Tuesday, January 23, 2007

BOTTOM FEEDERS: GENES OR ENVIRONMENT?


These are some of the women victims of a Canadian pig farmer called Pickton who claims to have murdered and dismembered forty-nine women and was trying to make it a neat fifty. The women were prostitutes and drug users who the man lured to his farm. Some of them it seems were indigenous Canadians.

The purpose of this post is not to highlight the horror of what this sick man did over a period of years but to contemplate how any man could reach such a low point that he was prompted to act in such a brutal, socially-destructive way. And why had the women he killed reached such a low point that they sold their bodies for sex and/or were destroying themselves with drugs and were therefore vulnerable.

Obviously these women's lives were already spiralling downwards but what pushed them over the edge, past the point of caring about what they did or what might happen to them? And what caused them to be at risk in the first place? Perhaps they came from poor quality families where violence and drink was the norm? Perhaps they had been sexually molested as children? Perhaps they got hooked on drugs and sold themselves to feed the habit? Perhaps nature hadn't been kind to them and sex became a way to get attention from men?

And the man, what kinds of dark forces swirl inside him? Where did they come from? How much did easy access to pornography and sex play a part in his disintegration? Was he also a victim of molestation or was he an alcoholic? Did he get involved with bad company or was he soured by a bad relationship with a woman? Or another man?

The sad point is that everyone involved was, at one stage, a tiny, innocent baby. No one had stamped serial killer, prostitute or drug addict on each one. Somehow they moved from complete innocence and ended up as societal bottom feeders.

How? Why? Are we born with flaws or are some of us simply corrupted more by life's journey than others? And if we are born with flaws then it surely reflects badly on our 'Maker' should there be such a thing. And if we are corrupted by society then it has a lot to answer for.

Any ideas!

10 comments:

iMuslim said...

I often ask myself the question: how does one become a serial killer?

It is an extension of the whole nature vs nurture debate; it cannot easily be defined.

From both an Islamic & secular jurisprudence PoV, a person is only punished for their crime if they are of "sound mind". However, how can one class someone who is capable of such horrors as sane? This is a very difficult subject to tackle; not black and white at all.

Anonymous said...

I believe that we are like onions, we have many, many layers. Those layers may hold many things and we may add layers to form new coping mechanisms or we may saturate ourselves with medications - self induced - as a coping mechanism.

It all comes down to coping with one's life doesn't it?

I often watch the homeless, outside my door I can watch the prostitutes. They all have needs, and at times the needs outweigh the types of means.

It will be an interesting trial .... we in Canada are all asking why???

Lil Sparrow

Daniel said...

IMuslim, sanity is a very nebulous term. Depends which standard you measure it against.

I think our view of humans is somewhat coloured by wishful thinking.

Lil, some folks in Canada and around the world are going to be forced to view some uncomfortable truths about themselves!

Cheers!

Anonymous said...

It is a very good question. Just what happens in someone's life to make them turn in such a way. Luckily it is only a very small minority and the resounding majority are law abiding citizens just going about their lives but it is a very interesting subject.

Daniel said...

While most are law abiding, I believe that the potential for violence and self-destruction resides within us all to a certain degree, Lucy.

Unknown said...

..... what is also a little scary is how many people fall off the map so to speak. At times that "wierd" awkward guy/girl in the office who no one had the time for, who no one wanted to spend time with or work with .... who was fired .... and then they just dissapear... problem solved.

PROBLEM NOT SOLVED !!!!

Walking today, I saw three homeless people within a three block radius ... its a cold day that is why there are not more. Needless to say, there probably is a homeless person for every block of our down town core and more..... there must be 1000 or more out there in this city alone.....

all people who have fallen off the map .... horrific to think isn't it?

We could become one of them so easily.

Unknown said...

You know,

Not to be pessimistic but I was so angry this evening while walking home. Two men found it quite humourous to make fun of the homeless people begging for change on the street. They did not get it. These people are begging usually because they can't hold down a job.

I went up one side and down the other of the two men and told them they were both being SMALL and SLIMY.

What will become of us? Grown men in their 40's taking potshots at the homeless .... it's disgusting.

I posted the following on my blog in sarcasm ... but you know, it really is not a bad advertisement in regards to the homeless and the helpless. The gist of my post was:

Go on, teach your children how to build a box fort. You never know, as adults this lesson just might come in handy one day! Just follow the link:
http://familyfun.go.com/decorating-ideas/gardening/
feature/famf0602_proj_fort/

Daniel said...

I guess the old saying about the worm turning could prove to have some truth some day, Lil.

Peace!

Daniel said...

Best news I've had in weeks, Zoe.

Daniel said...

I promise I won't!

But seriously, Zoe, when you deal with the major problems that beset humanity as I do most of the time it is vital to interact with positive, vital people like you.

It helps to to keep some sort of balance. Cheers. xxxxx

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