Over the past several years, the genre of true crime has become increasingly popular and can now be found in almost all forms of media, from TV shows and movies to podcasts and books. Whether the case is of a renowned serial killer like Ted Bundy, the story of someone who went missing and was never found, or a murder case that has never been solved, people are fascinated by these terrifying accounts of inhumanity.
Even though most people will find it disturbing and difficult to listen to true crime stories, we continue to consume the content and come back for more.
Here are some of the reasons why people may be drawn to the genre of true crime.
We Want to Solve the Crime
According to Psychology Today, part of the intrigue of listening to or watching a program that details a horrific crime comes from the desire to put the pieces of the puzzle together for ourselves. Although the average listener isn’t a criminal defence lawyer in Toronto, New York or another big city where these crimes may occur, we like to put ourselves in those shoes and feel a sense of accomplishment when our assumptions about the story’s outcome are proven to be true.
The information is often presented piece by piece, which hooks the watcher/listener and makes them want to continue watching or listening. When the case is unsolved, listeners have an even stronger desire to immerse themselves in the story and solve the crime. In fact, in the Netflix series “Don’t F*** With Cats,” a group of true crime lovers got together via a Facebook group to solve a murder and capture the killer.
We Are Fascinated by Evil
For the average listener, it’s difficult to fathom how someone could commit the crimes in the stories we watch or listen to. Whether hearing these horrific stories makes someone feel better about themselves or gives an insight into the darkest sides of the human condition, it is fascinating to learn about the evil that some people are capable of.
It Helps Us Prepare
While we may feel removed from the true crime stories we hear, as the name suggests, these stories are, in fact, true. This means that they could theoretically happen to anyone.
Hearing about how a murder or sexual assault took place can help people feel better able to protect themselves if they were to find themselves in a situation where they may be a victim of a crime. This can give some people a sense of comfort.
That being said, hearing these stories also gives us a sense of relief that we weren’t the victims and, at times, a sense of indestructibility in thinking we never will be a victim.
We Enjoy the Shock Value
Some people like riding roller coasters, others like jump scares in horror movies. No matter how you get it, people are addicted to the feeling of an adrenaline rush and, even if you don’t enjoy the genre of true crime, most people are intrigued by the unexpected.
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