The media in Boston are buzzing about the apparent jail-cell suicide of a suspected psychopath who robbed and murdered a prostitute. This reveals the class prejudice of the media. It also reveals the public obsession with the dysfunctional and destructive elements in society.
The Craig's List Killer, a middle class young man, horrifies and fascinates because our society cannot accept its own class prejudice and discrimination. To accept this would necessitate doing something about it in a true democracy. How could this young, white man, who did everything to follow the conservative path to wealth and success be a monster? The fact is that the current financial crisis was caused by similar conservative, white men who have done everything to achieve wealth and success. They too, in my opinion, are monsters.
The moral provenance of social-economic class is a myth fostered by the minority who rule and pillage society at the expense of the vast majority of people in it. The Craig's List Killer horrifies the privileged because his crime exposes them to the light of critical scrutiny by the masses. Yes, they are just like everyone else. They are not superior beings. They too can produce a sadistic murderer.
Despite this, the wealthy still demand special treatment, even in shameful death. How many deaths in state prisons get the attention of this suicide? The media revels in this fascination with class and dysfunction, but sheds no light on the underlying prejudices and inequalities.
The human condition will not improve until human rights and justice are afforded to all people on a very basic level in society. The provenance of social class, based in material wealth, stands in the way of universal rights and justice. America cannot address this impediment to universal justice as long as it denies its own shallow materialism and class prejudice.
