The Tangled Mind of Charles Manson

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The Tangled Mind of Charles Manson

Serial killers and cult leaders are two types of people that demonstrate power, control and have been around for centuries. These two types of individuals are very similar and very different in how they are portrayed. Serial killers are notorious for leaving a trail of bodies over the course of several days, months, even years. They usually act with limited assistance and are brutal in how they commit their crimes. The cult leader is more charismatic and able to influence others to commit acts of defiance toward governments; even individuals with no clear reason for there those actions.

These two types of personalities combined into one person are rare but not impossible. Over the years, there has been several individual in this category, Charles Manson is probably the most notorious of them all as he was the person that created media attention for him and his cult followers, known simply as the “Family.”

Charles Manson has remained in the limelight for the past 40 years. Psychiatrists attribute the behaviors of serial killers to early childhood, others look at personality and the individuals the follow these individuals. What contributed to the mind of Manson? Was it the actions of his mother, his childhood or was it the power and sense of control he had over his followers? Some would argue it was simply revenge.

History of Charles Manson

Charles Manson, killer, cult leader, musician, father, dictator; where does Charles Manson fit? Charles Manson was born as Charles Miles Maddox on November 12, 1934, to Kathleen Maddox a 16-year-old prostitute from Cincinnati, Ohio. Kathleen had been in prison for armed robbery, solicitation and other offense leaving little Charles with neighbors or friends for hours and days at a time. On one occasion, it has been reported that Kathleen used Charles as payment for a pitcher of beer in a local bar and reports from Manson himself about hearing his mother “entertain” men at night while he was in the next room.

As a child Charles lived with relatives and moved often from one home to another, at the age of nine Charles was caught stealing and was sent to a reform school. That was the start of Charles’ life in the correctional system. In 1947, Charles was sent to the Gibault School for Boys in Terre Haute, Indiana for stealing after about a year he escaped and attempted to return to his mother but was harshly met with rejection.