Is smart really the new sexy?

"Smart is the new sexy," CBS proclaims this statement in order to broadcast their television show, The Big Bang Theory. However this statement is meant with a touch of irony and sarcasm. Do we honestly believe CBS thinks that smart really is the new sexy? This show encompasses every possible stereotype of the intelligent, yet nerdy type. The men on this show are extremely smart - but even more so, extremely awkward. Stereoptypes of these men included peanut allergies, Star Wars, online worlds, and the inability to talk or interact with females. I felt these stereotypes were over the top, and it didn't just go that way for the smart nerds. Characters on the show that were not geniuses were displayed as unintelligent, generally good-looking, "bimbos" who spent their time partying. Not to mention that guys were the only ones to be seen as geniuses. We see this stereotype throughout television and film - and we usually see these "dorky" geniuses played as males. Sometimes it is painful to watch the interactions these guys have with other people or their choice of fashion.

On the other hand, these guys sometimes creep into the "aww they are so cute" role. As female viewers, we gain sympathy for these men and see their quirky and almost cute sides. The nerds are usually overly nice men who just can't seem to find a good girl who understands them. As a viewer, girls feel sympathy and might even wish for a guy like this. However, in real life - chances are if a guy is really this awkward - they don't stand a chance finding love. Can smart really be sexy? Of course. People want someone who is intelligent - but people also want someone who is confident, easy to talk to, and sexy. This exists, but who really wants to watch someone on T.V. who has all these qualities we wish we had? Playing the nerd role adds humor and wit for our viewing pleasure. We learn to love these characters and I do believe the media has lived up to their statement: turning smart into sexy.

The Dark Genius

Edmund Emil Kemper III is a serial killer who is known as the "Co-ed killer". Kemper's first kill was the shooting of his grandmother and grandfather in 1963, when he was only 15 years old. Kemper admitted to police that he "just wanted to see what it felt like to kill Grandma," and that he killed his grandfather because he knew he would be angry at him for what he had done to his grandmother.

In the early 70's, Kemper began his killing streak once more. He preyed on young female hitchhikers - shooting, strangling, and stabbing them. Kemper decapititated all of his victims and dissected many of them. He cannibalized some of his victims, slicing off body parts and cooking their bodies. Kemper dissected and saved body parts for sexual pleasure and often kept body parts as "keepsakes". After killing a victim, Kemper often engaged in sex with the corpse, even after is had been decapitated.

"Even when she was dead, she was still bitching at me. I couldn't get her to shut up!" - Kemper said of his mother. Included on his list of victims, was Kemper's mother. He killed his mother early one morning on Easter weekend. He entered her bedrom carrying a hammer and a large hunting knife, which he called "General". After smashing her head, he slashed her throat, cut out her larynx, severed her head, and had sex with the corpse.

It is said that Kemper had always had a terrible relationship with his mother. His mother was a violent woman who would humiliate him and made him sleep in a locked basement. It is alleged that she suffered from a borderline personality disorder.

As I researched Edmund Emil Kemper III, I found such shocking and disturbing information. Aside from his brutal and perverse killings, he was deranged as a young boy. Stories say he had buried his pet rabbit alive, and then decapitated and kept it's head. He used to act out his own death through mock executions. He fantasized about killing his sister and his teacher. Through research, it is also found that Kemper had a "near genius IQ" of 136, Kemper was a bright child, but displayed sociopathic and passive-aggressive behavior. His IQ is borderline "genius", but I still feel this story plays into the whole dark genius idea. All of the information is relevant to a full story, however I find it amusing that his IQ has enough relevance to be mentioned several times in research studies. I feel that if Kemper had an average IQ level, this fact would not be important enough to be mentioned. However, it plays into the whole idea of a "brilliant killer". I find that the media enjoys this type of story, and find it makes a more interesting story.


An interview with Edmund Kemper


Sources:

• http://www.geocities.com/prophet31_/kemper.html
• http://www.serialkillers.nl/edmund-kemper/edmund-kemper.htm
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edmund_Kemper