True crime shows have been a popular form of entertainment to the point that fans who watch them have also become obsessed and led to a major surge of the genre in the last several years.
Let's explore the true crime fandom and their obsession.
The Fan Obsession with True Crime
According to a June 2024 survey, 57% of U.S. adult citizens are consuming true crime content which just shows how massive it has become. 48% of participants also consume content about murder.
This poses the question of why fans are obsessed with true crime. There are several reasons that you could point to and ponder.
A report suggested that fans' obsession with true crime may have something to do with the human instinct since our hunter-gatherer days.
It was explained that it is in "our nature to be highly attuned to criminal misdemeanors, and we instinctively want to discover the ‘who’, ‘what’, ‘when’ and ‘where’ so we can find out what makes criminals tick, and to better protect ourselves and our kin."
As a viewer, true crime shows also help them "identify with the victim and read about tips and strategies for defeating the ‘baddies.'"
Another reason is the problem-solving aspect as viewers engage with the story and try to solve the mystery themselves as they watch the case unfold on screen.
Are Fans Obsessed with True Crime or Just Curious?
Whether the fascination with true crime is truly an obsession or curiosity is debatable, but there is no doubt that the fandom of the genre has blurred the lines.
Some people may argue that the "obsession" is actually just curiosity and the fascination is more from an observer's perspective where they can watch them as entertainment, engage with the content, ponder about the story afterward, and not get too attached to the subject matter.
However, some people have shown that the fascination has become "obsession" as they have revolved their lives around true crime and even try to solve the cases in real life themselves.
There is no real answer to the debate as you can make a solid argument on both sides, but this also shows how true crime has really become a massive phenomenon and there is no sign of decline anytime soon.
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