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Usenet Posted 21 years ago
Screenwriting

Motive question re: "my best solution to this problem is to whack

So,
I'm a horrible forensics/crime addict (real forensics, not CSI), it's one of my biggest personality flaws, and trust me, that's tough competition.

But it suddenly struck me the other day, what in god's name makes a person think "you know, I've been chewing on this, and the very best solution to my problem is to whack X."
I'm not talking about crimes with no planning, where the murderer tries to cover up afterward, but the guy who thinks killing his wife is a good solution to a custody battle, or killing a business partner is the best way to hide his own embezzlement activity etc.
It seems to me a different sort of thinking process than "I know how to steal a million bucks and get away with it."
What is it that makes people think it's a good idea? Otherwise reasonably intelligent folks?
  

Top answer

Oops, posted before I was finished. I am just trying to get my hands on this idea or feeling that outside of gang environments, there is some kind of self-hypnosis at work that makes a person stop examining their options and focus in on murder. I dunno...

  • Oops, posted before I was finished.
  • I am just trying to get my hands on this idea or feeling that outside of gang environments, there is some kind of self-hypnosis at work that makes a person stop examining their options and focus in on murder.
  • I dunno...
  • Anyway, I have a hard time motivating killers in my stories as a result.
  • My killers are always impulsive, would love to branch out.
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16 Answers
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Oops, posted before I was finished.
I am just trying to get my hands on this idea or feeling that outside of gang environments, there is some kind of self-hypnosis at work that makes a person stop examining their options and focus in on murder. Something I can't quite figure out, something akin to a child-like lack of awareness of the context a person actually lives in...I dunno...

An
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[nq:1]Oops, posted before I was finished. I am just trying to get my hands on this idea or feeling that ... in my stories as a result. My killers are always impulsive, would love to branch out. Any insights most appreciated.[/nq]
It's because to some people murder simply isn't all that big a deal, and in between getting away with murder or getting away with embezzlement, the former seems more
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[nq:2]What is it that makes people think it's a good idea? Otherwise reasonably intelligent folks?[/nq]
Um... 'cause the can? No, now really, what are the stats of unsolved crimes? So, killing your wife is just dumb (among a rather vast array of other negatives) as the husband is the first suspect. But statistically a discrete knock off just may be a practical solution for a certain class of i
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Er, not that I'm recommending the practice...
-sam
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(snips)
[nq:1]But it suddenly struck me the other day, what in ***'s name makes a person think "you know, I've been chewing on this, and the very best solution to my problem is to whack X."[/nq]
A friend of mine who's a cop once told me, "If smart people ever started committing crimes regularly, society would collapse."

And when you think about it, killing somebody is pretty dumb.
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[nq:1]So, I'm a horrible forensics/crime addict (real forensics, not CSI), it's one of my biggest personality flaws, and trust me, ... and get away with it." What is it that makes people think it's a good idea? Otherwise reasonably intelligent folks?[/nq]
I suspect that for many people there's a progression toward the decision.
A casual thought (if only my boss died I could take ove
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[nq:1]What is it that makes people think it's a good idea? Otherwise reasonably intelligent folks?[/nq]Well, what other choice do they have? By their thinking, it's just the best way to solve the issue once and for all - eliminate the source of the problem. I have a theory that crimes are perpetrated by stupid people, because chances are they will get caught - but they're stupid enough to that thi
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But that's just the thing. Until the drug wars started, homicide solve rates were INCREDIBLY high, even before DNA testing.

Still chewing on it. Lifetime risk liability, I just don't get it...

Mysti
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[nq:1]Another thing: A lot of sociopaths don't foam at the mouth. They're just not burdened with the same kind of conscience that most of us are.[/nq]
Very true. We are accustomed to think that by accepting certain morals, regardless of what they are, the same goes for everyone else. It is inherent in most humans to project onto others. Because I would never kill anyone, it means no one should
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I'm listening to this audiobook by James Lee Burke. Black Cherry Blues. It's new south noir. It's good. It's dark but there is always some aspect that is pure and good and innocent and reaching toward the light, and he is very poetic. Anyway, today I'm at a point in the book where he describes a certain type of killer. The kind who lives in the suburbs, doesn't draw attention to himself, functions

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