During the November 2nd class, we discussed relishing crime. This reminded me of Walter Benjamin’s theory of deriving aesthetic pleasure from violence, and Marinetti’s idea of beautiful war. The premise of horrible crimes has become a billion dollar industry. There are numerous television shows, books and movies due to people’s fascination. By experiencing horrible crimes indirectly, the real infringes on reality in a controlled manner, without imposing a chaotic threat to our lives. While a show like Law and Order may be premised on fictional examples, interest in the real case of Russell Williams increased dramatically when recording tapes of his confession began to air on the nightly news. Because the human behind the gruesome crimes is a completely average, unremarkable looking middle-aged man, our sense of reality is momentarily disturbed and an existential concern over our sense of safety, shaken. The rarity of cases like Williams guarantees a spectacle. The heightened, exaggerated real (the premise of fictionalizing crime) has violated our boundaries of reality, and society is simultaneously scared and captivated.
Emma Z.
No comments:
Post a Comment