This week on Black Hoodie Alchemy, we're doing another deep-dive character study as I tell Seedperson1 and Chris all about one of the wildest serial killers I've ever heard of: Carl Panzram. Imagine if Henry David Thoreau kept some of artistic spark, love of philosophy, and awe of nature -- yet also assaulted thousands of people and murdered over 20, some of them even being children.
Immersed in hobo train-hopping culture in the early 20th century, Panzram was known to commit acts like church burnings, murder-and-pillage sprees on stolen yachts, successful prison-breaks, and a ton of robberies that even included former president William Taft. And not only did he do this in America, but he traveled to Africa and South America as well.
Truly tortured at a boy's reform school as a child, following severe abuse during his train-hopping, and then even more severe torture as he served prison time on and off, Panzram eventually came to see himself as a living embodiment of rage and vengeance, and the only thing he truly enjoyed was torturing the human race as much as it seemed to relish in torturing him.
And still, amidst all that, he maintained a deep love of nature, literature, and philosophy, enjoying the works of authors like Oscar Wilde, Immanuel Kant, and Friedrich Nietzsche.
Who is this bizarrely human monster and can anyone really understand his motivations? His infamy has fascinated true crime researchers for decades now, and now you can hear the story along with some good ol Black Hoodie Alchemy philosophizing.
Oh, and as some more get-out-of-jail-free cards to all the darkness and morbidity this week, I occasionally break up the conversation and share lesser known facts about Always Sunny with the boys!
We hope you dig it!
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