The fascination with serial killers has been around for centuries, but it seems to have reached new heights in recent years. From podcasts to documentaries to true crime books, the public’s appetite for all things macabre and sinister seems insatiable. One of the most shocking and disturbing phrases to come out of this cultural phenomenon is “choke me like Bundy eat me like Dahmer.” This phrase is a reference to two of the most notorious serial killers in American history: Ted Bundy and Jeffrey Dahmer.
The Infamous Ted Bundy
Ted Bundy was a handsome and charismatic man who used his charm to lure unsuspecting women to their deaths. He confessed to killing at least 30 women across seven states in the 1970s, although the true number may be much higher. Bundy’s MO was to approach his victims in public places, often pretending to be injured or disabled in some way. Once he had gained their trust, he would overpower them and take them to a secluded location where he would rape and murder them.
Bundy’s crimes were especially shocking because he defied the stereotype of the serial killer as a socially awkward loner. He was intelligent, charming, and successful – he even worked for a time as a crisis hotline operator. His trial and execution were highly publicized, and Bundy remains a symbol of evil to this day.
The Gruesome Legacy of Jeffrey Dahmer
Jeffrey Dahmer was a Milwaukee man who killed 17 men and boys between 1978 and 1991. Unlike Bundy, Dahmer did not fit the stereotype of the charming serial killer. He was quiet and introverted, and his crimes were characterized by extreme violence and depravity. Dahmer often kept the body parts of his victims as trophies, and he was known to engage in necrophilia and cannibalism.
Dahmer’s trial and eventual murder in prison were highly publicized, and he remains one of the most reviled figures in American criminal history. Despite the gruesome nature of his crimes, however, Dahmer has become something of a cult figure in certain circles. His name has been invoked in everything from punk rock songs to memes on social media, and his infamous phrase “I ate his liver with some fava beans and a nice Chianti” has become part of the lexicon of pop culture.
The Dangerous Allure of Serial Killers
So why do we find serial killers so fascinating? Part of the appeal may lie in the fact that they represent a kind of ultimate taboo. Our society places a high value on human life, and the idea that someone could deliberately and methodically take that life is almost unfathomable. Serial killers also challenge our assumptions about social norms and morality. They often appear to be “normal” on the surface, but underneath they are harboring dark impulses that most of us cannot even imagine.
Another factor that may contribute to the fascination with serial killers is the sense of danger and excitement that surrounds their crimes. As much as we may be appalled by their actions, we are also drawn to the thrill of the chase, the cat-and-mouse game between killer and investigator. We want to know how they got away with it for so long, how they were finally caught, and what their motives and psychology might have been.
The Dark Side of Pop Culture
However, there is a danger to the way that our culture glorifies and sensationalizes serial killers. By turning them into larger-than-life figures, we risk normalizing their actions and desensitizing ourselves to the horrors that they inflict. We also risk overlooking the real victims of these crimes, reducing them to mere plot points in a macabre narrative. It is important to remember that behind every serial killer is a trail of shattered lives and broken families.
The Bottom Line
The phrase “choke me like Bundy eat me like Dahmer” may seem like a harmless bit of shock value, but it is indicative of a larger cultural trend. We need to be aware of the ways in which our fascination with serial killers can warp our perceptions of reality and trivialize the suffering of their victims. While there is certainly value in exploring the psychology and motivations of these individuals, we must do so with caution and sensitivity. Otherwise, we risk becoming complicit in the very evil that we claim to be condemning.