True Obsession

I recently read an article about a man who tortured (and ultimately killed) another man. The article began with mentioning that the killer was obsessed with The Loved Ones – an Aussie horror film in which someone is kidnapped and tortured. This has no doubt kicked over the already buzzing hornets’ nest known as Violence in Movies.

This will probably turn out to be the first of many opinion pieces on the subject. For now I’d like to point out just one thing about this story. The man was obsessed with a horror movie. Let me put the emphasis on the important part of this sentence: The man was obsessed with a horror movie.

There is enjoyment, there is passion and then there is obsession/fanaticism/extremism/addiction. These are the very real dangers. An obsession can have terrible effects on the obsessed person and those around them. We should not get confused here. Just because someone enjoys something does not mean they are obsessed with it. Even though the word ‘fan’ is derived from fanatic, to most people the meaning has been down-graded to ‘one who enjoys’. True fanatics are few and far between.

Most people enjoy eating, but a person who is obsessed with it is a serious health risk; whether their obsession takes the form of over-eating or not eating enough or at all. Both of these extremes will likely have their basis in a mental illness and are a symptom of a larger problem rather than the problem itself. Also just because this person has a problem with food does not mean that food itself is a problem.

I’m going to throw some other controversial ones in for your consideration:

Religion is not a problem; Religious zealots are.

Alcohol is not a problem; Alcoholism is.

In short, someone has taken something from its usual context into an extreme context, they have reached that point of obsession, or fanaticism, or they are addicted to it, and it is that state which is causing problems in their life and therefore the lives of everyone their actions affect. Without help this state will destroy that person’s life regardless of the object at its centre. An addiction to chocolate will eventually lead to fatal health problems as will illegal drugs. “Shopoholics” will eventually bankrupt themselves and tear apart their families as will compulsive gamblers.

If your only experience of something has been with an extremist or an obsessed person then that will be all you know of it. This is especially true if your knowledge is coming second-hand, for example through the media/social media or an activist group. In some cases these things become the antithesis of the extreme minority they are against. If this negative, unhealthy, unsavoury representation is all you know of it then you will conclude that it is a negative, unhealthy and unsavoury thing and it should be banned. You will also undoubtedly have in your mind the image of this extremist/fanatic and view them as a typical representation of that community.

It is very likely untrue. That’s because typical people don’t really make good stories. Fringe-dwellers do. Nobody wants to hear insightful and mild-mannered people talking politely about their interests or beliefs, especially if you have set out to discredit these things. People love to hand the microphone over to the outrageous minority.

I’ve already stated that these kinds of people are dangers to themselves and to others. Obsession is a dangerous thing. The things that people obsess over are in and of themselves neutral. Please believe this. Taking medication is a good thing, drug abuse is a bad thing, and the drugs themselves are neutral.

Am I telling you that violence in movies is neutral? I am. It’s a product to some and an art form to some and we choose to use it, we choose to experience it, or not. It comes with a label advising violent content so people are aware. I do, however, think that people who have a tendency to violent obsessive behaviour probably should avoid movies with extreme graphic violence in the same way that alcoholics shouldn’t drink and compulsive gamblers shouldn’t bet.

But how are you to spot an alcoholic if they have not yet had their first drink? How do you spot a compulsive gambler if they haven’t yet placed their first bet? How to you spot a potential murderer in a crowd of movie-goers? Would a blanket ban on what will become the outward symptom of their much greater inward issues actually help, or will it simply be forcing them to express it in a different way? (Or most likely the same way, but with the added problems that come with someone breaking the law. Of course actual acts of violence are already against the law, but not film depicting staged acts of violence – mostly.)

The intention of filmmakers is not to have the audience become murderers, or to inspire the audience to commit acts of extreme violence in the real world. Given that their product is used sensibly by the majority of people are they really to then be blamed for the acts of the rare obsessive?

Are people justified in blaming beverage companies for alcoholism?

Are people justified in blaming betting venues for problem gamblers?

Are people justified in blaming religion for the actions of extremist groups?

Are people justified in blaming a sports team for the behaviour of their supporters?

Many will answer yes to some or all of the above. I urge people to carefully consider their process in reaching this conclusion. Is it, as above, the result of placing too much emphasis of those few with a pre-disposition toward obsessive, extremist, fanatical, or addictive behaviour and ignoring the majority?

For the people who enjoy a few quiet drinks with friends on a Saturday night do not want alcohol banned simply because there are people who abuse it. Nor do they want to be associated with the kind of people who have drunken brawls outside of pubs at 2am.

People with an everyday sort of faith do not want their religion banned simply because there are radicals who perpetrate hateful acts in the name of the religion. Nor do they want their faith associated with hateful acts or hateful people.

Likewise the law-abiding, non-violent, movie-goers are tired of this debate. The vast majority of us are not obsessed, psychotic deviants who are one gun-slinging film sequence away from massacring you and your family while you sleep.

Recently one man killed another man in a violent act. This is an unspeakable tragedy that nobody in life should have to suffer.  This man had been obsessed with a movie. This same movie countless others watched, and enjoyed, and then went about peacefully with their lives.