Eat, Fuck, Shit, Kill: The Loss of Humanity in "The Vampire Diaries"
For @themissingmink
I haven't been lurking much at Television Without Pity, or anywhere else for that matter, but I've still heard some rumbling about what the loss of humanity means for vampires on "The Vampire Diaries". There appears to be controversy over whether a vampire whose humanity has been turned off experiences emotions -- which we're told they do not -- and if so, which emotions they feel, or if having any emotion at all means that they can't possibly have turned off their humanity. I think that the question, however, is more one of what constitutes an emotion and what doesn't. What is it they're really feeling?
It seemed clear to me from the start -- although I'm not claiming that this is necessarily what the writers intended -- that once a vampire in this universe has shut off their humanity, they've lost the emotions associated with having a cerebral cortex. Or rather, they've lost true human emotions and now experience only what animals do: drive and sensation. Eat, fuck, shit, kill. Mine not yours. They hunger; they don't desire. They feel pleasure, not joy; satiation, not affection; infringement, not betrayal.
In last week's episode, Elena does not feel jealous of Caroline and Stefan at the party; she feels territorial. She already put her stink on that, so Caroline, a competing female, better not touch it. And her conflict with Caroline in general is one of the wild: Caroline is the alpha female in her way, and so Elena needs to challenge her in order to overthrow her, presumably to take her place as alpha. (To be honest, this seems more a male thing, and I'm really not sure about actual female pack animals, but the role of alpha within a pack is the point here.) Caroline, although working from a point of concern and genuine desire to do what is best, attempts to control Elena. Incapable of empathy, love, duty, morality, concern, all Elena sees is the attempt to exert power over her. And without empathy, love, duty, morality, concern, fuck that.
In tonight's episode, there is the question of Damon's emotions during his time with Lexi in 1977. He resents her control and interference; he's frustrated because he can't follow his drives the way he wants to with her around. This isn't the same as hatred, and although his subsequent actions might appear hateful, they aren't. He concocts a plan to get rid of her that's economically efficient: It costs him little (minor pretense, an evening of physical labour) and is very effective (guarantees himself a large head-start and reduces the chances that she will want to pursue him). Sure, he's as mean as a scorned wasp, but only because he has no conscience or empathy to stop him, not by design.
Without their humanity, these vampires aren't numb or insensate, but wild with the cruelty of nature, unburdened by guilt, love, or notions of honour, justice or propriety. They just don't give a fuck. In fact, they take fucks away from other people who have fucks to give. Because like wasps, wolves or sociopaths, nothing inside themselves is stopping them.
I haven't been lurking much at Television Without Pity, or anywhere else for that matter, but I've still heard some rumbling about what the loss of humanity means for vampires on "The Vampire Diaries". There appears to be controversy over whether a vampire whose humanity has been turned off experiences emotions -- which we're told they do not -- and if so, which emotions they feel, or if having any emotion at all means that they can't possibly have turned off their humanity. I think that the question, however, is more one of what constitutes an emotion and what doesn't. What is it they're really feeling?
It seemed clear to me from the start -- although I'm not claiming that this is necessarily what the writers intended -- that once a vampire in this universe has shut off their humanity, they've lost the emotions associated with having a cerebral cortex. Or rather, they've lost true human emotions and now experience only what animals do: drive and sensation. Eat, fuck, shit, kill. Mine not yours. They hunger; they don't desire. They feel pleasure, not joy; satiation, not affection; infringement, not betrayal.
In last week's episode, Elena does not feel jealous of Caroline and Stefan at the party; she feels territorial. She already put her stink on that, so Caroline, a competing female, better not touch it. And her conflict with Caroline in general is one of the wild: Caroline is the alpha female in her way, and so Elena needs to challenge her in order to overthrow her, presumably to take her place as alpha. (To be honest, this seems more a male thing, and I'm really not sure about actual female pack animals, but the role of alpha within a pack is the point here.) Caroline, although working from a point of concern and genuine desire to do what is best, attempts to control Elena. Incapable of empathy, love, duty, morality, concern, all Elena sees is the attempt to exert power over her. And without empathy, love, duty, morality, concern, fuck that.
In tonight's episode, there is the question of Damon's emotions during his time with Lexi in 1977. He resents her control and interference; he's frustrated because he can't follow his drives the way he wants to with her around. This isn't the same as hatred, and although his subsequent actions might appear hateful, they aren't. He concocts a plan to get rid of her that's economically efficient: It costs him little (minor pretense, an evening of physical labour) and is very effective (guarantees himself a large head-start and reduces the chances that she will want to pursue him). Sure, he's as mean as a scorned wasp, but only because he has no conscience or empathy to stop him, not by design.
Without their humanity, these vampires aren't numb or insensate, but wild with the cruelty of nature, unburdened by guilt, love, or notions of honour, justice or propriety. They just don't give a fuck. In fact, they take fucks away from other people who have fucks to give. Because like wasps, wolves or sociopaths, nothing inside themselves is stopping them.