Elliot Rodger killed six innocent people in California blaming his rage on a non-existent sex life and not having a girlfriend in videos he posted on YouTube before the murders. But if Rodger did have relationships and sex with women, some psychologists suggest that he still would have gone on his rampage because his problems run deeper than just claiming to be a virgin.
“If Rodger had the capacity to be in a real, loving relationship I would imagine that he would have been much less capable of such callous behavior towards others,” clinical social worker and psychotherapist Laura Miller told CBS Hartford. “His disconnect from the humanity of others and their inherent worth would likely preclude any such relationship from occurring, however. So I don’t think having a girlfriend or sex is the issue here, but rather a direct result of his lack of self-awareness and lack of empathy towards those around him.”
Miller said that Rodger is “projecting and externalizing his issues constantly” throughout his manifesto and the same behavior can be seen in some of the YouTube videos he posted online.
“In his manifesto, he is projecting and externalizing his issues constantly, not taking responsibility for any role he might have in his lack of meaningful connections,” Miller stated. “He does not even seem to view relationships with women as about connection, but rather about pride, power and domination.”
Dr. Krystine Batcho, a licensed psychologist and professor at Le Moyne College, added that one particular theme is found over and over again within Rodger’s manifesto.
“I do think when you read the manifesto the jealousy theme is extremely powerful and can be found within the manifesto over and over again,” Batcho told CBS Hartford. “A lot of it might have been based on his own distorted perception on things.”
Batcho noted that there are several other recurring themes featured in Rodger’s manifesto in addition to jealousy.
“There are several recurring themes in the manifesto and I would say that one of the most predominant features of it is narcissism,” she said. “Much of his arguments and perceptions are based on being narcissist. He didn’t appear to have a way of viewing reality from other peoples’ points of view. The entire document seemed to show that he only viewed it from his own perspective. He would attribute motives to other people or blame to the popular people when in reality, he had the major role in it.”
Miller added that pain is another factor that contributed to Rodger’s feelings of hatred.
“All that said, it does seem that this young man was in a lot of pain, the origin of which I am sure goes beyond rejection by women that became channeled into rage and hatred, rather than real sadness and loneliness,” Miller explained.
Source: CBS Connecticut
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