The posting about two young kids killing a three year old got me to thinking about human nature, improved reporting and increasing violence in American society. Are we hearing more about such awful crimes because
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human nature being what it is will always result in stupid, horrific behavior, or
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has “news” reporting expanded in such a manner that these stories are now more accessible to many more people, or
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there is an increase in such violence because our media is becoming more violent and parents are less available to monitor our children’s behavior?
First of all, I want to say that this news story has to be such an horrific event for the adults involved. Everyone involved will be effected by this for years to come. My heart goes out to the parents of each child.
I wonder if there really is an increase in this type of incident or, whether, the increasing number of times we hear about these tragedies is due to easier, speedier access to news stories and a greater willingness to print stories like this.
I’m convinced that stories about Wolfman and vampires etc are based on earlier serial killers. Back then people fell onto superstitions to explain horrific murders. Police and newspapers that existed during those times were much different from what we have nowadays. Here are two examples of incidences that occured in Central Africa where I lived for quite a few years:
a. A small baby/newborn from a fairly well-off family disappears without a trace. There is an intensive search for the child that ends up fruitless. Rumours fly about witchcraft and jealous neighbors until the newborn is found in the family well on the compound several days later. The general consensus is that the baby was kidnapped for some spell casting and the body returned once the ceremony was done. Most people were horrified by the possibility that someone in the family might have “done the kid in”… no one I talked with could conceive the idea “because parents and family don’t do those things…”
b. Another time there was a series of kidnappings and child murders; each subsequent was rumoured to be worst than the previous one. Bodies mutilated and tossed under bridges or into drainage ditches - pretty gruesome stuff. The GC was that the highly unpopular President was nervous about loosing the upcoming elections; his “counselor” from Benin was casting spells to increase the President’s popularity [??] while also helping to improve his health. There were quite a few reports about severe beatings given to unknown men talking to neighborhood kids. I heard that at least one of these men was beaten to death. The mysterious deaths suddenly stopped, the President lost the election and his counselor ran out of the country.
None of these stories made the newspapers [which were few and govt controlled]. But everyone knew about them by word of mouth. A foreigner could find out about them by keeping in touch with the folks and asking questions. I remember asking a co-worker why everyone was putting palm fronds over their compound gates only to be told that a ghost [from Togo no less] was walking up to households asking for a drink and directions to the river [where her children drowned with her]. You would die if you looked her in the eyes and refused to given her water. She wouldn’t come to your compound if you had palm fronds - a symbol that someone had just died.
This is getting a bit long - sorry. I just wanted to make the point that I think that these kinds of things have happened since people started living together. What do you think?