Curiosity And Wonder Strike Interest In The Murdaugh Murder Case

Imagine your heart racing, your palms sweating, and the hair on your arms sticking up as goosebumps form. You don’t know what to do and you’re in a state of shock, the ground below you feels unstable. This is a depiction of what it is to be truly scared. Why would that be enjoyable to the human mind? A long time ago, fear was used to trigger fight or flight and help people stay safe, now it’s like a thrill game. Fear has evolved and changed with people, and it is a constant in everyday life. Macabre situations and fear are broad topics that strike interest and enjoyment in people through wonder. Curiosity and wonder strike interest for many and raise questions about abundant things. When in a state of fear, humans feel an ultimate sense of

In the present day, interest of fear looks slightly different than witnessing hangings and battles to the death. A large point of modern interest is true crime. An example of this is the fascination in the Murdaugh murder case. In this case, Alex Murdaugh, a prominent North Carolina lawyer was accused of murdering his wife Maggie and his son Paul. This case has gained worldwide media coverage and has been touched on by many television platforms like Netflix. Why is this so appealing to people, these cases are people's hardships and their real life struggles? It draws people in so much because it teaches us about human nature and what people are truly capable of. In an article published by ABC News, Thomas Pope, state representative in New York and South Carolina graduate gives his insight on why we are intrigued in this case. It’s because the, “truth is stranger than fiction” (Pope). The idea that a person could commit a crime so gruesome makes people think very hard about human nature and what people can really do. This interest is deep rooted in us because it all comes from our nature, its curiosity. Another example of curiosity is in the famous southern gothic short story “A Good Man is Hard to Find.” Famous short story writer Flannery O’Connor teaches readers about the human nature of curiosity through one of her main characters in this novel. The grandmother in this story is characterized as curious and manipulative. When they are faced with fear and a real danger, she changes her morals and instantly begs for her life. Fear brought out the better in her, and curiosity got the worst of her. The story concludes with the line, “She would of been a good woman,” The Misfit said, “if it had been somebody there to shoot her every minute of her life” (O’Connor). The best is brought out in us when we are in dangerous situations because danger