Posts by slypuma17

Nicholas Sullivan63 said:Of course, the lady is absolutely right. When you're on your own, you only worry about yourself, but once there's a kid in the picture, you're worrying about both of you. And if there's more than one...
You have zero peace. Is he hungry? Is he tired? We're heading to the pediatrician, how is he doing at school, who is he clashing with, did he finish his homework, does he need new Nikes (and a phone, and a laptop, and God knows what else), will something happen to him on the walk to school, will someone mug him, will he start doing drugs... Will he one day call me an old idiot and tell me to get lost just because I wouldn't give him the car keys when he's only 16.😲
😂[/I]

We're on the same page here. Too many people don't get that having a child isn't like getting a pet; it's not something you just fit into your schedule or mold to suit your lifestyle. Kids aren't an afterthought. Your career and everything else becomes the afterthought. Your life changes from the ground up, and you can't go back to your old self until maybe two decades later when they grow up and leave. That is, assuming you actually manage to raise psychologically healthy kids in a stable home.
That "cute little baby" phase can be incredibly exhausting, and honestly, nothing but pure love and sheer willpower can keep you on the path of raising them right.
And we all know what happens later if we neglect them during those first few years—if we just "shut them down," or pretend they'll just grow out of their "impossible" behavior, or subconsciously treat them poorly because we're impatient or exhausted...
You shouldn't raise kids just because it's a duty.

The root of the issue lies in semantics—a linguistic trap we’ve discussed before. People say, "I want a baby."
Well, obviously, nobody wakes up wanting a moody teenager who mumbles through their dinner while wearing headphones and messing with their greasy hair to some indie rock track. 😂

The standard "commercial" version of parenthood always features a radiant, glowing mother and a perfectly composed infant.
It never shows the exhausted, drained woman or the toddler throwing a tantrum in the middle of a Target aisle. 😁

Kids aren't an afterthought.

They certainly shouldn't be treated as an afterthought, yet for far too many, that is exactly how it happens. 😁

Samuel Phillips2 said:I realized while working in the molecular biology lab that this field just isn't for me—but I’ve been white-knuckling it this far. Everyone kept telling me to just finish what I started... So many years wasted, when my heart was always pulling me toward painting, sculpting, and all those "childish" pursuits. I ended up enrolling in a PhD program just because everyone else was doing it—it felt like the only way to avoid being stuck as a high school teacher forever.😢
Even when I manage to scrape by on an exam or a term paper, the whole thing just crushes me. I feel like I'm going to snap.

I'm drifting further and further away from what actually matters to me. What kills me most is knowing I actually have talent—some of my amateur sculptures have even gotten praise—but I'm past thirty now. I've got a wife and kids to think about, so I need a paycheck. I hate my job, and honestly, I hate myself for being such a coward. Now I don't even have the time to take a class, and I definitely don't have the expertise required for AT&T 🤷

I want to switch careers, but I'm terrified it's too late and that I've already blown my shot at life.
Sometimes I think about just running away... but then I think about being broke... and about my kids, who'll end up being teased by their classmates for having a "starving artist" dad.

I was always the star student, and my parents are so proud of their future PhD, but underneath it all, I'm just filled with self-loathing. I know deep down that as a scientist, I'm a total zero and just lazy. I read research papers without understanding them and without any passion. I loathe it. I hate the lab. Even the people there—the ones who are actually upbeat and hardworking—aren't bad people. But I despise them; I subconsciously resent them for my own failures. It drives me crazy seeing them do better than me.

I want to work, and I have the energy and the drive, just not for pipettes and microscopes. Not for writing abstracts or running statistical tests.

Please—give me some advice, because if I keep going like this, this frustration is going to permanently kill my spirit and my will to live.

Please—I need some advice.

It strikes me, somewhat, that you’ve spent quite enough of your life listening to everyone else's opinions. 😁

James Allen6 said:Honestly, I think many children end up neglected or unhappy because their parents didn't truly consider the weight of parenthood. They just wanted a "little baby," or worse, they had a child by accident. I guess you have to wonder—how could anyone with a sense of responsibility raise a drug addict?
I highly doubt it.

In my opinion, nobody should have a child just because society pressures them to, nor should they do it out of fear.
Fear is a natural emotion, but I suppose a person is a coward if they let it dictate their life.

A dear friend of mine felt unready for a long time, though she was already married. It was incredibly irritating how people would constantly nag her with comments like, "So, when are you having kids?" It’s as if it were anyone's business but hers.
When she finally decided she was ready and started "trying," she became completely focused on it. When she didn't get pregnant right away, she was absolutely devastated; she couldn't even wait for it to happen (even though just a few months prior, she wasn't ready at all).
She has a beautiful baby now. Things were quite difficult at first, but as time goes on, she seems happier and more devoted to her little one than ever. 🙂

Here we go again, another cliché. 😁
How long does a "baby" actually last? Not very long—they grow up. But being a parent? That's a lifetime commitment.

Dana Stewart6 said:jongerica, cherryblossomgirl—thank you both so much for the kind words and the positive energy you've brought to these threads! It’s such a relief to realize... I'm definitely not the only one feeling a bit intimidated by the whole idea. Honestly, it makes me feel so much better knowing I'm not alone. Every time I bring this up with other women, they just dismiss me! They tell me, "What are you waiting for? Having kids is perfectly normal, don't be silly, everyone goes through it."
I truly believe this anxiety stems from a conversation I had with an older woman I used to work with. She has two children, and she always insisted that I should enjoy my freedom while I still have it. Her logic was that once kids arrive, your entire life flips upside down and you'll spend the rest of your days worrying and never finding peace again. Those words just keep echoing in my head...

I hear it constantly because I don't have kids yet, and frankly, I'm in no rush. People love to take every opportunity to take a jab at me; it feels like I can't even breathe without someone making a comment.

I've been in the same relationship for eight years now.
The real question is whether it will ever happen. Right now, our financial situation makes it look pretty much impossible. Beyond that, there's my own rather fragile mental and physical constitution. After a lot of heavy thinking—both on my own and together with my partner—we've reached the conclusion that bringing a child into these specific circumstances would be... well, quite frankly, suicidal.

A relative once looked at me with pure bewilderment because I didn't seem to "crave" a baby. 😁
So, I laid it out for her: yes, you want a baby, and it stays a baby forever. You'd have one instantly, regardless of all the chaos a newborn brings. But then comes the five-year-old, the ten-year-old, the teenager... 😲

People usually say, "I want a baby," because babies are cute and squishy. Sure, that's true, but you have to realize we aren't talking about a Barbie doll here; we're talking about a human being.

...because once the kids arrive, your entire life flips upside down. You spend your whole existence worrying, and you never truly find peace again...

Of course, she's absolutely right. When you're single, you only have to worry about yourself. Once there's a child involved, you're carrying the weight of two lives. And if there are more than one...
Peace is a luxury you no longer possess. Are they hungry? Are they tired? Is it time for the doctor? How are they doing in school? Who are they fighting with? Did they finish their homework? Do they need new Nikes (not to mention a laptop, a phone, and God knows what else)? Then there's the constant anxiety about them walking home from school—will they get mugged? Will they fall into drugs? Or worse, will they one day call me an old fool and tell me where to shove it just because I wouldn't hand over the car keys to a sixteen-year-old? 😲
😂

You could be the next Einstein for all I care, but once panic sets in, you’re going to react in a way that's anything but brilliant. Honestly, it borders on idiotic. That’s just how human nature works when the pressure hits a boiling point.

Beyond that, if you’ve got this deep-seated need to prove yourself—or worse, a paralyzing fear of failing—it all leads back to the same dead end. It completely shuts you down.

So, my advice? Just step out of that frantic "survival mode" loop. Tell yourself, "So what if I fail again? So what if people think I'm not the smartest person in the room? Who cares what they think?"

Just stay calm, take a breath, and everything will work itself out. 🙂

placidwolf27 said:I’m initiating this discussion within the realm of psychology—it feels like the most appropriate lens through which to analyze this specific pop-culture phenomenon and its various implications. While the answer might seem somewhat obvious to some, perhaps someone with more specialized expertise could uncover deeper layers or at least articulate the mechanics behind it in a more compelling fashion.

I'm curious if anyone else has picked up on that massive Mac that Thompson drives into the stage floor during the opening of his sets.
What exactly is the psychological function of such a prop?
Beyond the surface-level symbolism of power or, of course, peace...
Is it an attempt to establish a connection with the earth? An assertion of traditional authority?

Looking at it from a historical perspective, certain political movements have always been fond of phallic imagery—axes, clubs, eagles, and so on. It makes one wonder if there is a non-accidental link here.
But can we truly assume the similarity is intentional? Or is this something more profound—perhaps a subconscious manifestation of a specific state of consciousness?

You’re seeing patterns where none exist.

It’s just genre set dressing. When Thompson sings about war and "blood," it stands to reason he’s going to pick up a weapon. It’s not like he’s going to start tossing bunny balloons around, right?

The machete was chosen because it’s a classic, old-school tool, and people who aren't well-versed in history tend to project a sense of nobility onto ancient objects. A machete served the same purpose an AR-15 does today, but you don't use an AR-15 for this kind of thing; it’s too common, too overplayed.

As for why he’s driving it into the ground? It would be strange to stab the earth if you actually loved it, wouldn't it? If you love your country, you kiss it, symbolically speaking.

There is no hidden symbolism here. It’s quite simple: once you’ve swung a machete, what are you going to do with it to make a statement that grabs attention? What makes for a spectacle?
The only dramatic move left is to plunge it into the dirt. You aren't exactly going to stab it in the heart or hurl it into the crowd and hope nobody loses an eye. 🤷

We shouldn't feel the need to find phallic symbols or deep conspiracies in every little thing. Reality is often much more mundane than we like to imagine. 😢

electrictiger70 said:And you think there aren't consequences? 🤷

Quincy:

For those who didn't personally witness someone being killed, but lived within that atmosphere: out of an American population of 330 million, at least 250 million felt the impact. You should realize that PTSD doesn't just affect the veteran; his wife and his children experience it too. (Not every veteran suffers from PTSD, of course.) And you, living in a place like New York City or Chicago or Los Angeles, witnessed how it suddenly became normal to kill a person, to seize someone's home simply because they belonged to the "wrong" nation, or to fire them just because they turned 38 or had a certain last name... the aftermath of war isn't an excuse. If it were, then every single German after WWII would be considered a criminal, or every Russian, or every Ukrainian, or every Pole... (I am referring to nations that were absolutely devastated by World War II).

I am not making excuses. Rather, I am attempting to understand the mechanisms that can drive a person to such actions—both the individual psychological drivers and the environment they inhabit, which includes the broader social dimension. I haven't understood at all that this is about justification; it shouldn't be about that. It is about understanding the forces that lead to these outcomes.

Perhaps you misunderstood me; I am not saying that having served in a war is the decisive factor that causes a person to kill someone—God forbid! I am merely stating that it is a factor that places them in a demographic group that is documented to have a higher tendency toward certain types of psychological issues. And those types of psychological issues include the erosion of a value system and problems with aggression... which is certainly not an insignificant point.

Fair enough. 😁

They have a predisposition, sure, but there is no blueprint for how that actually plays out. It would be more than just unfair—it would be incredibly shortsighted—to view these people as nothing more than ticking time bombs.

The most sobering realization, unfortunately, is that there is no way to predict when or how someone might finally snap, whether they are a veteran or not.

electrictiger70 said:I am not entirely convinced that war alone isn't enough. I believe that being placed in a location and a time where all human dignity and moral rules cease to exist—where you witness horrors like mass killings for extended periods—fundamentally alters one's perception of life. It is something very few psychotherapies can actually resolve. This isn't just an individual question of a "mental disorder"; it’s about having been there and witnessing absolute chaos, seeing someone brutally tortured simply because of an ethnic label attached to their name. You were present when a person was massacred just to steal a gold bracelet.

And then, from that mental state, you are expected to reintegrate into the moral order of a peaceful society? Good luck with that.

In my view, certain consequences remain for life, whether one is formally diagnosed with PTSD or not.
It is entirely possible for one's entire value system to be completely dismantled. Your sense of identity might shatter, likely reaching a point where you can no longer distinguish yourself from your surroundings... add to that the poor social support for veterans here in the US, the lack of understanding from the general public, and the situation has the potential to end exactly how it ends every five days in our national news; yes, frustrated by long-term societal neglect, a man picks up a gun and delivers judgment upon himself and "his own."

Since we aren't talking about a domestic dispute here, and he killed children as well—I don't believe he did this out of pure malice, but rather out of a distorted sense of possessiveness. In a moment of ultimate fury toward the world, he probably can no longer distinguish his own existence from theirs; if he is leaving "this hellish world," then "his people won't stay either"—that is likely the logic at play. Beyond the fact that he is reacting impulsively in the moment, the moral categories that would normally signal that his planned actions are wrong were likely shattered during the war long ago; the question is whether he even possesses them in the way a "normal" person does.

What I fail to understand is why this country does nothing regarding this issue.
It is one thing when such a tragedy occurs once or twice—that is an individual problem. But when similar headlines appear every five days, it becomes a systemic social crisis. Why on earth don't they sit down and establish a social support system for these individuals, along with a social work framework designed to provide regular monitoring...

Everything you’re saying holds water—war leaves scars that never quite fade, and no amount of therapy or downtime can fully undo that damage. However, the war itself, along with its attendant traumas, isn't enough by itself to trigger this specific kind of breakdown.
It might be a complicating factor, certainly—the proverbial straw that breaks the camel's back—but it isn't the whole story.

Surely we wouldn't claim that everyone who served in combat ends up acting this way?
How else would you explain those who commit similar atrocities without ever having stepped foot on a battlefield?

Quincey:

Since this wasn't some domestic dispute over an affair, and he took his children with him, I don't buy that this was pure malice. It feels more like a manifestation of extreme possessiveness. In a moment of ultimate, blinding rage against the world, he likely lost the ability to distinguish himself from them; if he's exiting "this godforsaken world," then "his people aren't staying behind either." It's likely a warped logic akin to that.

It’s clear the man wasn't much of an individualist; as the article suggests, he came from a rigid, traditionalist background. As the head of the household, he made the executive decision that everyone should pass on together.
Now, what specifically pushed him over the edge or fueled that final decision? No one can say for certain, because we are all analyzing this through our own lenses rather than his.
To my mind, he was unwell, and this sickness didn't just materialize overnight; there may have been other underlying causes.

Financial ruin is always a possibility. Finding yourself buried under unpayable debts can dismantle a person's psyche in a heartbeat. Even the strongest will can buckle under that pressure. It isn't just about the looming poverty; it's about the total loss of dignity.

In France, a few years back, a couple decided to take their children with them because of debt. (If I recall correctly, they survived.)

In a moment like that, a person might decide it's better for everyone to go to "the other side" than to face a life spent scavenging through the wreckage. 😢

Jerry Martinez5 said:Only he knows the truth. Only he knew what kind of darkness was piling up inside him. I find it hard to buy the whole "hearing voices" thing—the idea that he was experiencing a severe psychotic break—because if that were actually the case, we probably would have seen signs much earlier. And I guess you can't just blame it on combat trauma either; plenty of veterans have been through hell without snapping like this.

If he were still alive, maybe experts could finally pin down a cause, though even then, I suspect they’d just end up arguing with different theories. As it stands, we’re all just left guessing.

I honestly can't wrap my head around what drives a person to take their own child's life. It's just incomprehensible. 😢

And how exactly would anyone have known earlier if he didn't tell a soul? Honestly, shame on you for assuming that.
🤷

If we rule out mental illness, then we’re left with the implication that his actions were a calculated, rational choice.
Do you truly believe it's possible for such an act to be the result of a perfectly sound decision?
Is that the kind of thing people with impaired judgment actually pull off? 😁

You have a point; war alone doesn't justify an action like this, especially during peacetime.

It would certainly be enlightening to get a look at his private journals or transcripts. 🤷

Either he was suffering from auditory hallucinations—perhaps due to severe illness, especially since he lived in an area where seeking mental health support is still viewed as a massive stigma—or he was drowning in crushing debt. I really don't think this was about some vendetta or trying to "settle the score" with his wife.

To me, the whole thing points more toward those "voices." It’s as if they were commanding him to act, telling him that for whatever "reason," he needed to urgently move himself and his family to the great beyond.

Alex Patel96 said:Do you ever feel like people just don't get you? For me, it’s a weird one: while everyone else seems to think I’m overachieving, the people who constantly underestimate me are actually my own parents. I guess it's not that uncommon, though. Even when there's plenty of objective proof that I've earned respect, they still manage to overlook it. Anyone else dealing with this kind of stuff?😠

Of course. 😁

It’s nearly impossible for parents to maintain any sense of objectivity when it comes to their kids—just as it is for children to view their parents through a neutral lens. There is always this tendency toward either overestimating or completely underestimating one another.

There is simply too much raw emotion involved, and it tends to cloud even the clearest judgment.

Nicole Davis7 said:Does anyone else here ever catch themselves spiraling because of some unfulfilled dream from way back? I’m talking about the stuff that haunts you—maybe it was a degree you never finished, a career path you walked away from, a relationship that just didn't work out, or just some random life plan that fell apart. It’s so strange because, honestly, my life right now isn't bad at all. There isn't even any guarantee that if those things had actually happened, my life would be better today. Do you ever feel like these lingering desires are just pure frustration? Like, part of you wishes you could just turn them off so you wouldn't feel like you're missing out on something you never even had? If you don't deal with this kind of mental loop, you are truly lucky. 😁.

No.
If I didn't have desire, I’d find myself missing something profoundly. It wouldn't just be a minor absence; it would be an ache. I’d feel hollow—like an empty cardboard box sitting on a porch in the middle of nowhere. 😁

To be honest, I find it nearly impossible to envision a life devoid of desire. It seems baked into the very architecture of the human psyche—as soon as one longing is satisfied, a new one inevitably takes its place. There doesn't seem to be anyone who exists entirely without want, someone who simply sits back and finds total contentment in whatever they currently possess, regardless of what that might be. Of course, there might be outliers. Perhaps those who have stared down death itself, or individuals who have clawed their way through truly harrowing ordeals, might find that kind of stillness. But for the rest of us? The hunger is constant.

I know people who go around claiming to be that way, but let’s be honest—that’s a different story entirely. If they actually embodied those traits, they wouldn't feel such a desperate need to constantly repeat themselves or try so hard to convince everyone around them that it's true. 😁

I tend to steer clear of those grand, megalomaniacal ambitions—the kind of lofty, unreachable goals that do nothing but breed frustration. It feels much more rewarding to aim for something modest, something actually within my grasp. I’d much rather chase small wins that I can actually secure; it means I get to enjoy those little bursts of genuine happiness a lot more often. 😁

Whenever a new desire takes hold of me, I find myself sitting down to dissect it. I go through the motions of interrogation: Why do I actually want this? What would the fallout be? How would it shift my reality? Usually, the whole thing just fizzles out under the weight of my own scrutiny. I often come to this realization: if I actually managed to pull it off, I’d be incredibly happy for exactly one day. By the next morning, that feeling would already be starting to ebb away. And then, predictably, a different craving would take its place. Or worse—that hollow, stagnant void sets in. That state where you have no desires left because everything you ever wanted has been checked off the list. It leads to this strange, unsettling loop where you might actually find yourself regretting having fulfilled a wish in the first place, simply because the satisfaction vanished so quickly.

Every wish we actually get granted turns out to be just a smaller version of the original illusion—a diminished hope, a faded dream. It’s like the light starts to dim the moment you reach for it. As Camus once put it, "in a world without illusions, man is a stranger," which is really just a poetic way of saying he's miserable.

There is a certain beauty in unfulfilled desires. In fact, they might be at their most potent when they remain out of reach—that's when they possess the capacity to become a true sense of purpose. 😍

Sandra Parker3 said:So maybe they're just banking on you being predictable.
You know, once they see you're happy regardless of what you're wearing, their whole little strategy falls apart.
get my point?

No wonder, since slypuma17 had the exact same "issue"😁 which she's moved past now, right, sly...

You’re Precipice-ing them; they don't have that kind of depth when it comes to reading the room. They couldn't care less about who's actually happy and who isn't—they just see "pretty and new" versus "old and worn," and that's where their thinking ends.

get the point?

Not really. If I'm happy regardless of my clothes, then after a brutal wave of judgment, I certainly won't be feeling quite so happy anymore. 😠

nothing surprising there, even slypuma17 dealt with that same "issue" 😁 which she's moved past now, right, sly...

No. ☕

Sandra Parker3 said:Look, you and I clearly aren't on the same wavelength, so let me try to clarify things—maybe we aren't actually total opposites after all...

Look at the bolded part and answer me directly: can you honestly feel lucky when a bird poops on your shoulder?

Do you get the question now? I'm not messing with you. 🙂

It depends... mostly on what I happen to be wearing. If it happens on some old, beat-up T-shirt that was headed for the rag bin anyway, then sure, I might even find it a little charming. But that doesn't happen often; they seem to know better.

However, if they decide to take aim at a brand-new, expensive jacket I've just pulled out of the closet for the first time, we aren't talking about happiness anymore. It isn't just uncomfortable; it's predictable. (I mean, those little pests certainly have their timing down perfectly when it comes to aiming. 😁)

Sandra Parker3 said:Yeah, but can you actually feel happy in that moment of predictability?

I think that's what really matters, but what do you think?

😛

Not me. Predictability and happiness just don't sit at the same table. They aren't even in the same zip code. 🤷
The kind of luck or joy we can map out in advance, anticipate, or try to engineer—it feels somewhat... hollow. It lacks that essential element of surprise that is vital to the experience of being truly happy.

Everything mentioned above might bring peace, tranquility, or a sense of security, but that is miles away from what we actually mean when we talk about happiness.

Happiness, in my view, is something that transcends us. It catches us off guard, blindsides us while we're unprepared, and leaves us in a state of pure euphoria. It lingers in the memory long after the moment passes. You can't negotiate with it, and you certainly can't strike a deal with it; it arrives whenever it pleases and departs just as abruptly.
That is true happiness. You can't bribe it, you can't buy it, and if you try to schedule a rendezvous with it, it will show up if it feels like it—or it won't, and it won't give you any heads-up.

There are no instruction manuals, no tactical maneuvers, and no drills to master it, despite how much some people delude themselves. People claim you should train mentally, physically, or spiritually just to be happy. Please. Give me a break. 🙄
If you want a life with fewer unnecessary headaches, there are plenty of recipes for that—that's just living rationally. But a comfortable life and financial security, no matter how unattainable it seems to some, still isn't happiness.
Happiness is something "above" us and beyond the reach of logic. We call it "irrational" because it serves no specific purpose and isn't triggered by our own actions. That’s where its beauty lies: in its unpredictability, its fleeting nature, and the simple fact that you cannot force it to happen, regardless of what you do.

Because if it weren't like that, it would all be far too easy. "Do this, then that, and you'll be happy." A vast number of people, much to their own misfortune, fall for those exact promises. You know the drill: "You'll be happy one day when... you graduate, land that job, get married, have kids..." all while practicing daily exercises to clear your head of "unnecessary" thoughts.

Maybe. Or maybe not. 😁

Sandra Parker3 said:sorry, you know how I am, birds can be pretty predictable and... 😁

Predictable? I suppose. We all know they have a soft spot for anything stylish and brand new. 😁

Sandra Parker3 said:Ha, this reminds me of "Lambs."
I get what you mean, but why does everyone insist they have the answers and swear that a traumatic childhood is always the key?🤷

Yeah, if only you and I could actually agree on something for once.😁
We really need to study the specific mechanisms that lead to those kinds of malfunctions.

It’s because people have a desperate craving to "know." And when they don't, they cling to these theories because actually digging for explanations—truly doing the heavy lifting of discovery—is an exhausting process. It might even be a futile one.

Quentin Tarantino:

Yeah, if you and I could manage to agree on just one thing for once.😁

Just as it's impossible to find total consensus with someone on absolutely everything, it's equally impossible to disagree on every single point. 😁

Quentin Tarantino:

One ought to examine the underlying mechanisms that trigger these specific patterns of dysfunction.

In theory, yes, we should. Especially his wife should. But... think about the logistics. What kind of profession would that even fall under? Who is going to foot the bill for that level of scrutiny? Beyond that, there's zero immediate ROI. No short-term profit to be found there, so... nothing comes of it.

Jesse Sullivan2 said:So, I was just standing there this morning, lathering up with some shaving cream, when out of nowhere, I just felt... happy. Like, genuinely content. No reason, just a random wave of good vibes hitting me mid-shave.
I’m curious, though—have any of you guys ever had one of those days? Just woke up feeling totally carefree, happy, and like everything in the world is actually going to be okay?

That’s what true luck feels like. It’s fleeting, unpredictable, and carries no logic... much like a bird unexpectedly landing on your shoulder. 😍

Sandra Parker3 said:I don't think so—it has to be something deeper than that, though I'm not buying into some collective unconsciousness of evil in a case like this.
You're really latching onto one single word, call it whatever you want,
but if you truly want my take, a "monster" in this context is someone whose actions deserve nothing less than a bullet to the head and that's that.

And let's not forget, one bullet for everyone else who had the chance to stop them but didn't.
And why do you think the trial was handled so fast and efficiently, huh?

I have no idea what goes on in his head, and like I said before, I'm more interested in the lawyer's mind and the brains of everyone else involved who walked away without being tried.
God forbid we even dig into that (though I don't know all the details since I haven't followed it closely—just hearing about that Christmas tree thing made me sick).

Who's saying he's normal? I said he's intellectually capable, but that's hardly a guarantee that someone won't commit atrocities, right?

And I wasn't talking about "abnormality" in terms of intellectual disabilities.
Honestly, I wouldn't bet on anyone's "normality" either way.

Who exactly are you talking about?
Where do you even draw the line on being conscious of your own actions?
Even psychiatrists can't give you a straight answer on that.

Come on, name them... how many people in this whole mess were actually "unaware"?

Not at all—forget the bullet. Fritzl should be tucked away in a comfortable facility, complete with perks. Every few days, a specialist should sit down with him for casual, friendly chats. Somewhere he can unwind, light up a cigar, and just talk about... anything. The weather, his favorite colors, what he likes to eat, his first experience with intimacy, things like that.
The idea is to actually learn something, if such a thing is even possible—to pinpoint exactly where and how that fatal "glitch" formed in his brain. 🤷

The real nightmare would be if he becomes a "celebrity," if you catch my drift.

and of course, I shouldn't forget: one bullet for every person who had the chance to stop this and didn't.

Now those people? They’re fascinating. Perhaps even more so than Fritzl himself.

crimsonheron80 said:And what exactly should they be learning?🤷 😂

I don't know. It's just funny to me.🤷😂

Well, that’s it then. It’s just the usual: "Fritzl is the only monster here, we’re all perfectly saintly, and the world we live in is just sunshine and rainbows." 🙄

I don't know... I just find the whole thing kind of hilarious.🤷😂

I honestly envy you. If I had my way, I’d be standing exactly where you are right now. 🤷