I just caught up with your writings on Dahmer so far and am absolutely fascinated. I'm Scorp Sun and Rising, Pluto square my Ascendant, so probably not surprising. This is what the world is made of, and I'm glad you dare to follow your impulses to explore it. Can't wait for the book and I'm sorry you've lost subscribers.
Aside from this being a surprising addition to my substack inbox, it's weird and fascinating. I have to remind myself that literally anything is available on the internet 😅
As you've suggested here, these are like artworks of a deity, like he wasn't one of us. Maybe it makes people feel more comfortable thinking he wasn't like us, wasn't human somehow? Nevertheless, he is elevated and this elevation seems purely based on looks. I mean, I could be wrong but I don't imagine there's artwork quite to this level of other serial killers?
I was not aware of the Dahmer art but am not surprised. As for the meaning of it, I suggest that the world was lucky that he was not a cult figure during his murders. If he had been, he may have had a following of willing participants like the women who clung to Manson. Although Manson and Dahmer were fundamentally different in personalities - Manson charismatic and gregarious, Dahmer reserved and solitary - so as I write this I am uncertain if he would have attracted fellow murderers into his sphere. And, of course, he was homosexual and Manson was heterosexual, so each would have attracted like-oriented followings. The Dahmer art is psychosexual and could easily veer into the pathological. I suspect that much of it is simply a result of homosexual attraction to a man who was considered sexy by a lot of other gay men. It may also - and this is where it would be pathological - be a placebo for those who fantasize of doing what Dahmer did to his victims. However, I do not see that in these art works, i.e., there are no images of the violence, only of the sexuality. We often have a fascination with criminals and they sometimes obtain iconic status. Bonnie and Clyde, Billy the Kid, Jack the Ripper, etc. When sexual violence and, especially, violence of a bizarre nature (dismembering, cannibalism, etc) are the hallmarks of a criminal's behavior, I suspect their following is much more narrow. I doubt we will ever see a Convention of Dahmer Fans anytime soon. Let's hope not.
Great comment Dennis. And I agree on the differences you highlight.
Side note: there does exist a subset to the Dahmer fan art that is graphically gruesome and disturbing. I decided to not feature that material, it’s beyond off-putting.
Oh, that is disturbing. Those are the artists (people) one needs to worry about... BTW, I read "Inventing the Truth" and got a lot of help from it for my memoir writing project. Thanks for the lead.
I just caught up with your writings on Dahmer so far and am absolutely fascinated. I'm Scorp Sun and Rising, Pluto square my Ascendant, so probably not surprising. This is what the world is made of, and I'm glad you dare to follow your impulses to explore it. Can't wait for the book and I'm sorry you've lost subscribers.
So true, Monica: ‘This is what the world is made of.’
Thank you for your comment. Appreciate your interest and support.
Aside from this being a surprising addition to my substack inbox, it's weird and fascinating. I have to remind myself that literally anything is available on the internet 😅
As you've suggested here, these are like artworks of a deity, like he wasn't one of us. Maybe it makes people feel more comfortable thinking he wasn't like us, wasn't human somehow? Nevertheless, he is elevated and this elevation seems purely based on looks. I mean, I could be wrong but I don't imagine there's artwork quite to this level of other serial killers?
😂 sorry to meltdown your inbox.
And you’re correct, altho other serial killers have fan bases, Dahmer groupies have redefined the phenomenon entirely.
Also, the recent Netflix series, which conflates Dahmer and Peters, pushed things into the stratosphere. So crazy.
It will be interesting to see what happens with the Menendez brothers after Murphy’s new series debuts next year.
Wow, I just had to Google that but I see what you mean about the casting!
I was not aware of the Dahmer art but am not surprised. As for the meaning of it, I suggest that the world was lucky that he was not a cult figure during his murders. If he had been, he may have had a following of willing participants like the women who clung to Manson. Although Manson and Dahmer were fundamentally different in personalities - Manson charismatic and gregarious, Dahmer reserved and solitary - so as I write this I am uncertain if he would have attracted fellow murderers into his sphere. And, of course, he was homosexual and Manson was heterosexual, so each would have attracted like-oriented followings. The Dahmer art is psychosexual and could easily veer into the pathological. I suspect that much of it is simply a result of homosexual attraction to a man who was considered sexy by a lot of other gay men. It may also - and this is where it would be pathological - be a placebo for those who fantasize of doing what Dahmer did to his victims. However, I do not see that in these art works, i.e., there are no images of the violence, only of the sexuality. We often have a fascination with criminals and they sometimes obtain iconic status. Bonnie and Clyde, Billy the Kid, Jack the Ripper, etc. When sexual violence and, especially, violence of a bizarre nature (dismembering, cannibalism, etc) are the hallmarks of a criminal's behavior, I suspect their following is much more narrow. I doubt we will ever see a Convention of Dahmer Fans anytime soon. Let's hope not.
Great comment Dennis. And I agree on the differences you highlight.
Side note: there does exist a subset to the Dahmer fan art that is graphically gruesome and disturbing. I decided to not feature that material, it’s beyond off-putting.
Oh, that is disturbing. Those are the artists (people) one needs to worry about... BTW, I read "Inventing the Truth" and got a lot of help from it for my memoir writing project. Thanks for the lead.
BTW, thank you for leading me to "Inventing the Truth;" I just read it and it has been very helpful in how I am going about my memoir writing.