Charles Manson Family Murders Research Paper

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The Social and Psychological Impact of Ritual Murder
As demonstrated by the 1969 Manson Family Murders In August of 1969, one of the most infamous crimes in American history occurred, altering the face of ‘cult’ activities forever. Charles Manson and his “family” of followers changed the idea of impressionable, young, pot-smoking cult members that everyone knew, to groups of demented murderers. What would motivate a collection of people to do this? What psychological and external factors contribute to the actions of a murderer? And finally, what effect do events like this have on the general public? Through my research, I have found many common characteristics that are shared between serial killers and between cult followers and what ties …show more content…
A cult leader is someone who proposes a philosophy, a way of living, or even an answer to life’s big questions to any “followers” they can accrue. Most all cult leaders tend to share a certain set of traits that motivate their actions. Cult leaders are pathological narcissists, they value themselves over all else. They feel an extreme need to be in the spotlight (very often brought on by a dysfunctional early life). These leaders gain control over others by demanding obedience and order. They devalue everyone else in order to make themselves feel stronger. Above all else, most cult leaders are exceedingly charming. They conceal every single negative characteristic they have with a single smile. This makes them extremely alluring and explains the “God-like” presence that many leaders, including Manson, have been described to have. The toxic relationship between the weakened, impressionable followers and the narcissistic leaders make for a deadly …show more content…
Most of them young, curious young women, growing up in the age of rebellion. Many of these girls strongly believed that Charles (“Charlie”) was God, which motivated many of their actions. Using his charm and the allure of an easy-going, free-living lifestyle, Manson successfully lured an enormously loyal following. These temptations, coupled with the young age of the girls and the psychological factors previously mentioned, would be infinitely hard to resist. Although no one would agree that the things these girls have done are acceptable, one must know that the human psyche is a powerful thing, sometimes too powerful to
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