Unravelling Our Obsession with True Crime

For years, tales of heinous crimes have dominated the front pages. We talk about them
over lunch with friends and click on breaking bulletins during a pause from our hectic
schedules. But what about these dark narratives captivates us, pulling us into a realm of
horror and intrigue despite their grim realities? Do we enjoy the thrill of a crime story?
Are we entertained by the horrors?

//daimōn
One intriguing explanation for our obsession with crime traces to an imbalance in our
“daimonic”. According to the internet, the term “daimonic,” derived from the Greek
“daimōn,” refers to ‘an inner force or spirit that can be both creative and destructive,
often associated with strong urges, passions, and a sense of destiny’.

Forensic psychologist Richard Lettieri asserts that the daimonic is in balance in most of
us, most of the time and that ” it is usually regulated by social convention, fear, duty,
compassion and courage, guilt, identifications with loved ones, or all of the above.”

//relation
We see ourselves in the criminals. Most people have impulses to cheat, wound and hurt
somebody but these stay within. In fact, psychologist David Buss, in his book ‘The
Murder Next Door: Why the Mind Is Designed to Kill’, conducted a study and found that
91 per cent of men and 84 per cent of women have had a vivid fantasy of killing
someone.

Through true crime stories we get to examine the actions of someone who acted on
their impulses. We are interested to know how they pulled it off and if they succeeded in
executing their plan, if at all.

Criminals are very similar to us in many ways, and there is a criminal inside each one of
us that we often suppress. Perhaps sometimes people see their own story in the
criminal’s tale, so maybe then they start liking, or sympathising with him/her.

The only thing that separates us from those who act on their impulses is the courage to
do so, which we often lack. We envy them for it while admiring them at the same time.

//problem solving
True crime fascinates us because it’s true.
One apparent reason for our obsession with true crime is, of course, the problem-
solving element in many cases. It’s the same obsession that keeps us hooked to crime
shows and podcasts, similar to the adrenaline rush we feel while solving a puzzle.

As the cases unfold, the investigations have the twists and turns of well-plotted
mysteries, keeping us guessing at each new revelation. The minute details of everyone
involved rivet us. We embrace the victims, Always there is hope that when a final
resolution comes, there will be a righting of a terrible wrong, something to deliver a
sense of satisfaction that justice has been served and the world is as it should be.

//curiosity
The curious ones who cannot satisfy themselves with the news coverage find
themselves doing things such as searching for the perpetrator’s past life or finding out
about the family, etc.

Another possible reason we feel interested in knowing more about criminals is that we
think that people around us are much like us and that they share the same values as we
do, so when they do something out of line with their conscience, we are interested in
knowing about their motives and intentions.

//evolutionary factor
An interest in crime evolved as a way of spotting and alerting to potential environmental
danger to prepare a defence. Mysteries are popular because figuring out where danger
is coming from is a puzzle that fascinates our brains.

//protection
By learning about how crimes happen and of the pschology of a killer, people are
keeping themselves informed and vigilant so as to protect their families and themselves.

True crime offers not just a glimpse into the psyche of criminals but is also a reflective
mirror of our humanity. Through this exploration, we can better comprehend not only our
fascination but also the deeper implications it holds for our society.