Sense of self Quote by Shelley Jackson
““There is nothing so bracing as planning a murder. I recommend it to the weak-willed and those with a leaky sense of self. It is fortifying as a drop of coagulant in a solution. I had planned (The word is too strong. Imagined. Anticipated?) this particular murder for so many years that it had taken on an air of performance and respectability. To understand how a murder can be domesticated and even humdrum may be hard for fans of the pounce of the soundtrack, the streak of scarlet, the gunky skeleton jiggling in the flashlight beam. But I am convinced that if murder is horrible, its for the overflow into the ordinary: severed heads in Ziploc bags, the dead baby in the dumpster behind Chubby’s. Anyone who has eaten a pork chop has all the information she needs for murder…It takes a special kind of person, a criminal, to commit a crime? You know better; in your dreams you’ve already tried it…””
About This Quote
Source Short story: “The Murderer’s Muse” (fiction), 1997
Murder can become a routine, almost artistic practice for some, reflecting a disturbing blend of imagination and desensitization.
In simple terms: Murder is portrayed as a mundane, rehearsed act.
Key Takeaway
Beware of normalizing violence in imagination.
Themes
psychology
violence
artistic obsession
Mood
cautionary
provocative
Type
ethical
reflective
When to use this quote
- writing workshops
- psychology studies
- ethical debates on media
Key Concepts
desensitization
fantasy vs reality
morality
Questions to Reflect On
- What drives the fascination with violent fantasy?
- How does media shape our perception of murder?
A Different Perspective
Romanticizing crime can inspire harmful behavior.
