MovieChat Forums > I Am Not a Serial Killer (2016) Discussion > Did he really feel nothing?

Did he really feel nothing?

posted 8 years ago by Dejay
10 replies | jump to latest

Because he obviously loved his mother and got angry at times and also seemed to get scared. Pissing his pants could just be concentration (I heard it's normal in fire fights when you use all your concentration to stay alive) but when Crowley confronted him on the bench at the end he definitely looked scared.

My take from this is that it's a kind of uplifting message. He's young and doesn't know everything about himself yet, he's not a total sociopath and there is hope he will find love and a happy life as well.

Also curious why "socially acceptable psychopaths" are so interesting (like Dexter and John in this movie)

[–] ralcheto 8 years ago

Clinically diagonised psychopaths/sociopaths do not feel empathy. Their brains are different from ours and no matter the circumstances they cannot just "become normal", because it's just the way their brain functions.
They can feel fear, just as he felt from Crowley.
They cannot feel love, but are very good at imitating emotions.
You could say he feared of losing his mother because it isn't to his advantage. (He is in high school and his dad wouldn't take care of him)
Also, the fascination with "socially acceptable psychopaths" comes from the curiosity of what's going on inside the head of someone completely different from us. If anything, they're the real aliens. Ever since they are kids they mimic every emotion they see so that they can fit in, they try to suppress their instinct and desire to kill only because they don't want to be stripped out of their freedom.

[–] Pantstrovich 8 years ago

^

This person knows what they are talking about, though I will point out that the words "psychopath" and "sociopath" are just layman's terms for what is generally antisocial personality disorder or narcissistic personality disorder.

Society uses these terms to describe the shared character traits these disorders have, which is a lack of empathy (lack the ability to care about/relate to another) combined with sadism (enjoying other's pain/enjoying causing it).

It is not considered curable. Though I wonder if it ever could be, if the parts of/activity in the brain that they are missing could ever be somehow modified by some scientific discovery in the future.

You can learn more about "psychopaths" from the site psychopathfree, which is mainly based around helping the victims of these people make sense of it all and avoid them in the future.

I think it's very important information, particularly since the vast majority of society seems to think that all psychopaths are killers, when, in fact, most just enjoy destroying the lives of others through emotional and psychological abuse (some physically abuse/kill as well, of course; often starting with animals), which, if you ask me, is probably worse than death. These people and similar are definitely people you want to learn to spot, not fall for their manipulation tactics and avoid.

Articles | Narcissist, Sociopath, and Psychopath Abuse Recovery
https://www.psychopathfree.com/articles/

I hope this is helpful or at least interesting to some.

[–] yessigabi 8 years ago

I think it is a bit more complex than what is portrayed in the movie. If you read the books maybe you could find the answer.

[–] Dejay 8 years ago

Well maybe who actually read the book can answer that :)

[–] yessigabi 8 years ago

I read the books, but still, I think it is better to figure that out on your own haha

[–] Dejay 8 years ago

Oh you tease. Common, tell me or I'll bash your head in!

[–] yessigabi 8 years ago

But, it is really subjective, whatever I tell you may be biased.

Let's see, the books give you a whole new level of John's character and way of thinking. But not so much on the emotional level, because, as I see it, sociopaths can feel (he pretty much feels "normal" emotions) they just don't know what to make out of that. I think the books don't give a straightforward answer to your question, you have to interpret it.

[–] Dejay 8 years ago

Not quite sure how I "feel" about this! But I thanks. From the movie I still hope young John will experience friendship and love in his life.

[–] fishingbird 8 years ago

Read the next two books 😉 I Don't Want To Kill You is the best in the series so far. I still have to get to The Devil's Only Friend.

Doth my nuggs bequeef me? You're Bangkok Dangerous.

[–] denise1234 8 years ago

I stumbled upon this film & I think it's a little gem. It was much better than I expected.

Now I *do* want to read the book.

My takeaway (and my favorite thing about this movie) was that John was a psycho/sociopath who kept himself from going on to possibly becoming a serial killer by his 'rules', whereas the old man WAS a serial killer, but not a psycho/sociopath (as clinically defined; for example he felt love for his wife & I believe he also felt an attachment to John).

Also interesting was that John who claimed that he felt 'nothing' wanted to know from the old man if it 'hurt', and the one thing that John was not going to allow the old man to get was a 'heart'.

"She was possessed by a very simple idea that changed everything. That our world wasn't real."