It’s All About Him, Me, You….

Ted Bundy
Columbine High-School
Virginia Tech University

We’re looking in all the wrong places for why.

The cracks, chips, holes and broken places in the lives of men like Cho Seung-Hui are getting old, fast – very fast. The pain, grievances and self-pity of mass killers are only symptoms of the real explanation. Those who do these things share one common trait. They are raging narcissists. “I died – like Jesus Christ,” Cho said in a video sent to NBC.

Guns, games, lyrics, pornography – they are just trees in the forest of extreme self-centeredness. To list the traits of the narcissist is enough to prove the point: grandiosity, numbness to the needs and pain of others, emotional isolation, resentment and envy.

In interviews with Ted Bundy 25 years ago, the essence of homicidal narcissism can be found. For hours and hour and hours, a man who killed 30 or more women and girls preened for his audience. He spoke of himself as an actor, of life as a series of roles and of other people as props and scenery. His desires were simple: “control” and “mastery.” He took whatever he wanted. From shoplifted tube socks to human life. For the simple fact that nothing mattered beyond his desires. He even went so far as to being surprised that people noticed his victims were missing. “There are so many people,” he explained. The only death he regretted was his own.

Only a narcissist could decide that his alienation should be underlined in the blood of strangers. The flamboyant nature of these crimes is like a neon sign pointing to the truth. Charles Whitman playing God in his Texas clock tower, Harris and Klebold in their theatrical trench coats, and Cho’s Messianic comparisons – they’re all stars in the cinema of their self-absorbed minds.

Freud (everyone’s favorite, you knew he was going to show up somehow, somewhere) explained narcissism as a failure to grow up. All infants are narcissists, he pointed out, but as we grow, we ought to learn that other people have lives independent of our own. It’s not their job to please us, applaud for us or even notice us – let alone die because we’re unhappy.

Narcissism is the signal disorder of America culture. The cult of celebrity, the marketing of instant gratification, skepticism toward moral codes and the ever so, so, so, so popular politics of victimhood were signs of a society regressing back to infancy. Maybe Freud was right. And that is where the immediate danger lies in how we examine mass killers. Everyone (not just the way over-board media) tries and digs up apparent clues and weave them into a sort of explanation. Remember Columbine? Harris and Klebold emerged as alienated misfits in the jock culture of their suburban high school. We learned about their morbid taste in music and their violent video games. Largely missing, though, was the proper frame around the picture: the extreme narcissism that licensed these boys, in their minds, to murder their teachers and classmates.

And with Cho it is the same. Elaborate writings and over the top videos were an almanac of gripes. “I’m so lonely,” he moped, but failed to mention that he often refused to answer even when people said hello. Of course he was lonely.

We need, no must, stop explaining killers in their terms. Minus the clear context of narcissism, the biographical details of these men can begin to look like a plausible chain of cause and effect – especially to other narcissists. And they do not need anymore encouragement.

Then there’s the telling moment in Bowling for Columbine (yes I am mentioning Michael Moore). Marilyn Manson dismisses the idea that listening to his lyrics contributed to the disintegration of the Columbine killers. What they needed, Manson suggested, was for someone to listen to them. This is the narcissist’s view of narcissism: everything would be fine if only he received more attention. The real problem can be found in the killer’s mirror.

Hindsight is always 20-20

After hearing and listening to President Bush at the Virginia Tech convocation yesterday, I couldn't help but think/wonder how different his Presidency would have been if he hadn't surrounded himself with Wolfowitz, Cheney, Rumsfield and the like.

The guy wears his emotions on his sleeve and no matter what anyone says, his speeches have always been truthful and you know exactly what he is thinking. He doesn't B.S. you. Sure, he may be an idiot and keep to his guns about how Iraq is not a problem, but that isn't B.S.ing you with lies, it is really what he thinks. He didn't gloss you over with political speak.

It is the exact same traits that helped him in 2000 and 2004.

Most Pro-Bushites say, take 9/11 away from Bush and things would be different. You cannot do that, he had no control over 9/11 (well, I guess some, but so did Clinton, Bush Sr., and Reagan) but he did have control over he surrounded himself with to run things. And he always had the authority to make changes along the way.

For this he is cuplable and history will show it forever.

It's just unfortunate.

I cannot believe I am saying this....

*taking a deep breath*

Watch Oprah today at 4pm. There I said it. Whew..., but it was/is worth it.

She will have Jason Whitlock on her show.

He is a sports columnist and has come under fire recently for some of his dead on comments in the wake of the NBA All-Star game in Vegas and most recently the Don Imus situation and the Duke lacrosse case.

Basically boiling down to the fact that a black journalist like Whitlock is blaming the black race and that black's allow hip-hop and gang culture to influence thier lifes. Imus' comments were derogatory and wrong, but he is small potatoes compared to Snoop Dog, Jay-Z, and the Revs.

This is the story that started it all.

He is qouted as calling Sharpton and Jackson, "terrorists" on the Tucker show. This video is awesome. Where is the apology to the Duke players Jesse?

Also check out this article. It is his latest article from Friday. Not much different from the video, but still a good read.

You can also check out a podcast from Friday that he did here in Detroit on WDFN AM 1130. The sports talk radio show I listen to here. It's the first couple choices on this page.

This guy is right on.

Michele is TiVo for me so I can check it out tonight.

I'm glad someone is finally speaking out about this stuff.

My Perception - Confessing myself

I posted this about 11 months ago "Devils Advocate"

Go back and read and come back here...NOW!!!

Ok that was too forceful too authoritative (sorry Corey).

So, if you do not want to read it I'll give you a quick run down.

Back in the 1600s Newton figured this whole gravity thing out. Edmund Halley worked with Newton to iron out the hard parts and basically gave Newton hell as he tore apart his work and discovery. Always questioning him and driving Newton nuts. But Newton kept Halley around.

Ultimately Newton publishes Mathematical Principle of Natural Philosophy and the field of science is never the same. But why was Halley so damn anal on Newton? No one knows, but I think it was a "Devil's Advocate" thing.

And that is me. Nothing has changed

I play that role almost to a fault way too many times. I challenge a lot of people when they make a statement or claim. Not sure why I do it. Maybe I am too skeptical. Maybe I give them no credit. Maybe I like confrontation. Maybe I like to argue for the same of arguing. Maybe I like to come off smart. Maybe I want them to truly believe what they say. Maybe I want to help them think of all the angles. Maybe I am challenging myself to learn something new. It could be for any myriad of reasons. I am not entirely sure why I am this way. But I am. I know I do not do it to discourage anyone. I never want anyone to lose heart or doubt themselves and their ability, but watch them grow and really know and understand what they are saying. And honestly, I have no plans of changing this "habit" of mine. I have gotten a lot better at recognizing when it would be the wrong time to employ this trait or when I have crossed the line and discouarged someone and I have to work real hard to fix and correct that. But overall, I am just this way.

• I challenge
• I ask
• I confirm
• I question
• I poke
• I prod
• I solidfy
• I doubt
• I confront
• I think

I thank God he made me this way.

Absolutely nothing as changed

While 99% of what I post here is what I think/believe, nearly half of what I comment on here or with others is not. I am arguing and bringing up other points because of me. Of who I am.

I know it gets frustrating and I can be hard headed, but many times I am working out my own difficulties and doubts on a subject at the same time. Taking the side on an arguement I do not agree with just to see the results.

I once took a class in college that every quiz and test was oral. We never knew when the professor would call our name and ask us a question. Nothing was scheduled. I could have my test on Tuesday when he asked me 3 questions and the guy behind me might have his 3 weeks later. It was crazy but invaluable. We'd have to answer it and be ready for the retort from the teacher. He always told us to talk through every issue from all sides and try and anticipate what the other party is going to question before you even answer.

That's one of the few things I have held on to.

This is me.

Sunrise

"He is not here..."

734*

So what date did you draw in the Barry pool?

He is relatively healthy, so he will break the record.

How does 2 weeks before the All-Star break sound?

Next Question:

Should we celebrate it?

What an awful question. I mean, think about it. Barry Bonds is about to break one of sports marquee records. We are looking at history; it should be a fun time. But unless you are a die-hard Giants fan, you like me are uncomfortable. There is a Mt. Everest of circumstantial evidence that suggests that his great push towards the record was aided by performance enhancing, eh… materials.

There is also a book, “Game of Shadows” that is necessary read for those that think he has been clean. Even without the performance enhancing issue, he is a smug, colossally arrogant, and thoroughly unrootable figure. The feeling I am left with is not anger it is resentment. This joyless pursuit of Hank Aaron’s record is bad for baseball. I love baseball; I resent what he is doing to it.

I just hope he gets within one homerun and has the guts to retire.