society tends to go the other way and gives far too little information. I'm believe the sex industry and the porn industry fills that gap. School that have "abstinence" education have no idea of the damage they can cause. Where are kids whose bodies are telling them to become sexually active going to go? Sneaking dad's Playboy? What's forbidden on the internet? Or surreptitiously glancing at ads in the back of weeklies, or at the strip clubs when driving by to soccer practice with mom?

And what of girls? We KNOW what brand of bullshit they're being fed, and some of the same folks who are appalled at a 5 year old in a thong panty, will play blame the rape victim game for BeingThereintheFirstPlace,BeingDrunk, DressingLikeAHo --on and on --all day long. Or just figure she must be lying. Never, once seeing the hypocrisy on what girls are taught as valuable in themselves vs what they are faced with as young girls and young women.

I used to read a lot about serial killers. I was aware of Bundy's bullshit about porn. He blamed porn in the same way Jeffery Dahmer blamed "evolution" as the reason for his actions. It may have, and quite possibly was been one of many triggers. He was a psychopath, a liar, and nothing I've ever read has explained the total "why" of the serial killer.
We (Society) have too many of them. One is too many. But way too many. They've become become part of popular culture, a fascination, romanticized ala "Hannibal" We also, evidently have a fascination with types of porn that seem painful, extreme, bizarre, not to be acted in real life, but watched. (Some of the things I've seen, I think, oh honey, you are going to have ALL your innards prolapsed by the time you're 45) I don't know if their is a connection or not, but it seems within the realm of possibility.

It's funny, the SMBD crowd, I know a few folks into it. There are reasons and there are reasons why they do what they do, but they tend to be a quite a bit more honest, a bit more open than your average porn and rape apologist. I don't tell them I feel sorry for them because they wouldn't appreciate it at all, and I also don't tell them why I think this form of sexuality evolved in the first place. Actually they usually know more about it than I do, but they interpret information differently.

[mzteris]

8. I don't even like the innuendo

on the damn "G-rated" tv shows anymore.

It's so sad what is happening to us.

[ismnotwasm]

9. A sick marketing ploy

G ratings are aimed at the little kids, but now have a "let's entertain the parents", because evidently folks who produce these things think we need to hear about sex in one form or another 24/7. It is sad.

[BlueIris]

3. Attempt to manipulate others. Sadly, I've read a lot about Bundy,

and a) that's the first I've heard of an alleged addiction to pornography in his youth (or at any time), b) from what I read, pornography has little or nothing to do with what "sent him down the road" toward becoming a serial killer and c)...just...what?

I'm no fan of porn, but I don't think Bundy's non-insights here are relevant to a discussion of the role that most of it plays in encouraging men to see women as objects, or to commit acts of violence against women.

[bliss_eternal]

4. Considering his history....

...I guess it wouldn't be the first time he manipulated people and circumstances.

For example, I read that just prior to his execution he held out on revealing where all his victim's bodies were. His hope was apparently that doing so could buy him more time, from hopeful loved one's of his victims.

He was also republican, so the porn thing could have been something he bought into to a degree. Or at least knew it was something his party blamed on pornography. To be able to say that all the theories the right wing has about porn are true with a simple,"...just look at me." :eyes: "...why else would a guy like me do such horrible things?"

[femrap]

6. I read an extensive article a couple of

years back...I believe it was in the Sunday NY Times and it discussed how pron was affecting young men. Counselors at colleges were amazed at the number of young men who were asking for help because they were unable to have relationships with 'real' women. They preferred to stay home and jack off with their computer. One young man said: "Real women are just bad pron stars."

No one can tell me that this pron doesn't have an effect on men. Before soldiers go out on raids, some watch violent pron to get 'up' for the battle.

I really feel for the young women today who have to deal with the guys who watch it. The hatred of women that our culture encourages is disgusting....but what is worse is that very few are trying to counter it. And if one does, she is labeled a 'religious wingnut.' Un believable...no wonder I have such a long Ignore List.

edited: can't spell. but pron is on purpose.

[BlueIris]

10. Remind me why you spell it 'pron'? Just curious.

Sometimes I just can't figure these things out.

[femrap]

11. If someone does a search

wanting to find those discussing pron, they will have to spell it wrong. Just didn't want to attract any more assholes than necessary.

[BlueIris]

12. Oh. Good thinking. nt

[raccoon]

13. Ted Bundy was lying his ass off.

He was an illegitimate baby, born in a time when that was a shameful thing. He grew up thinking his mother was his older sister and his grandparents were his parents.

His aunt said when he was a preschooler she woke up to find him playing around her with a knife.

Having said that, I think at the very least porn that degrades one or both parties (as opposed to erotica) is not conducive to forming good attitudes about sexuality.

[bliss_eternal]

14. As with a lot of sociopathic personalities...

...he seemed to enjoy toying with people. It's like he was in on this great joke and was fooling everyone. Why not blame a construct, as opposed to acknowledging what a sick ticket he is.

Thanks for sharing the information about his history--it confirms what I suspected.