Would You Wear A Serial Killer's Sweater?

Would You Wear A Serial Killer's Sweater?

So, would you wear a serial killer's sweater? No blood spatters or anything. Heck, let's even say it has been dry cleaned.

Psychologist and cognitive neuroscientist Bruce Hood has been known to brandish a cardigan belonging to the serial killer Fred West in the lecture hall. West tortured, raped, and murdered at least 12 women. Of course, a moment's reflection will reveal that his sartorial choices probably had nothing to do with his grisly hobby. And there's no possibility of catching serial killer disease from his sweater, right? Nonetheless, most people will refuse to wear the sweater once they know its provenance (false provenance, actually, the sweater Hood uses is not really West's). Odder still, in large lecture halls, members of the audience will physically recoil from the few people who say they are willing to wear the sweater. The crowds, which often consist of highly-educated, secular people, laugh nervously as this little drama is played out, says Hood, because they realize that there is something odd and illogical about their reaction.

Hood has made a study of these intuitive ways of seeing the world. In his new book Supersense: Why We Believe in the Unbelievable (HarperOne), he looks at the moments where our intuitions come into conflict with our rational faculty. We're born with a proclivity to see patterns that aren't there, to sense agency where there is only randomness, and to tell stories about cause and effect that may or may not be true. Hood examines religion through this lens, but most of the book focuses on the ways that even people who don't consider themselves religious—or even superstitious—are governed by intuition.

Associate Editor Katherine Mangu-Ward spoke with Hood earlier this week, via Skype. The interview is in the link.

Interesting interview. I like how nominally secular and rational people still get caught out by superstitions. I think the way that less-rational intuitive thinking is just quicker than rational thinking explains a lot.

But I don't like where Hood takes this into justification for making noble lies to 'protect' the public from making snap intuitions. The cure for ignorance is not more ingnorance.

[edit on 22-5-2010 by BlankSlate]

No i would not.

They should burn things like that.

Originally posted by andy1033
No i would not.

They should burn things like that.

This reminds me of a similar response on what to do with a serial killers voodoo dolls.

Now I don't know much about voodoo, but...

I know the sweater would just basically be a generic piece of clothing, but the idea of wearing it does kind of give me a creeped out feeling. I know it's not very reasonable, but I still probably wouldn't wear it.

Yes, I would wear it. It's not like he put a curse on it or the sweater caused him to kill, I don't see why we should hold anything against the sweater.....

Would you raise a serial killers son? Would you date a woman who was an ex of a serial killer? I just think this is kinda ridiculous

reply to post by Artanis667


You sound like the typical zombie.

If you do not understand the op and what they are saying, lol.

reply to post by traditionaldrummer


I don't think I would be bothered wearing or even touching the sweater.

You see, I love old things, books, furniture, clothing....

Mostly everything I own, I buy used. I often ponder upon the people who owned items I have, if they are still alive, and what their lives were like. If they were a nice person, mean person, etc...Sometimes I buy old things not because I particularly like them, but because of the vibe these things seem to have.

I might be more like Dr. Hood, if I knew the history of an old item, and let people know about it, just to see their reaction.

If it was a combination of cashmere and alpaca, a large, and a nice fall color I would have to pause.

Originally posted by Chamberf=6
I know the sweater would just basically be a generic piece of clothing, but the idea of wearing it does kind of give me a creeped out feeling. I know it's not very reasonable, but I still probably wouldn't wear it.

I have the same feeling and I think the psychologist points to something interesting about our intuition. I'd wear it but somehow feel "icky" for some reason.

[edit on 22-5-2010 by traditionaldrummer]

Originally posted by AProphet1233
If it was a combination of cashmere and alpaca, a large, and a nice fall color I would have to pause.

And if I had a nice pair of shoes to wear with it. But that just makes sense.

reply to post by traditionaldrummer


This reminds me of that silly law that most states have requiring real estate agents to disclose the fact that someone was murdered, or committed suicide, in a property for sale. Come on, people, nobody has ever been killed by a ghost- ever. Nobody's death certificate reads "death by ectoplasm." You know?

I view property with superstition around it as a money-saving opportunity. I hope that when I go to buy a house, I'm lucky enough to find one that other buys are scared of because of their supernaturalist delusions- it will save me money.

No i would not, IMHO I don't think its a matter of superstition or ones supernatural beliefs, i think its a matter of not wanting to "sport" or "Rep" (wear) a sweater then a killer once wore. Its simple as that. Its would almost seem as if you are condoning what he did just by wearing what he once owned. Its kind of like not wanting to wear a sweater that a bum once wore, sorry for my crudeness but its the simple fact of the matter. On hindsight tho it is quite interesting to read how secular and rational people get caught out by superstitions when based on learning where the sweater came from, and for them, not knowing that that's not the case at all, rather complete opposite. I begin to wonder if there is a flight fight response that the brain turns on in a situation like this which makes people think superstitiously, thus giving them a fear of some sort of supernatural event occurring to oneself if the sweater is worn. I guess it comes down to 2 groups, the non rational and rational thinker and how they perceive the world with there thinking and beliefs.

[edit on 23-5-2010 by james2009]

Originally posted by andy1033
No i would not.

They should burn things like that.

For some reason this reply reminds me a little of people that will put their faith in medical healing/help in those Homoeopathic medicines - you know the ones that did see an active ingredient once... But the process of 'refinement' far and away removes any trace of that ingredient and instead leaves an imprint, or some sort of memory on the water?

Do you believe that a bunch of material formed into a sweated can retain something of a previous owner?

Because if any part of that sweater is wool... baaaa!

No way would I wear a sweater that a serial killer wore. I believe people like to have clothes and other items around that reflect their personality or their psychiological profile - this would just remind me of what this jerk did every time I saw it, thus creating negativity and anger.

Originally posted by james2009
No i would not, IMHO I don't think its a matter of superstition or ones supernatural beliefs, i think its a matter of not wanting to "sport" or "Rep" (wear) a sweater then a killer once wore. Its simple as that.

That makes sense. There are also plenty of people who wanted to buy John Wayne Gacy's crappy paintings or have some memento belonging to a notorious criminal. I find such behavior a bit disturbing.

reply to post by Now_Then


I am not answering that, as its personal.

Some people have things to them that others do not have. Like the saying if you do not know, do not ask.

reply to post by traditionaldrummer

Would You Wear A Serial Killer's Sweater?

A bit of a morbid thought, but ...

Depends upon the circumstances for me, i guess.

If it is 104 degrees outside, no thanks to the sweater.

If it's 15 degrees outside, thanks for the sweater, how much do i owe you?

If it's 72 degrees outside, then i'll buy the sweater only if all proceeds are going towards a real good charity.

I would, but only if all of my other sweaters are in the wash.

Does anyone buy from charity shops? - Cos I do sometimes, like when I needed a white shirt for serving behind a bar when the agency's called me up I'd usually go see if I could get a clean one from one of the charity shops, £3ish and it's ready to go no bother... Also for site work a couple of T shirts and a sweater, £10er nice and easy...

How do I know those clothes were not previously owned by a wife beater, someone who put cigarette's out on his dog? - a child molester or even a serial killer?

I had no idea - never bothered me, it was disposable clothing.

How do I know what sort of anguish the people who make the clothes I wear have in their lives?

I might not go out of my way to get a particular item of clothing owned by a serial killer, I'm not interested in sick memorabilia - would it bother me to wear it or be in the same room? - Not really... I like my cat and I have seen with my own eyes that she is a cruel little murderer.