ISSN: 2710-4028 DOI: https://doi.org/10.54208/0008 101
unemotional, they are prone to dramatic, shallow, and
short-lived displays of feeling” (Hare 1993:52). Manson,
by his own admission, was void of positive emotions
and admitted to having bursts of temper. When Manson
awaited the return of Family members from the Tate
murders, he claimed to be “totally without conscience,”
and that he could not “put a finger on when I became
devoid of caring emotion” (Manson and Emmons
1986:202). He even went so far as to acknowledge that
he experienced emotions differently than other people:
“A normal person would find the details of the night’s
events shocking and horrifying, but I had long ago
stopped measuring myself by society’s standards. The
story I was hearing from Tex and Sadie did not shock
me” (Manson and Emmons 1986:206).
Manson’s shallow affect also influenced how he
experienced fear. According to Hare, for psychopaths
“fear—like most other emotions—is incomplete,
shallow, largely cognitive in nature, and without the
physiological turmoil or ‘coloring’ that most of us find
distinctly unpleasant and wish to avoid or reduce”
(1993:56). Family member Paul Watkins claimed that
“[f]ear turns Charlie on” and that Manson believed that
fear was the equivalent of awareness and love. Rather
than avoiding fear, Manson sought and embraced the
emotion (Bugliosi with Gentry 1974:225).
At the scene of the LaBianca murders, Manson’s
shallow affect was evident. When recalling the events
of the night, he discussed how he methodically entered
the home, confronted the victims, gave direction
to another Family member, and even tested Leno
LaBianca by turning his back on him. Manson does
not mention feeling fear or anxiety while entering the
home of strangers and planning their murders. He
does, however, express that he was concerned that
one of them would do something to ignite his temper
(Manson and Emmons 1986:209–211). Manson’s
shallow affect, as exemplified through the LaBianca
murders, is consistent with the emotional poverty of a
psychopath.
Being callous, or lacking empathy, is another indicator
of psychopathy closely associated with shallow affect.
Hare asserts that
[m]any of the characteristics displayed by
psychopaths—especially their egocentricity,
lack of remorse, shallow emotions, and
deceitfulness—are closely associated with
a profound lack of empathy (an inability to
construct a mental and emotional “facsimile”
of another person). They seem unable to
“get into the skin” or to “walk in the shoes”
of others, except in a purely intellectual
sense. The feelings of other people are of
no concern to psychopaths. (1993:44).
In addition to Manson’s obvious lack of empathy
toward the Tate-LaBianca victims, he showed a similar
callousness toward Family members and associates.
While Family members treated Manson with deference,
he often manipulated them to maintain his dominance.
According to Bugliosi, “Manson would seek out each
individual’s greatest fear—not so the person could
confront and eliminate it, but so he could re-emphasize
it. It was like a magic button, which he could push
at will to control that person” (Bugliosi with Gentry
1974:238). Manson demonstrated his callousness by
coldly capitalizing on Family members’ fears to retain
control over the group. Hare states that “the weak and
the vulnerable—whom they mock, rather than pity—
are favorite targets” of psychopaths (1993:44). Manson
was especially callous toward vulnerable Family
members who demonstrated less than total devotion
to him. When underage Family member Stephanie
Schram admitted to being homesick and wanting
to leave the group, Manson hit her in the head with
a rifle (Sanders 1971:358). Similarly, when pregnant
Family member Kitty Lutesinger fell asleep during
one of Manson’s sermons, he punched her in the face,
knocking her into the campfire (Sanders 1971:362).
Violence is a manifestation of the callousness of
psychopaths. According to Hare, “While most of us
have strong inhibitions about physically injuring others,
psychopaths do not. For them, violence and threats are
handy tools to be used when they are angered, defied,
or frustrated, and they give little thought to the pain
and humiliation experienced by the victims” (1993:88–
89). Family member Dianne Lake was a frequent victim
of Manson’s violence. “Apparently, not finding Dianne
submissive enough, Manson had, on various occasions:
punched her in the mouth kicked her across a room
hit her over the head with a chair leg and whipped
her with an electrical cord” (Bugliosi with Gentry
1974:205–206). Manson clearly lacked the empathy
unemotional, they are prone to dramatic, shallow, and
short-lived displays of feeling” (Hare 1993:52). Manson,
by his own admission, was void of positive emotions
and admitted to having bursts of temper. When Manson
awaited the return of Family members from the Tate
murders, he claimed to be “totally without conscience,”
and that he could not “put a finger on when I became
devoid of caring emotion” (Manson and Emmons
1986:202). He even went so far as to acknowledge that
he experienced emotions differently than other people:
“A normal person would find the details of the night’s
events shocking and horrifying, but I had long ago
stopped measuring myself by society’s standards. The
story I was hearing from Tex and Sadie did not shock
me” (Manson and Emmons 1986:206).
Manson’s shallow affect also influenced how he
experienced fear. According to Hare, for psychopaths
“fear—like most other emotions—is incomplete,
shallow, largely cognitive in nature, and without the
physiological turmoil or ‘coloring’ that most of us find
distinctly unpleasant and wish to avoid or reduce”
(1993:56). Family member Paul Watkins claimed that
“[f]ear turns Charlie on” and that Manson believed that
fear was the equivalent of awareness and love. Rather
than avoiding fear, Manson sought and embraced the
emotion (Bugliosi with Gentry 1974:225).
At the scene of the LaBianca murders, Manson’s
shallow affect was evident. When recalling the events
of the night, he discussed how he methodically entered
the home, confronted the victims, gave direction
to another Family member, and even tested Leno
LaBianca by turning his back on him. Manson does
not mention feeling fear or anxiety while entering the
home of strangers and planning their murders. He
does, however, express that he was concerned that
one of them would do something to ignite his temper
(Manson and Emmons 1986:209–211). Manson’s
shallow affect, as exemplified through the LaBianca
murders, is consistent with the emotional poverty of a
psychopath.
Being callous, or lacking empathy, is another indicator
of psychopathy closely associated with shallow affect.
Hare asserts that
[m]any of the characteristics displayed by
psychopaths—especially their egocentricity,
lack of remorse, shallow emotions, and
deceitfulness—are closely associated with
a profound lack of empathy (an inability to
construct a mental and emotional “facsimile”
of another person). They seem unable to
“get into the skin” or to “walk in the shoes”
of others, except in a purely intellectual
sense. The feelings of other people are of
no concern to psychopaths. (1993:44).
In addition to Manson’s obvious lack of empathy
toward the Tate-LaBianca victims, he showed a similar
callousness toward Family members and associates.
While Family members treated Manson with deference,
he often manipulated them to maintain his dominance.
According to Bugliosi, “Manson would seek out each
individual’s greatest fear—not so the person could
confront and eliminate it, but so he could re-emphasize
it. It was like a magic button, which he could push
at will to control that person” (Bugliosi with Gentry
1974:238). Manson demonstrated his callousness by
coldly capitalizing on Family members’ fears to retain
control over the group. Hare states that “the weak and
the vulnerable—whom they mock, rather than pity—
are favorite targets” of psychopaths (1993:44). Manson
was especially callous toward vulnerable Family
members who demonstrated less than total devotion
to him. When underage Family member Stephanie
Schram admitted to being homesick and wanting
to leave the group, Manson hit her in the head with
a rifle (Sanders 1971:358). Similarly, when pregnant
Family member Kitty Lutesinger fell asleep during
one of Manson’s sermons, he punched her in the face,
knocking her into the campfire (Sanders 1971:362).
Violence is a manifestation of the callousness of
psychopaths. According to Hare, “While most of us
have strong inhibitions about physically injuring others,
psychopaths do not. For them, violence and threats are
handy tools to be used when they are angered, defied,
or frustrated, and they give little thought to the pain
and humiliation experienced by the victims” (1993:88–
89). Family member Dianne Lake was a frequent victim
of Manson’s violence. “Apparently, not finding Dianne
submissive enough, Manson had, on various occasions:
punched her in the mouth kicked her across a room
hit her over the head with a chair leg and whipped
her with an electrical cord” (Bugliosi with Gentry
1974:205–206). Manson clearly lacked the empathy
