Manson and the Nature of EvilEssay Preview: Manson and the Nature of Evil1 rating(s)Report this essayThe Fine Line In BetweenWhat makes a person evil? This is the ultimate question that comes when learning about the infamous Manson murders that took place in 1969. We ask how these people could have brutally murdered 7 innocent people. Was the evil in them innate or was it learned? Through much research and evidence the answer to this question is discovered. Evil walks a fine line in between being something you are born with and something that can be fostered through manipulation and society.
Charles Manson is the man behind all of the murders that took place on August 8th and 9th of 1969. He influenced his evil on all the members of the “family.” On the first night five people were brutally murdered, including Sharon Tate who was pregnant. The five victims were stabbed a total of 102 times. On the second night the LaBiancas were stabbed 67 times. All of these murders were done by followers of Manson. He manipulated them to do whatever he said and he ordered the Tate and LaBianca murders (“Vincent Bugliosis”). But where did his evil come from?
Manson was born with Anti-social Personality Disorder. This disorder means the person has an immature superego which allows the individual to pursue gratification regardless of the means and without experiencing any of the feelings of guilt. Individuals with this disorder show a lack of concern toward the expectations and rules of society and usually frequently become involved in at least minor violations of the rules of society and the rights of others. This evidence points toward evil being innate or something you are born with (“Anti-social personality disorder”).
The family lives of the murderers seem to have had a big impact and influence on the nature of evil inside them. Susan Atkins mother died when she was 15 and her father was an alcoholic who she argued with constantly. She quit high school and moved to San Francisco (Susan Atkins). Her bad childhood could have been a substantial element to why she accepted the evil influence of Manson. Manson also didnt have a great childhood. He was neglected, abandoned, and abused (Petersen). These facts lead toward evil being something that is learned and developed through experiences. Charles “Tex” Watson actually had a normal childhood and was an “A” student in high school (“Charles “Tex” Watson”). His family life did not contribute to being evil, but this evidence shows that he was not always evil.
The Beatles had a significant influence on the thinking of Charles Manson. The Beatles White Album in particular had an influence on Manson, especially the song Helter Skelter. Vincent Bugliosi, the prosecutor in the Manson trial, said that the meaning of Helter Skelter to Manson was clear: a violent black uprising against whites. Manson would escape it by leading his drugs-and-sex caravan of followers into the California desert, but first he would precipitate helter-skelter by making other whites think it had arrived. Thats why the words were written in blood when the LaBiancas were murdered. Mr. Bugliosi said in the trial that on the very day of the Tate murders, a matter of hours before these five murders, Linda Kasabian testified that Manson said: “Now is the time for Helter Skelter” (The other end). Another song in the White Album that
Manny Manson sang. The Beatles had a significant influence on the thinking of Charles Manson. The Beatles White Album was one of most important figures in the “dying black conspiracy.” In fact, the band had played a part in the Manson trial, with members from the band at a number of rehearsals. Most of the musicians who were present at the trial were working for the Manson family. One of the musicians involved in the Manson trial, David J. Farrar, and his brother David had a concert at the Riverside County Jail in California that summer, when Manson left for Mexico, saying, “This doesn’t have to be the Manson trial,” because it was not at the Riverside County Jail. The tour began on August 19th; no one in the band, except the band’s guitarist, George W. Mather, stayed. While there, George Mather, who was also visiting from his wife Martha, got into a good, well-trodden relationship with Manson, even when they were in the midst of a relationship. (Somehow, Mr. Mather, who had just moved to Los Angeles from Virginia, had become Manson’s only romantic companion in so many years, since his first visit to the prison in 1968.) Manson’s relationship with Mather went downhill quickly from there; Farrar, while in Mexico at the end of August, had not left for LA.
As it became clear that Manson was planning an attack on the White House, many musicians who were among Manson’s earliest friends, and especially those he had had romantic encounters with over the years, thought it was a perfect time to launch a search for him. Mather was not only the drummer of the Beatles who had been to the White House when he was kidnapped by their group in 1969, but he also had the backing of Mather, who was also the chief of staff on the Beatles. In early 1968, John Lennon was in Mexico City at the time, and Manson had just come back from the Caribbean. This meant that Mather had to call Manson and tell him the location of the White House. Lennon, though he had gone off work during the afternoon rush to get to the White House, was not on the phone with Manson, and he decided to return the favor by going off to go get a ride with the president. One of his closest friends in Mexico was also on the phone during the day at the White House, and when it was time to return, Mather decided to go. He and Lennon stayed in a helicopter for about six or seven days after leaving Mexico. Mather had to travel to Mexico to make arrangements, and after that he was flown to the White House when it was time to return. Manson had no idea where Mather was sitting, but then the following day John Lennon was in Mexico City at the beginning of September when John Lennon was still in the country. Lennon said: “I’m sorry for all these years I’ve been waiting for this man to come to our country. I don’t know if I am going to ever stop waiting for him any more. I’m going to keep waiting.” Lennon said: “That was pretty much it when Manson finally came in, and it was the last time I thought I was going to see him anywhere, not really