I was wondering this over the weekend after (again) reading my local paper and finding out about more terrible acts being committed by people in different places. How do you suppose the villainous amongst us view villains seen on T.V. or in movies or read about in books? Do you suppose they identify with those people and cheer them on (at least in silence) instead of opposing them the way most of us do?
Heck, some of us defend them online!
I’m not sure that is a well-defined question. There are lots of different ways to be evil, and my pure unadulterated guess would be that someone who rips people off through Ponzi schemes (and knows in his heart of hearts that they are Ponzi schemes, but delights in them anyway) probably wouldn’t think too kindly of a serial murderer who takes delight in terrifying the populace and leaving devious puzzles for the police, and possibly vice-versa.
I think it depends on what villains on TV or in books crimes are and does the villainous among us do that themselves or are thinking of it? So if they do/want to yeah I guess they would cheer them on or disagree with them for example a murderer might disagree with a rapist and vice versa
I find them mostly to be pathetic wannabes without the wit or imagination to perpetrate the sort of daily evil that I usually accomplish well before breakfast…
Oh, sorry, was this not a poll?
In his book Wiseguy (filmed as GoodFellas, Nicholas Pileggi said that Henry Hill claimed some of the Mafia guys used to root for the villains in movies.
Competition.
I would guess that villains, for the most part, don’t see themselves as villains (“I’m justified”, “I’m sick and can’t help myself”, etc.) and therefore don’t identify with other villains.
From what I read of history, it looks like most real-world villains see themselves of champions of the greater good at best or creatures of necessity at worst. Or they’re just crazy.
I don’t think any of them ever looked in a mirror and said, “Damn, I’m a villain just like that guy on TV!”
As I recall, a fair number of old-time organized crime gangsters did; literally basing their behavior on what they saw in movies and such. Basically they looked and said to themselves, “So that’s how we’re supposed to do things!”
I’ve just started watching “Breaking Bad” and am disturbed to notice that I’m rooting for Walt and Jesse. :eek:
Such is the art of the filmmaker. And maybe there’s a little spot in my spirit that would like to do something illegal and dangerous.
So, I don’t feel or act villainous before an episode but after an episode I’ve had a vicarious thrill.
Have you noticed that when they are cooking meth it’s usually accompanied by an upbeat snip of music? I find myself wondering how an addict watching it may feel at that moment. Does it trigger an urge?
A villain could be cheering the illegal acts he sees on the screen. Or, conversely, he may be critiquing the way it is portrayed and whether it’s realistic or not. Some of us wouldn’t know.
I’ve often wondered about this as pertains to bullies. When a TV show portrays a bully in a school setting, how do kids who are themselves bullies feel about it?
I’ve always wondered that too
I play MMO’s. For instance Star Wars: Knights of the old republic.
There are people in game that refuse to play anything but evil sith or dark jedi. I find it hard to believe these people are evil in real life, but you gotta wonder.
I think the Boko Haram goons feel powerful because they had a lot of guns and were able to terrify lots of people. As long as they can get away with their shit, they feel elated. Nobody stopped them, so they’re above the law and can do whatever they want. The fact that they did get away with it must mean Allah is on their side, so they justify their thuggery with religious overtones.
Ten years ago, moral guardians used to get all wad-pantied over Tony Soprano.
How do Villains see themselves… and how would Villains try to make Heroes see themselves.
Interesting question.
I suspect some of them get all judgmental.
After all, they rationalize their own evil.
No motive to absolve others, and it gives them the luxury of condemning others as worse than they are.
I suspect you’re probably right. The villainous do what they do and they certainly don’t feel that they have to justify their actions to anybody, when they feel at all.
I’ve wondered about this with douchebag bosses. As an example, when they are watching the movie Office Space, how do they see themselves in relation to Lumberg? When all the employees are thinking, “that’s you up on screen, Bob” does Bob even see that he is almost exactly the same? Or does Bob think to himself, “yeah, that’s how it’s done!”