Comment by kaikai
18 hours ago
> I did go through the same serial killer phase as every morose teen
I’m sorry, what? As a former morose teen, I can assure you that a “serial killer phase” is not a universal experience
18 hours ago
> I did go through the same serial killer phase as every morose teen
I’m sorry, what? As a former morose teen, I can assure you that a “serial killer phase” is not a universal experience
That line read weird to me too, but I think GP meant an interest in true crime documentaries.
I’m not sure, most of the people I know who like true crime/murder porn are not exactly “morose”. (But I do find their interest unsettling.)
When I was a kid, some teens who were into darker themes (not all but definitely some) had a phase where they were interested in serial killers. It always struck me more as shallow “edgy teen” posturing than anything else. After Columbine this demographic moved on to other interests, as even a performative interest in real-world violence could lead to official harassment.
> It always struck me more as shallow “edgy teen” posturing than anything else
Comment OP here: it was exactly this; the safest, most boring possible way to be transgressive. I didn't talk about it as much as other kids who were like this, so I didn't have to stop once people started to actually care/respond, but I did go from keeping my Harold Schechter books on my bookshelf to in a special box in my closet. Merely knowing about these things gave me a little secret thrill like I was some sort of badass with extreme psychic warding able to go into some secret space that most people couldn't stand. In reality I was just desensitized cuz abusive mom and I'm really glad I grew out of it before I got to the part some kids get to where learning isn't enough and they start experimenting.