What fascination with Lindsay Clancy case says about society
It’s easy to see the still-unfolding case of Lindsay Clancy as unique. It’s horribly unusual for a mother to admit to murdering her own children and novel to use “postpartum psychosis” as a rationale for acquittal. But the national attention bordering on fixation that the case has attracted puts it in an American media tradition: what can be called a “crime of the century” — crimes so dramatic that they captivate the public, owing to both their horror and their novelty. Their attention can be dismissed as press sensationalism, but they serve an important purpose as revealing snapshots of a changing society.
TL;DR
- The Lindsay Clancy case is part of a tradition of "crimes of the century" that captivate public attention due to their horror and novelty.
- Historically, these crimes, like the Lindbergh baby kidnapping and the stories of Bonnie and Clyde and "Pretty Boy" Floyd, have featured novel elements that defined their era.
- Later cases, including Dr. Sam Sheppherd's murder trial and the "Son of Sam" killings, continued this trend, highlighting evolving societal figures and legal precedents.
- The intensity of "crimes of the century" appears to be increasing, requiring greater horror to shock the public, potentially reflecting a "defining deviancy down" phenomenon.
- These high-profile crimes serve as both morality plays and indicators of social issues, offering timeless yet evolving insights into society.