April 05 2011

Maybe There’s Just Not That Much Crazy Out There?

I probably shouldn’t write about this because it’s super jinxy or whatever– but for a while now I’ve been wondering if the number of dangerously crazy people out there and the threat of big-time crazy has been exaggerated.

Don’t get me wrong, I know there’s plenty of crazy to go around. There are lots of low-to-mid-grade-crazy people out there. Like the dude who sets up a camera in the women’s bathroom, or the chick who steals makeup from Walgreens everyday then throws it all in the garbage, or the guy who collects walnuts shaped like ‘famous farmers’. That stuff is all over the place.

And then there’s more higher-range crazy people. Hoarder style people, people with diagnosed mental disorders, Eagles fans, OCD situations or whatever. (also btw forgive my usage of the word ‘crazy’).

But today on the interwebs I read that there’s a serial killer running around in Long Island– and it got me thinking– when’s the last time I read about a ‘serial’ killer? How long has it been since we caught one of those? Seems like that sort of thing went out of style back in the 70’s and early 80’s along with flashers. I mean considering the amount of crazy people running around– you’d think there’d be a serial killer in action a few times a year minimum. (god forbid)

And also on a global scale, (I know I shouldn’t even be saying this either) but with all the people hating America or hating our government (of course we had the terrible shooting by that crazy coward in Arizona)– but that kind of thing is fortunately so rare. I mean, there are crazy people out there with an friggin war-style arsenal in their house– but how often do they really venture outside the house and go nuts? The randomness for someone to lash out at an innocent stranger seems relatively low mathematically. And with the promise of media attention being white hot you’d think that would stir things up moreso too.

So to make a double jinxy no backsies post more so– with so much focus on fear and crazy people and media hype and religious stuff and foreign policy stuff and pure hatred and racism and all the stuff… and the straight up access to do something terrible (bomb, kidnap, shoot, whatever) I do have to wonder if we’re all secretly healthier than we seem. I KNOW that bad stuff goes down every day. (hate crimes or all kinds of horrible abuse or animal cruelty etc). And random shootings happen all the time and something could happen at any moment — but the serial killer, the full blast crazy, the terrorism, whatever– just seems remarkably and fortunately and thankfully low. Especially considering the potential for the crazy plethora of reasons to drive crazy in America. (that’s right I used ‘plethora’!)

Sorry if this post is offensive or whatever or stupidly optimistic. I just started thinking this morning that extreme ‘action oriented’ crazy people seems to be at a lower level than they were even 25 years ago. At least it feels that way. Maybe because so many crazies have been redirected to the interwebs? Blogging, gaming and tweeting instead? Or not.

ok bye!
tOdd

PS. I’ll probably delete this post by the end of the day.

34

My Butt Here says:

Well somedays I just plain forget to put the foil hat on and the friends in my head do the driving that day. Fortunately I lined the roof of my car with lead and the signal from the satellites watching me don’t get trough. But I’m still able to be outside your bedroom window at 3:AM. So that noise you hear is me.

Jeremy says:

I think the internet is an outlet for crazy. People can get their crazy rage out and not actually hurt anybody. I think this is cutting down on it.

Well fuck you and fuck Mr. Deng. says:

I used to be a homeless rodeo clown but now I am a world class magician !

Jimmy the Juicer says:

That’s just crazy talk tOdd!

Ginger Campaign says:

VOTE FOR GINGER 2012 πŸ™‚

Guy With An Opinion says:

Gaming and Tweeting is considered crazy? Wow Todd, you just insulted yourself by the way. I think the PC term is weird for low classed crazies. As for the crazies directed on the interwebs, you do have a point. Your website alone has its share of them (i.e. Guy-Who-Calls-Mr.Deng-A-Cock-Sucker, Ginger, JFK, Mr. Bukkake Who Lives in His Mom’s Basement, The Weeze, The Shadow and his followers, the retards who use the Drawing Thing).

Trolly the Troll says:

I was thinking the same thing. Todd must not read the posts on his own site otherwise he would know there are serious hard-core lunatics out around every corner.

Krankor says:

BTK – 2005. Not that rare.

Of course, the smart ones don’t get caught!

Amy says:

I’m always surprised that there is not more terrorism I do not think our government is very on top of things

the REAL weeze says:

I AM FIRRSSTT BITCHESS!! !CALL ME CRAZY BUT I AM FIRSSSTT TO BE POSTING HERE BITTCHESSS!!!! HATERS HATE BUT PEASEFUL PROTESTSSS ONLY BITCCHESSS!!! πŸ™‚ πŸ™‚ πŸ™‚

JT says:

…..and interestingly, it seems that with less “crazy” going on, the media seems to be forced to really emphasize the crazy that actually does happen….making it seem like there’s crazy at every corner….

I understand that the media has to have “content” but the byproduct is “the sky is falling” mentality.

Also, Todd, I understand your reticence about posting this…..for the same reason I understand why advertisers have to put “do not attempt” disclaimers on TV commercials!

Sh!tForBra!ns says:

“PS. I’ll probably delete this post by the end of the day.”

Ummm… why? Could it be you’re afraid of….. THE CRAZIES!!!

APMullaly says:

Todd:

You’re not wrong. Statistically crime rates (serious crimes like murder, assault, etc.) have been dropping for like the last 30 years. That means for every 1000 people the percentage impacted by one of those crimes has dropped, but that’s not what sells tv time, so people in SoCal (like me) hear about murders in New York, kidnappings in Florida, traffic accidents in Detroit. If you’re not paying attention it makes it look like the shit has hit the fan. Anywho, keep on trucking.

Guy With An Opinion says:

There will always be crazies. It’s how you handle them that’s important.

I'm a PC says:

I thought not too long ago there was the guy and his son going up and down the east coast just sniping people from a distance for no apparent reason. They caught him after like a month or two. Thats the last serial killer i can remember.

flowy dress waitress says:

why did you censor me πŸ™

Old Timer says:

The FBI estimates there are between 35-50 serial killers on the loose in the US at any one time.

The problem is today’s serial killers are lazy. Back in the old days they knew what it was to work. Ed Gein didn’t just kill. He was a cannibal and he made things like lampshades out of his victims. That’s dedication and hard work. Serial Killers today have a sense of entitlement. They think victims should just show up at their door bound and gagged after they dug their own shallow grave. So many of them these days would rather sit on the couch shooting pedestrians from the parking garage in Grand Theft Auto than make an effort.

Krankor says:

Ed Gein also skinned his dead mother and would then get inside the “skin suit” and dance around in the yard at night while he masturbated inside the suit.

He had Mommy issues.

Hannibal Lector says:

Yes, Charisse, today’s seriel killers are an uninspiring lot. A completely spoiled and worthless group.

I’m killing and eating them as fast as I can, even though they don’t taste very good.

Stalker in your Room says:

Todd, did you know your middle toe on your right foot has been twitching more often than not while your sleeping. Thought I might tell you, should bring that up to your doctor the next time you go. Could be something serious.

tainted says:

There is a very interesting documentary related to this exact topic. On penn and teller’s “bullshit”, they have an episode entitled “Stranger Danger.”

It talks about the over hyping of strangers and talks about mostly how people overly protect their children and act as if every guy around the corner is a stranger just waiting to kidnap your child.

I highly recommend you watch that, as it brings up some interesting truths about the actual probability of something like that happening (especially regarding sexual assault, kidnapping, etc..). You are always told not to talk to strangers, but the show reveals how much of a danger it really can be.

Bleh says:

Well, speaking of Arizona, just a few years ago (at the same time mind you), we had the Baseline Killer (9 murders, 15 rapes, 11 kidnapings) and the Seriel Shooter (8 murders and 29 other shootings). And both of them were caught too!

Anonymous says:

todd, no one is getting pissed or offended. don’t be afraid to speak your mind, even if you believe your ideas are silly (they’re not)

Ziggiz Zaggaz says:

We’ll then whom pray tell am I wearing these adult diapers filled with creamed corn for then?

AnonyMOOSE says:

This whole site is degrading into the random bloggings of a 12-year-old.

AnonyMOUSE says:

Well, that explains why you are here.

stayoverthere says:

From the point of view of the rest of the wolrd (you know, that grey blur that hurts your head to even contemplate, starting about 1″ past the US borders), a huge global percentage of the crazy people are easy to locate. Hint: They live in a country that rhymes with Divided States of Hysteria.

I’m not talking about the mild kind of crazy, like those who dance with their own reflection in plate glass windows, or singing with conviction on a crowded bus. That’s just free street theater, really.
I’m talking about the flag waving, bible thumping, racist, red neck, chaw chomping, ‘Love it er leav it’, dumber-than-a-bucket-of-retarded-doorknobs, ‘If you ain with us youse agin us’, gun toting, well-spring-of-freedom poisoning (re patriot act), war mongers that run amock in the streets of ‘Merica until you all finally elect them to high office.

You scare the hell out of the rest of the world, much as we would fear a mildly concussed cockerspanial running happily towards us with a lit stick of dynamite in his mouth.
It’s not just that you’re killing yourselves; you’re going to take us with you. To me, THAT’s crazy.

Eagles fan says:

Why are you bashing Eagles fans? I’m going to find some old batteries and throw them at you…

K says:

Todd, Your post isn’t offensive, but I am sorry to tell you that you are overly optimistic. I work in a profession that puts me in direct contact with a great deal of the public, and I can tell you unequivocally that there are, in fact, a large number of the population at large that are completely and thoroughly bugshit crazy. Hate to dishearten you, but the Gilgo beach serial killer is not such a rarity as you seem to think. At any given time, the FBI estimates that there are at least 13, (actually closer to 25 to 50), active serial killers, with 85% of those ‘working’ in the United States. Serial killers aside, you would truly be frightened if you understood the vast numbers of formerly institutionalized people who are now roaming the streets, or placed into section 8 housing in the suburbs, due to state budget cuts on mental institutions. Before I began my job, I had no idea as to the number of unbalanced people out there. All I can tell you is to enjoy your blithe sense of “wellness” in the world, but, (like they used to say on that old cop show), “be careful out there.”

dont forget! says:

They haven’t found the murderer yet, but don’t forget the recently discovered “West Mesa Murders” in Albuquerque, NM. Found a bunch of dead girls buried in the mesa as they were prepping for building homes.

Medusa says:

Hello, Welcome to the Psychiatric Hotline

If you are obsessive-compulsive, please press 1 repeatedly.
If you are co-dependant, Please ask someone to press 2.
If you have multiple personalities, please press 3,4,5,6.
If you are a parinoid-delusional, We know who you are and what you want. Just stay on the line so we can trace the call.
If you are schizophrenic, listen very carefully and a little voice will tell you which number to press.
If you are manic-depressive, it doesn’t matter which button you press. No one will answer.

Medusa says:

So do you really think crazy killers are a fad?
You typed like they went out of style in the 80’s as if it could not happen today.
There is now and will always be the few who were born missing more than a few cogs.
You see them every so often on the news, trace the history of them, they roam in packs. There is probably a pattern.
I bet ya.

Medusa says:

And I wish you had a like button on here like face book. You deserve it, some of your fan posts on here are funny as hell.
And a dislike button, so some on here after getting a certain amount get banned for life! Ehem the kid who needs a smack more than once.

Elizabeth Amateur says:

Marriages are made in heaven.

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