The Criminal Mind
: A One-Way Street to Self-Deification
In an era increasingly consumed by the social determinants of crime – poverty, environment, systemic inequalities – the work of Dr. Samuel Yochelson and Dr. Stanton Samenow stands as a stark and, for some, uncomfortable counter-narrative. Their seminal research, particularly articulated in Samenow's Inside the Criminal Mind, posits that the root of criminality lies not in external circumstances, but in deeply entrenched, self-serving patterns of thought. Chapter 6 of Samenow’s work, provocatively titled "Life Is a One-Way Street—My Way," lays bare this thesis with chilling precision, revealing a psychological landscape where egocentrism reigns supreme and empathy is but a fleeting, ignorable whisper.
At the core of the criminal personality, Samenow argues, is an almost insatiable craving for power. This is not the power to effect societal change or lead constructively, but "power for its own sake." Other individuals are reduced to mere "pawns," their value solely determined by their utility in fulfilling the criminal's desires. This worldview, often incubated from childhood, fosters a profound sense of entitlement – a belief that their desires inherently legitimise their actions. As one interviewee starkly confessed, "I made myself a little god at every turn." The criminal, in this schema, is not merely a spoke in the wheel of life, but its undeniable hub.
Relationships become transactional, mercurial arrangements. People are treated as property, their relevance tied to immediate benefit. Fair competition is alien; the criminal operates by "stealth," manipulating situations to their advantage, relishing the solitary control borne of their "sinister intentions" and the perverse thrill of "playing games with people's minds." This appetite for conquest is boundless; triumphs merely whet the appetite for the next transgression. Indeed, a single arrest, Samenow cautions, often represents but a fraction of a career criminal's true activity, a testament to their relentless pursuit of new thrills.
To illustrate these "errors in thinking," Samenow presents a compelling, if unsettling, comparison between two murderers: Larry, a middle-school dropout from an impoverished background, and Trevor, an affluent college student from a privileged family. Despite diametrically opposed upbringings, their patterns of thought and personality, particularly their profound lack of empathy, were disturbingly similar. Their narratives underscore Samenow’s central contention: environment may shape opportunities, but it does not dictate the fundamental choice of a criminal lifestyle.
Samenow identifies several crucial "thinking errors" endemic to such individuals:
The Lack of a Concept of Injury to Others: The suffering inflicted upon victims is met with indifference. Larry, having beaten an elderly man to death for his wallet, viewed his victim as having "little significance," akin to "stepping on an ant." Trevor, after murdering his father, gave "little thought" to the wider familial devastation. Victims are often blamed for their own misfortune – "If he had locked the door, I couldn't have gone into his house."
Claiming to Be a Victim and Blaming Others: When held accountable, criminals deftly shift blame, constructing elaborate victim narratives. Larry blamed his mother and poverty; Trevor, despite his privilege, accused his parents of a "wretched existence" and even blamed his therapist for not "fixing" them. These justifications are, significantly, post-facto rationalisations, designed to deflect culpability.
An Ability to Shut Off Conscience: While acknowledging a "tattered, threadbare conscience," Samenow reveals the criminal's chilling capacity to "shut it off" at will. Larry even expressed pride in his lack of conscience: "I don't have a conscience. If something happens, it happens. I've done a lot of things. I don't worry about it." This starkly contrasts with responsible individuals, who are guided and, at times, constrained by moral pangs.
An Extreme Sense of Entitlement: "When I walked into that room, everything in that room belonged to me," declared a burglar. This extreme sense of entitlement means desires are not merely wants, but perceived rights. Things are "just taken"; parents' money is simply "helped oneself to."
A Sense of Uniqueness: Criminals regard themselves as utterly distinct and superior, "like a fingerprint," rejecting authority and advice. Rules and societal norms, in their view, simply do not apply to them. This solitary grandiosity fosters contempt for peers and reinforces their "my way" mentality.
The Lack of a Concept of Obligation: For the criminal, "to be obligated is to be powerless." While others are seen as obligated to them, the reverse is never true. Trevor felt no obligation to his parents despite benefiting from their support, just as Larry's "blood oath" with a friend dissolved when legal jeopardy arose.
An Ability to Shut Off Fear: Perhaps most unnerving is the "chilling capacity to eliminate from their thinking all these risks [of getting caught, injured, or killed] once they are poised to act." Fear, for the criminal, is a "dirty word," an inconvenience to be switched off as one might a light. This allows for acts that responsible individuals would find utterly paralysing.
Samenow's work compels us to look beyond simplistic socio-economic explanations for criminal behaviour. While not dismissing their influence, he insists that the pervasive "errors in thinking" are the true differentiator between criminals and responsible citizens. It is a radically altered worldview, detached from empathy, driven by relentless self-serving logic, that defies conventional motive and consequence. Understanding this intricate, often horrifying, internal landscape is not to condone, but to comprehend the profound challenge inherent in addressing true criminality. Their street, it seems, truly is a one-way path, paved with an unyielding conviction of personal supremacy.
Citations for Article:
Samenow, S. E. (1984). Inside the Criminal Mind. Times Books.
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