Society's addiction to true crime
By Margot Camp ‘23
Courtesy of https://www.instagram.com/leek.a.lot/?hl=en
“Despite the stereotypes about its fans, true crime is about much more than morbid fascination with other people’s pain.” Diane Barth, NBC news.
True crime stories depict real instances of raw, gruesome, violent crimes, most commonly murder. The popularity of true crime can be traced back to the rise of the printing press, during a time where public execution was still popular. The news gave people context for the executions, investing them in the fate of the convicted.
These early forms of true crime were widely popularized by members of the clergy, as they used the tales of the convicted as stories highlighting the importance of following “the path of salvation, through Jesus Christ.”
Skipping forward in time, 24 hour news networks gained popularity. These news networks generally spread true crime stories, late at night. Soon after, podcasts, social media platforms and popular streaming platforms hopped on the train of true crime stories.
But what is it about true crime that makes it so interesting to us?
An article from BBC Science Focus, discusses this exact question. “Evolutionary psychologists say that we’re drawn to these tales because murder, rape and theft have played a significant part in human society since our hunter-gatherer days.”
We feel an attraction towards the principle of problem solving. We want to feel the suspense of the story, while also feeling the satisfaction of “solving” the mystery.
“It’s in our nature to be highly attuned to criminal misdemeanors, and we instinctively want to discover the ‘who’, ‘what’, ‘when’ and ‘where’ so we can find out what makes criminals tick, and to better protect ourselves and our kin.”
It has also been proposed by a study from the University of Illinois that true crime stories are more alluring to female audiences. The 2010 report states, “Women are more drawn to true crime stories whereas men are more attracted to other violent genres.”
The study is cited by an article from ULAW, which connects this “paradox” as linking to “their [females] fear of being victimised,” hypothesizing that, “consuming content about crime may provide us with a feeling of control and knowledge about an inherently uncertain and often anxiety-provoking world.”
Evolutionarily, we are inclined to pay more attention to information which may pose a threat to us. By gathering information such as why criminals commit crimes, we develop a more solid awareness of criminals, helping us establish safety.
This information raises the question; Is it good for us to consume true crime media?
Why do we love true crime - and is it healthy for us?, from NBC news, written by physiotherapist Diane Barth gives insight into potential mental health risks and benefits of consuming true crime media.
In cases where justice is served, it is suggested that people gain faith in our legal systems. If we see them successful in morbid cases, there is an added sense of security surrounding legal systems and their ability to prosecute.
“Despite the stereotypes about its fans, true crime is about much more than morbid fascination with other people’s pain.” Barth states.
Consuming true crime media can help people feel as if they see inside the minds of criminals. From this they develop the sense that they can better protect themselves, and feel safer.
“Tuning in and following the specifics of a crime also creates a [false] sense of being able to ‘see inside’ the mind of a criminal, thus creating a psychological protective barrier.” psychotherapist Kathleen Check explains.
Although true crime is very popular and heavily consumed, there are those who are against the idea all together.
Many people wonder if true crime media desensitise people to topics of violence and pain. Oftentimes, real interview footage, security camera footage, 911 call recordings and other evidence are included in the stories making them more graphic to viewers.
Because true crime media depicts real stories of real people, the creators of the media are profiting off of the suffering of the victims, their families, and their loved ones. This poses the ethical dilemma of whether or not we should be supporting the creation of true crime media.
True crime media clearly has many supporters, but there are critics as well. However, those critics have not stopped true crime shows from taking over viewing screens across the world.