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The OJ case explained by evolutional theory.

posted 8 years ago by olavjoedal
2 replies | jump to latest

While watching this series I was sometimes thinking that OJ is the textbook charming psychopath, but in afterthought I think that the level of power and fame OJ rose to through his life is something that will corrupt most human beings and human beings around him.

In most of human history the level of power and position in the social hierarchy that OJ came to have is something only compared with royalty. In most of human history these people have been above the law and have indeed acted upon it. The difference is that these acts did not result in a fall from grace for the perpetrator like it did for OJ which happened to be born in a modern age.

I think human beings are ultimately hardwired to act this way. Wherever you are in the social hierarchy yourselves, you have less concern about what people below you think of you than the people above you (yes, you who do not admit so, you have it too!), and logically enough you have a higher concern about what people above you in the hierarchy thinks about you than people below you. Taken to the extreme; if you are on top you will kill those below you without remorse, and you will rule in favour of those above you no matter how strong the evidences is. If we think about humans as herd animals it makes sense that acting in this manner will, in a premodern time, give you more reproductive success than not, and this is a trait that the modern human has inherited as a result of evolution.

[–] catbookss 8 years ago

I don't think Simpson is either a psychopath or a sociopath. Many people use those terms without understanding what they actually mean. I do, however, think he's a malignant narcissist.

At the time of the murders he was still well known and well liked, but on the downside of his celebrity and fame. Not royalty, but still riding on his past fame and public persona, which he guarded very carefully.

Those who were most susceptible to his charm, which is undisputed, were men who were into sports, and recalled his glory days of USC football. He was without question unusually talented as a football player, and considered a sports hero by sports fans. He was also a very good looking man, and charming as all narcissists are, else they had no way to get the narcissistic supply they so desperately need.

His killing these two people had nothing to do with social hierarchy, in the end. It had everything to do with control, or the perception of the loss of it.

[–] haynese_98 8 years ago

I agree, O.J. was losing control over Nicole as she had finally moved on with her life and was screwing younger guys that reminded O.J. of his youth. Also O.J.'s girlfriend Paula dumped him that very day.

Bottom line: O.J. had been losing control for a long time. His celebrity was fading, his marriage GONE, his girlfriend GONE. Marcus Allen was the new O.J. and that was something he simply could not accept.

Shall we play a game?