College is the site of many fateful romances and budding relationships, where couples meet in class and go on to live happily ever after.But now there’s a bevy of people engaged in the wacky love lives of psychopaths, as portrayed in various TV series.
Over the past few years, there has been an uptake in psychopathic romances in pop culture. Most recently, “You,” a popular Netflix series, depicts the lengths a psychopath will go to woo the apple of his eye. For Joe Goldberg, the main character, murder is a viable option to remove any barriers standing in the way of his romance.
This series has garnered great attention from the younger viewing audience. Scenes and pictures from the show are used for Twitter memes and satire. This is all fun and games, but this series hasn’t contributed to a serious conversation about toxic relationships or dealing with psychopathic tendencies.
There is nothing healthy or attractive about a person who is literally crazy about their partner. There is a common notion that the more someone is willing to do for you, the more they love you. If murdering your friends and family qualifies, perhaps you should consider the mental health of your partner.
Popular series like “You” depict romantic relationships that are toxic. In one sense, these shows are portraying the unadulterated reality of many relationships, but writers must remain cognizant of their influence. Many young people watch these shows and begin to resonate with the questionable behavior rather than question the conventions of toxic relationships.
This fascination with psychopathic tendencies in relationships isn’t limited to television;.It has crossed into the domain of documentaries. There are many documentaries about serial killers in which their motives and actions are analyzed. Recently, Ted Bundy has become known for his looks more than his murderous deeds.
Seduction is a common technique for many serial killers. Bundy’s charm was a part of his act, but it should be delivered as a fact rather than a catalyst to begin debating his attractiveness.
There are hundreds of women in online forums chatting about how attractive Ted Bundy is. Richard Ramirez, a serial killer who terrorized Los Angeles and San Francisco in the mid-80’s, is also complimented for his looks. A good-looking man is a good-looking man, but a murderous past should be a turn off.
Serial killers are an extreme example, but there are multiple examples of beloved toxic relationships in pop culture. Ross and Rachel from “Friends” is the best-known example of this. Kelly and Ryan from “The Office’ also exhibited unhealthy practices such as infidelity and excessive clinginess.
Carrie Bradshaw from “Sex & the City” ended up in a rocky relationship, as did Betty and Don Draper from “Mad Men.” These shows are enjoyed by many for their interesting story lines, but the drama brought on by the relationships played large roles in the audience’s interest.
Notions about these relationships must be reframed. Instead of becoming engrossed in the “undying love” of psychopaths like Joe Goldberg, we should use shows like this to challenge negative social norms we have about relationships.
As a society, we should question the ideas that this type of media tries to instill in us. Toxic relationships portraying people who are madly in love despite all this damage should not be the love we look up to.
Writers should create content that features healthy relationships. No relationship is without faults, but in a world of constant uncertainty and disappointment, we should strive for solid relationships with non-psychopaths.
Erin Stephens is a 19-year-old journalism sophomore from Brusly, Louisiana.