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Specialization is for Insects.
Posted on Aug 23, 2007 - 2:02am by John P. in Philosophy, Videos
In the 1950’s and 1960’s Charles Manson and his gang of drugged out hippies preyed on society as few criminals ever have. After eventually being sentenced to death, then having that sentence commuted to life in prison (California repealed the death penalty) the Manson “family’s” reign of terror came to an end.
The name Charles Manson now strikes fear in people, but most of us don’t really know much about the man behind the myth. For example, the fact that he was 5′ 2″ tall and under 140 pounds lets you know right off the bat that he was not a physically intimidating human.
He is also not known to have actually committed murders. Instead, he used his charisma to control a bunch of drugged out people who were desperately seeking someone to follow.
In 1981 Tom Snyder interviewed Charles Manson. This interview provides a rare look into the mind of a crazy person who simply has no remorse or comprehension of morality.
Tom Snyder’s interview occurred at the California Medical Facility at Vacaville in 1981. The reason given for airing the interview was:
To not run the Charles Manson interview now would be to ignore his perversity and that of others which now and again disrupts our lives. To ignore it, to pass the interview by would mean accepting wickedness and insanity in place of dealing with it’s problems.
In this next session watch how long Tom Snyder takes trying to get Manson to answer a very simple question. Snyder keeps pressing Manson as if he understands the question but is dodging it. I don’t think that’s the problem. I think Manson’s drug damaged brain can’t remember, can’t concentrate, and genuinely doesn’t know the answer.
In the next segment Snyder asks, “Were you a heavy user of dope?” Manson’s reply:
I’ve smoked a little grass, I’ve taken some acid, mescaline, suicidin (?), peyote, mushroom… but actually take dope, no. I wouldn’t take anything that I feel would hurt me.
Nuel Emmons shared a cell with Manson and possibly knows him better than anyone. He is the author of Manson’s biography, Manson in his Own Words, and discusses whether or not Manson was acting or lying for the camera.
I’ve been an outlaw ever since I was born. I went to reform school when I was 10 and I learned to box and cry and all the other things you learn in reform school… I escaped there a bunch of times andI went to prison… and I learned everything that you do in prison
In 1987 Geraldo Rivera also did a one hour interview with Manson, but it’s quite a bit different. Geraldo’s macho interview style gets Manson much more animated, and interestingly he seems much more incoherent when he’s animated. You can find the series of 7 short clips here on YouTube.
Manson’s life, in my opinion, is a complete waste. I believe that he should have been forcibly removed from the face of the planet long ago. However, if there is anything to be learned from his example, here are two key takeaways:
I have a close friend whose husband got addicted to Methamphetamine. The guy now acts just like Manson. If you try to talk to him he can’t hold a conversation because his brain lacks the ability to focus. He is prone to mood swings, paranoia, and stupid rambling tirades during which he is completely convinced that what he is saying makes sense.
Attempting to reason with or even hold a cogent conversation with a whacked out druggie is like trying to communicate with a proto-human such as Cro-Magnon man. You just can’t do it.
Hmmm. Interesting – no comments?
You know, for some time now every article I post gets comments, usually at least one or two, fairly quickly. But everyone is silent on this one so far. I wonder if that is because it takes a long time to watch, or if the Manson effect is somehow keeping people silent?
I’m wondering if this scares people, creeps them out, or has some other effect? I’m pretty sure that most of the regulars were surprised by this post today because it’s unlike anything I’ve ever posted, but it is in keeping with the mission of this blog (the educate part).
John P.
I recently watched a one hour show on the History Channel about Manson and his clan. It was strange but you got the impression he had some intellect plus a lot of evil. Watching him in the interview the intellect is not there. He seems like people I’ve run into into in the streets or in the welfare class. Not much of mind was left by the time of the interviews. Watching the interviews are worth the time.
It does take a while to watch all the clips. I jumped around but had seen some of them before.
I remember reading about manson when all that first happen.
The reason i didnt comment was cause i didnt have much time to watch the videos(im trying to make some time to watch the wordpress videos :) ), i watched a bit from the first video and he seemed like a wise guy, but not sure what happens afterwards!
I think that this biased view of Manson is terrible. Conserve, conserve, conserve America, let’s all just stay in our little boxed out views of the world.
Pathetic.
Perhaps his intellect is missing because he’s tired of pompous freaks coming to pester him with questions every year or so.
James,
I’m going to give you the benefit of the doubt that the reason you don’t know what you’re talking about is that the videos on this page were all broken. I’ve found them and embedded new versions, so this time you can actually watch this complete psycho attempt to hold a one hour interview.
I don’t think that we need to have people interview him continuously, but frankly he probably enjoys the attention. Besides, the guy is so completely whacked out that it’s not going to matter to him if he’s talking to a reporter, or someone else in prison, or some imaginary person in his mind.
This interview is a rare example that demonstrates what drugs combined with a reckless disregard for humanity can do. There is no bias to it, even if Snyder acts like an ass. It’s obvious that he’s trying to get a rise out of Manson to get him to display his true nature.
John
I caught the tail end of a documentary on the Manson Family just recently and I really wanted to get some more information on Manson and was really excited to find these videos. I started to watch and quickly got irritated with Mr. Snyder. It was frustrating to me that he was conducting an interview as if he was speaking to a SANE person. Snyder kept telling Manson to “stop the hogwash” or “get off the spaceship.” The guy is on a spaceship and full of hogwash, what other way could he answer the questions. I would have liked for him to let Manson speak, let him talk himself in circles, eventually he’d come back, I think anyway. I think there’s a lot to learn from people like this, and thankfully people this insane are hard to come by.
I would like to respectfully disagree with you on one thing, John. Although, it is obvious that drugs have had a very adverse affect on this person, I don’t believe he is totally out of it. I believe that he is brighter than anyone gives him credit for, especially Mr Snyder. Did you notice that Manson got him to admit that he (Snyder) is not innocent? That’s where manipulation starts. Fascinating really. I wish I could interview him myself….. that’s probably why so many “freaks” as James calls them DO interview him….. he’s absolutely fascinating in a scary kind of way.
Great post, John.
Diana
And Tookie, that black guy who killed those cops and in oakland they had a rally celebrating him, black panthers, and black gang bangers all over in every major city in the U.S. are not completly whacked out right? They just grew up badly and it is society’s fault theya re so violent and almost all of them end up in prison in their adult or youth lives right? I bet you’re one of those political correct types and smarta@@ types. Bush killed more people than Manson ever could.
The part that really struck me was when Snyder asked Manson during the 7th part of this interview “Are you scared to die?” and Charlie simply stated that he was scared to live.
I think out of everything he’s said during his many interviews, I believe he was telling the truth. I think he is afraid to live.