I have a brief note about the Chris Benoit murder-suicide up at Full Comment and there's a slightly expanded version in this morning's print Post. In the last 24 hours the press has seized upon the discovery of (legal, prescribed) steroids in the Benoit home and drawn the inevitable lame conclusions—guarded in several cases by that crooked little sergeant-at-arms of the headline writer, the question mark. It is perhaps difficult to complain about anything that might direct more press attention to the role of prescription drugs in killing several generations of wrestlers, but it must be said that the WWE's bold official statement denouncing "the sensationalistic reporting and speculation being undertaken by some members of the media" has the better of the argument. Benoit flew halfway across the country after lying to his employers and killed three people on three different days. If that's "roid rage" then I'm a mountain goat.
Most family annihilators believe they are helping their loved ones "escape" to another world, an imagined state of peace in which the family's unity is restored. Forensically, the Bibles that Benoit carefully placed beside the bodies of his victims are more significant than anything the cops will find in the medicine cabinet. Indeed, what more could he have done to make his message clearer to the investigators?
Comments (16)
The number of deaths since 1985 is absolutely insane.
Posted by Andy Grabia | June 27, 2007 3:16 PM
Posted on June 27, 2007 15:16
While the focus on steroids is perhaps understandable given the media wanting quick answers to an unbelievable tragedy, attention should be paid to concussions and head trauma - and the long-term effects of such on men in their 40s and 50s.
Former WWE wrestler Chris Nowinki has become an expert on this subject since his own fledgling wrestling career ended due to repeated consussions.
Benoit took a lot of unprotected chair shots during his career, and some of his co-workers have quietly talked about a personality change he underwent about a year ago, so ....
Posted by Mike Jenkinson | June 27, 2007 3:54 PM
Posted on June 27, 2007 15:54
Men are nine times more likely to commit murders in general, so why would it be unlikely that artificial masculinizing agents wouldn't increase the likelihood of murder?
Posted by Steve Sailer | June 27, 2007 4:35 PM
Posted on June 27, 2007 16:35
Nowinski is attempting to get the coroner to look at Benoit's brain.
Posted by Andy Grabia | June 27, 2007 4:55 PM
Posted on June 27, 2007 16:55
I thought family annihilator shortly after the press conference about the incident, and I think this particular is the only other place I've seen that theory referenced.
FWIW, here's another article that details a lot more about the concept, including a profile:
http://observer.guardian.co.uk/focus/story/0,,1939797,00.html
Posted by HJF | June 27, 2007 4:57 PM
Posted on June 27, 2007 16:57
Men are nine times more likely to commit murders in general, so why would it be unlikely that artificial masculinizing agents wouldn't increase the likelihood of murder?
I'm sure they do increase it, but the evidence of premeditation in this particular case seems to point away from the impulsive violence normally associated with male hormones and their analogues. And Mike's got a good point about head trauma, which is a near-ubiquitous element in the biographies of violent criminals.
It's true that in general, if you set out to invent a profession that would turn men either suicidal or murderous by age 40, it would look exactly like professional wrestling.
Posted by Colby Cosh | June 27, 2007 5:09 PM
Posted on June 27, 2007 17:09
What is with this hed here?
Attorney: Couple argued over care of mentally retarded 7-year-old son
Posted by Andy Grabia | June 27, 2007 6:07 PM
Posted on June 27, 2007 18:07
I remember roid rage from prep school and college. I was on the recieving end of it from a room-mate of mine the first year at my alma malus. Found out later that he beat up his girlfriend, which finally got him to stop, which was nice.
If this kills professional wrestling, which some have suggested, it would be not big loss lets be honest.
Posted by Andrew Ian Dodge | June 28, 2007 2:35 AM
Posted on June 28, 2007 02:35
Roid rage isn't the only way steroids may have played a part in this. Depression and a sense of hopelessness is listed as a common side-effect. That does fit the scenario fairly well.
Posted by Anshu | June 28, 2007 8:04 AM
Posted on June 28, 2007 08:04
Or he was just an abusive asshole whose history of abuse culminated in murder.
Posted by Jason | June 28, 2007 8:32 AM
Posted on June 28, 2007 08:32
Do pro wrestlers use real metal folding chairs to wack each other over the heads? I'd always assumed they were some kind of superlight prop ...
Posted by Steve Sailer | June 28, 2007 4:38 PM
Posted on June 28, 2007 16:38
The chairs are real, but many wrestlers use their hands to protect themselves.
Posted by Andy Grabia | June 28, 2007 6:47 PM
Posted on June 28, 2007 18:47
Wow. I didn't know that. And if you don't quite get your hands up in time ...
Posted by Steve Sailer | June 29, 2007 2:04 AM
Posted on June 29, 2007 02:04
That moment she was mine, mine, fair,
Perfectly pure and good: I found
A thing to do, and all her hair
In one long yellow string l wound
Three times her little throat around,
And strangled her.
In the family annihilator story to which Colby provided a link, I was astonished to find this statement from Prof. Kevin Browne: "It is an interesting twist on murder because these types of killings have nothing whatsoever to do with evil, they are all to do with love."
At the very least, killing one's family is a crime of extraordinary egoism and vanity. Self-love, perhaps.
Posted by Nantoling | June 29, 2007 5:05 AM
Posted on June 29, 2007 05:05
> "It is an interesting twist...
What could make someone saw something so stupid?
We follow the link-
"Dr Kevin Browne is a professor of forensic and family psychology at the University of Birmingham."
OK. Thanks, Kev. I'm reminded of the friend (liberal, East Coast-y) who sincerely believes the 9/11 attackers were "courageous."
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Posted on June 30, 2007 09:31
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